CalHiSports.com continues its preseason football coverage with a profile of a returning gridiron star who not only hopes to lead his team to another bowl game win, but has some lofty individual goals as well. Football coaches can email ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414 for details on how to make sure your program is included in our upcoming series of team previews for the 2009 season and considered for our preseason state rankings package.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

When you're the leading rusher as a junior on a team that wins the CIF Open Division bowl game, setting ultra-high goals for your senior season would seem only natural.

Ultra-high is one thing, but the goals Grant of Sacramento running back Devontae Butler has set are astronomical.

Especially after he ran for 1,964 yards on 197 carries (9.96 yards per carry) with 37 touchdowns, including 114 yards and one TD in the Pacers 25-20 upset of Long Beach Poly in the CIF Open Division Championship Bowl Game.

"My personal goal is to break the (school) record of Onterrio Smith and rush for 3,500 yards and 55 touchdowns,” Butler told CalHiSports.com after summer school classes and a two-plus-hour workout in mid-July.

Smith, who went from Grant to a checkered pro career with the Minnesota Vikings, rushed for a school record 3,125 yards and 53 touchdowns in 12 games for the Pacers during the 1998 season.

"The team goal is plain and simple,” Butler said matter-of-factly. "Go back to state and win it again.”

"It doesn't surprise me that Devontae has such an amazing goal,” Pacers head coach coach Mike Alberghini told CalHiSports.com.

"That goal might be a little tough,” said Alberghini reminiscing. "Since when we had Onterrio we had no passing. Things are different now.”

What isn't different is Alberghini once again has the kind of back that can put the passing game on the back burner.

	Scott Kurtz
	Devontae Butler played a key role in Grant's historic bowl game victory over Long Beach Poly.

"Frankly, in my opinion, Devontae's the best athlete in the Sac-Joaquin Section,” remarked Alberghini. "He's so talented in everything he does. He has quickness, strength and toughness on both sides of the ball and probably could be our best defensive player. He catches the ball as well.”

Playing sparingly on defense last season as a linebacker/strong safety, the 5-11, 180-pound Butler recorded 20 tackles with one fumble recovery.

"Last season we knew he would be the 'go to' back from the very beginning, but because we had seniors he didn't even start until almost midseason,” continued the veteran coach.

"It was after the Alta (Sandy, Utah) game that he really emerged. He took over and the games got over quick,” said Alberghini.

It's not like Butler didn't perform when inserted in the backfield in the beginning of the season.

In the first three games last season, victories over Montgomery (Santa Rosa), Highland of Pocatello, Idaho, and Alta, Devontae only carried the ball a combined 23 times, however on six of those rushes he found pay dirt.

The fourth game saw him start and although he had 160 yards on 15 carries, the 34-7 victory over Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) marked the only game of the season Butler did not find the end zone.

The next five games saw the Pacers outscore opponents 360-28 with Butler running rampant the few times he got the ball. He only carried a combined 53 times, but 16 were for touchdowns.

"During that stretch when we had the blowouts, Devontae didn't play in the second half in any of the games,” Alberghini remarked. "But at the end of the year he made the big plays in the key games and when clock control was important, he got the ball.”

In the final four games leading up to the CIF bowl game, Butler rushed for 756 yards and 14 touchdowns, all against the section's top big schools.  

With all his athleticism the obvious question was why he wasn't playing any other sports?

"I play basketball for fun and the (Grant) coach asked me to come out this year but I'm questionable about it,” said Butler in a pensive and humble tone.

Family, schoolwork and teammates are important to Devontae.

With respect to his family, surprisingly, he's really the only big-time athlete.

His father Ronnie Booker, a social worker for the Sacramento County Child Protective Services, played basketball in his youth.

His mother, Frances Butler, wasn't really much of an athlete.

Oldest brother Ahmod, who currently works for Greyhound, played some basketball.

Another older brother, Tramaine, is going to American River College, where he plans on playing basketball.

"Our whole team is pretty tight but my best buddy on and off the field is our quarterback Glenn Deary,” said Butler, whose exploits last season earned him a spot on the CalHiSports.com 2008 All State Underclass team at running back.

Butler is currently in summer school to make up a freshman course, and he knows that without education his dream of playing major college football may not come about.

"I'm currently at 2.6 but I'm working hard to get my GPA up to 3.0,” said Butler, who tells CalHiSports.com schools that have shown interest in him include Oregon State, USC, Cal, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.

"He works hard on the field, and in games, and I know he's working hard in the classroom,” said Alberghini.

"We had five D1 scholarship players so last year Devontae was just part of it,” continued the coach. "This year he'll have the featured role.”

And if his quarterback buddy and coach don't get too pass-happy, Devontae Butler may have a shot at those Pacers' school rushing records.   

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com