Tyrone Moss Interview

Pompano Beach Ely's Tyrone Moss has been the talk of South Florida running backs this year, and that talent was on display Friday night in an opening-round 28-7 victory over Palm Beach Gardens in 5A playoff action.

But it didn't start out easily for Moss (5-10, 210, 4.55), whose run-oriented team employs a split backfield. In the first half, Gardens keyed on the standout tailback and did a respectable job, holding Moss to 50 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown. Nearly half of the yardage was tallied on a 23-yard scamper in which fellow UM recruit Brian Monroe easily ran down Moss across the field as the stocky back broke into the Gardens' secondary.

"Last year they (Gardens) said I wouldn't get a hundred yards, and this year they said the same thing.

Every time we play them they always have a man to guard me wherever I go, which made things hard early. We got the job done in the second half though," Moss said.

Behind the powerful blocking of Andrew Bain and Cyrim Wimbs, Moss toted the ball 17 times for 140 yards in the second half, icing the game with a 37-yard run in which he cut back and outraced the defense to the goal line. Moss finished the night with 188 yards on 28 carries and two TDs. He also had a 32-yard scoring run called back because of holding.

Moss has rushed for 1,373 yards and 24 TDs this season. He also tied a state record against Gardens by recording his 33rd consecutive 100-yard game, which has helped Ely to a 10-1 record and a No. 2 state ranking. Moss reflected on his season by saying, "It's been alright, despite the fact that I missed two games. I had a big game in the Soul Bowl against Dillard last week, so I think I made up for it."

And as the playoffs heat up, so does the recruiting for his services. Moss has made official visits to Michigan State, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina.

"Right now it's Virginia Tech, Miami, and North Carolina, in that order," said Moss, who said he will visit either Miami or Oklahoma next.