Rehan Mumtaz Ready for Expanded Role as Piedmont's Featured Tailback

Rehan Mumtaz will look to eclipse the 1000 yard rushing mark as a senior.

After putting together a productive junior season, Piedmont (Calif.) running back Rehan Mumtaz enters his senior year as the Highlanders' featured tailback.

During his junior campaign, the 5-foot-8, 160-pound running back rushed for 671 yards and seven touchdowns on 76 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per carry and 61.0 rushing yards per game while sharing the backfield with Xavier Henderson, who has since graduated. With Henderson's graduation opening the door for a larger workload, Mumtaz takes over as Piedmont's featured tailback and will look to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this fall.

Mumtaz delivered several standout performances throughout his junior season, including a 162-yard, two-touchdown outing on just 15 carries in a 39-35 win over Washington (Fremont). He also rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown against Berean Christian, giving him two 100-yard performances during the season. His longest run of the year was a 54-yard touchdown, showcasing his ability to break away from defenders.

While he may not have the biggest frame, Mumtaz uses his speed and shifty running style to make defenders miss in the open field. His athleticism also translates to the track, where he set Piedmont's school record in the 100 meters with a time of 11.04 seconds. He also owns personal bests of 23.04 seconds in the 200 meters and 21 feet, 6 inches in the long jump.

Heading into his senior season, Mumtaz says one of his biggest areas of focus has been becoming a more complete offensive player.

"I've been working on staying up the middle and not trying to break outside too often," Mumtaz said. "I've also been working to improve my route running."

Piedmont head coach Jordan Seiden has noticed significant improvement in Mumtaz's pass-catching ability, particularly during the team's most recent summer camp.

Although he already holds Piedmont's school record in the 100 meters, Mumtaz believes he has unfinished business on the track after battling a hamstring injury for much of last season.

"I feel like I should have broken 11 seconds in the 100 last year, but unfortunately I wasn't able to," Mumtaz said. "I was dealing with a hamstring injury for almost half the season, but I decided to run through it anyway."

With a healthy senior season ahead, Mumtaz is confident his fastest times are still in front of him.

"I definitely have the ability to break 11 next year and hopefully get closer to the mid-10s," Mumtaz said. "Every year I've shaved about 0.4 seconds off my previous PR, and hopefully I can continue that during my senior season."

With an expanded role in Piedmont's backfield and continued development as both a runner and pass catcher, Mumtaz is positioned to put together his most productive season yet. As the Highlanders prepare for the fall, he'll look to build on a strong junior campaign and make the most of his increased opportunities.