By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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He is currently a key contributor for one of the ten best football teams in the country. Beyond that, and without question more importantly, Hicks is something so much more.

Quayvon Hicks is from Blackshear, Georgia, a town a few thousand people that splits the river remnants of the Intercoastal Waterway and the soppy swamps of the Okefenokee. Blackshear is the type of place where first names are eagerly shared with strangers, last names with creeks and corner stores. This is where 5,000 Union prisoners were once held captive during the Civil War, where the first brick tobacco warehouse in Georgia was long ago built. Here, where work stops only on Friday nights and Sunday mornings, Hicks is a part of history.

A 6’2”, 257 pound sophomore fullback for the University of Georgia, the south Georgia-native is quickly emerging as a dynamic offensive weapon and one of the best at his position in all of college football. Through two games, he has compiled 127 yards of total offense and scored a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ season-opening game at Clemson. More so, he has helped lead tailback Todd Gurley to 286 yards and three scores on just 42 carries. Hicks is a first-year starter on an offense, having faced two top ten teams, averaging over 540 yards per game.

Two weeks into his second season, the impact Hicks is having at Georgia is quite significant. His most profound influence, however, is coming 230 miles to the south. In Athens, Hicks brings versatility to the offensive backfield. In Blackshear, he brings smiles to people’s faces.

“What a quality young man who comes from a great family. He is one of those feel good stories that you love to see perform well,” explained Mike Woodard, Hicks’ head coach from 2008-2010. “I can’t think of another person that has really programmed themselves mentally, physically, socially and spiritually to be where he is. It’s humbling, almost, to watch a person come into his own. There is nobody more deserving than Quayvon as hard as he worked through middle and high school.”

During a standout prep career at Pierce County High School, Hicks was the type of player whose reputation, not ego, was bigger than his frame. A dedicated teammate, he sacrificed statistics for the overall betterment of his team. An important member of a tight-knit community, he also remained involved in local community and church events. Hicks is a point of pride for those in the region and has refused to let his hometown down on or off the field.

“The kid is full of energy,” explained current Pierce County head football coach Sean Pender. “That type of charisma that he has really sets him up as a leader and then he can lead by example. That is how he was when he played here. He always tried to lead and he always busted his butt. What you are seeing at Georgia is no accident.”

Being the head sleuth in a place called “Bearville” came with constant adulation and support, but also never-ending attention. As a senior, Hicks was ranked by Rivals and 247 Sports as the second-best fullback prospect in the country. He received scholarship offers from, among others, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami and Tennessee. The recruiting process was a arduous one, but Hicks stayed consistent. He committed to Georgia in June of 2011 and, from there, never wavered on his word.

“He handled it well,” Pender acknowledged. “He did get a whole bunch of attention about where he was going to go and what he was going to do. When he decided to go Georgia, everything mellowed out for him a little bit. But before he made his decision, it was constant. Our high school was a rotating door for college coaches coming in and trying to get Quayvon to commit to their school.”

After a freshman season spent mostly on special teams, Hicks appears to have found his role. With a growing profile, he is no longer just a household name where US 84 meets Main Street . Even if Hicks isn’t quite yet known all across the country, he can surely be found in the scouting reports of Georgia’s opponents. Hicks is a back who has shown he can block, catch and run against nationally-ranked competition. Somewhere in west Texas, L.V. Miles is yelling “and he can pass!”.

Hicks isn’t just a heartwarming story and a rare talent. At Georgia, he is the next in line in a fullback tradition as proud as any in the game. With that history comes great responsibility. A sense of duty, however, is a charge Hicks has never struggled to keep.

“He should be making a lot of people proud back in Blackshear, a home grown boy doing really well in Athens,” Woodard beamed. “Who knows, the sky is the limit for what he is going to be able to do in Athens.”

Just a few short years ago, Hicks was playing defensive end, nose tackle, linebacker, tight end and running back for the Pierce County Bears. He is currently a key contributor for one of the ten best college football teams in the country. Beyond that, and without question more importantly, Hicks is something so much more. He is a small town’s state representative in Georgia’s most high-profile assembly. He is celebrated city landmark in a full-cage facemask and silver britches.

He is the type of person that unifies black and white, rich and poor, young and old. He is type of story that shows Small Town, USA that it, regardless of what stands in the way, can always be done.

Hicks is now out in front, painstakingly clearing the way for those who follow his lead. On the side, he’s playing football as well.