MUSKEGON – The junior class on the Muskegon football team might be the most talented group that’s come through the Big Red program in a long time.

Two of those juniors – running back Jakob Price and slot receiver Destin Piggee – already put themselves on the map by having breakout seasons in 2021, and both are ready to provide the Big Reds with one of the most explosive backfields in the state this fall.

The sample they provided as sophomores was intriguing, to say the least.

Price carried the ball 50 times for 678 yards and scored eight touchdowns in the regular season. Piggee only had 19 touches but rushed for 480 yards and eight touchdowns.

Price broke out right away, rushing for 168 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries in the Big Reds’ 47-7 opening game win over East Kentwood.

He had amazing TD runs of 84 and 93 yards in that game, the first of his varsity career.

What was really surprising is that Price did so well right away with no junior varsity experience. He played freshman football as a ninth-grader, then came straight to the big team as a sophomore, but the much higher level of competition was clearly not a problem.

Big Reds coach Shane Fairfield said he expected big things out of Price, but perhaps not so soon.

“I just didn’t know how he was going to handle the varsity game at first,” Fairfield said.

Price had several other big games last season, including the annual showdown against crosstown rival Mona Shores.

His biggest moment of that contest came in the third quarter with Muskegon leading by 12 points. Mona Shores drove to the Big Red one-yard line but was stuffed on fourth down, then Price applied a death blow to the Sailors by breaking loose for a 99-yard touchdown run on the next play.

He also had a 70-yard TD run in the game and finished with 217 yards on just six carries in the 49-28 victory.

“As a sophomore going to varsity, I didn’t have the same knowledge and strength as the older players, but I got my confidence up and got the support of my teammates and I just went off,” Price said. “This year I have a lot more confidence and I know what to expect. I know what I have to do to succeed and I’m not going to be as scared as I was last year.”

Piggee’s season took a major turn last Sept. 3 when his father, former Big Reds standout Dereko Piggee, passed away from complications related to COVID.

Piggee took the field that same night, despite the family tragedy, and gave a big hint about what he could do, breaking loose for a 43-yard run against powerful Detroit Cass Tech.

He said losing his father provided an extra incentive that carried him throughout the season.

“When my dad passed it gave me so much motivation,” Piggee said. “I started going the extra mile to try to get better at everything. I wanted him to be proud of me.”

Piggee’s playing time increased as the season went by. Senior Demari Foster was the starting slot receiver at the beginning of the season, but the more Piggee played, the more obvious his talent became.

His biggest rushing numbers came in the final game of the regular season, when he totaled 120 yards and two touchdowns on only four carries. His performance included TD runs of 70 and 30 yards.

He also had other big moments, like a tie-breaking 32-yard touchdown run in a comeback win over Zeeland West, a 66-yard touchdown run in a victory over Reeths-Puffer, and a 58-yard touchdown run in a playoff victory over Lowell.

“At one point (Foster) came to us and said he was willing to focus more on defense so Destin could get more reps, and that’s when everybody started to recognize what he could do,” Fairfield said about Piggee’s growing role in the offense.

Both Price and Piggee are excited about playing together again this fall and being part of an offense that’s expected to put up a ton of points.

“I have a lot of confidence knowing we have guys like Piggee and a lot of other amazing teammates on the field,” Price said. “We don’t have to focus our offense on just one person.”

“If they key on me, I can be used as s decoy, and they will have to work around Jakob,” Piggee said. “And we have a lot of other guys that people don’t even know about yet.”

Fairfield is extremely excited about having Price and Piggee back for two more seasons, due to their talent and personal qualities.

He noted that Price and Piggee were two of the four spring captains elected by their teammates earlier this year, when they were still sophomores. Those honors usually go to upperclassmen who have played varsity for several years.

“They are both very dynamic kids, first and foremost,” Fairfield said. “They are both great students with great work ethics and leadership qualities. You can’t find a crack in their armor.”

Fairfield said Price and Piggee will give the Big Reds the kind of diverse attack that they haven’t had in a long time.

“Usually we will have a downhill running back who does not necessarily have breakaway speed, and a slot with breakaway speed, but Jakob has power and explosiveness, and Destin can run with power and speed and catch the ball,” the coach said.

“People are going to have a tough time defending us. If defenses thin the box Jakob is going to run over them, and if they thin the perimeter we can just toss it out to Destin.”