INLAND FIELDHOUSE

Dude’s tall. Really tall. 6-foot-5, or thereabout. Then there’s his arm. It’s strong and accurate on throws up to 70 yards. Oh, and he can run. Man, you should see him run.

Sounds like a legend, right? Well it might be some day, because I’m talking about Michael Eubank, FOMB’s inaugural Player of the Year.

Eubank, Corona Centennial’s senior QB, is one of those players that comes along almost never. So fluid in his movements, and so successful in his actions. A natural-born athlete, albeit even more freakishly gifted.

His team is 13-0 and headed for a CIF-Southern Section championship game. Let’s get that out of the way. The Huskies play host to Vista Murrieta at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Eubank and the Huskies’ offense have crushed every team in their path, scoring an average of more than 60 points per game, and winning by an average of more than 40 points a game. The starters have only played in two fourth quarters this season, and only played 39 of a possible 54 quarters of football in 2010.

Eubank has dominated, early and often. His precision passing (130 of 184, 71-percent, through Week 13) and game-breaking runs have pushed the Huskies to huge early-game leads and dropped jaws on opposing sidelines.

“Michael (Eubank) is a beast. He’s a beast,” said Corona Santiago coach Jeff Steinberg, after his team lost, 69-13, to Centennial in Week 7. “I know he wasn’t on early on with his passing but he’s gonna make plays with his legs ’cause he’s so strong. You’ve got to go tackle him low because if you try to get into his body up high he’s got those long arms to keep you away.”

Legenday stiff-arms that have made good high school football players look as if they are children attempting to tackle a grown man. On long touchdown runs that have the college recruiters calling. San Jose State, Colorado, Oregon and a few others have already offered scholarships, though Eubank says he’s not focused on next year.

“My thought process is like I have zero (scholarship) offers right now. That’s how I’m playing it,” Eubank said. “Of course, they’re a bonus to the game but right now I’m focused on getting this team back to a state championship, getting us back to that glory stage. I’m gonna focus on college once the season is over and once February comes around. That’s when I’ll worry about it.”

A player who is displays the great characteristics of a championship athlete, and has the legendary physical stature to play the part? That’s Eubank. That’s FOMB’s first-ever Inland Area Prep Football Player of the Year.