Staff photo / Brian Yauger Girard’s Michael Palmer (39) carries the ball during last week’s rivalry game against Liberty.

GIRARD — Pure energy.

It’s a simple description, but the one most fitting for Girard tailback Michael Palmer, according to his head coach, Pat Pearson.

“Mike is pure energy. When you ask Mike Palmer what kind of day he’s having, he doesn’t say good. He says great,” Pearson said. “He’s a selfless kid and cares nothing about personal stats and stuff like that. He just cares about the team and the people around him and the success of the group.”

Palmer has been a big factor in Girard’s 2-0 start to the year. He leads the Indians in rushing with 237 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries — roughly 8.8 yards per carry — and also has five receptions for 50 yards and two scores in the passing game.

What makes Palmer special, Pearson says, is how consistent the tailback is.

“Mike is the same running back on a Friday night as he is in a Monday practice,” Pearson said. “Mike goes all the time. He plays probably almost every snap of offense and defense, and from Day 1, he’s gone all the time. That’s why he’s great on Friday nights; that’s why he gets stronger as the game goes — because of the way he prepares and the way he works and practices.”

Palmer, however, is quick to credit his team instead.

“My success comes from everyone else opening me up,” said Palmer, who hasn’t decided on collegiate plans just yet. “The receivers are catching the ball, my quarterback (Nic Bengala) is making a ton of great throws and he runs it, and then it comes down to the offensive line pass blocking and run blocking. Without any of those guys, my success this year doesn’t happen.”

Indeed, the Indians do have plenty of talent around him. Bengala is 28-for-35 on the season for 404 yards and three touchdowns and has added 90 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Meanwhile, eight different Indians have caught at least one pass in the two games to date. Domenico Simone has five grabs for 91 yards, while Stephen Sims has six for 82 yards and a touchdown.

That variety has been critical for Girard, which opened the season with a 42-24 win over Streetsboro — a team that defeated the Indians 70-35 a year ago — and then blanked Liberty, 48-0, a week ago.

Palmer’s versatility is an integral part of that attack, according to Pearson.

“The way we play with our style, he can run downhill and runs hard, he’s got speed to get to the edge, and then we can use him in the passing game, too,” Pearson said. “So it really fits our style of offense and allows us to exploit all of our weapons.”

While the versatility makes this Girard offense tough to handle, Palmer said its the cohesion of the team as a whole that makes this year’s Indians squad special.

“I love how together we are as a team. Not too many teams have that. Our high-powered offense is awesome to come watch and even more awesome to play for, but it’s just a blast stepping on the field every time with these guys,” he said.

Palmer added that the Indians have their sights set on a deep run into the state playoffs, but also realize after this 2-0 start that teams will begin putting a target on Girard’s back.

For the Indians to realize those goals, Pearson says the focus has to stay on the day-to-day improvements rather than games down the line.

“It’s a daily process, but we know this group is going to fight,” Pearson said. “We know they play hard, they play Girard football. We just have to keep getting better every day. There’s a lot of stuff we still have to clean up and keep working at, and it’s a step-by-step process. But if they keep their mind to the grind and not get too ahead, just winning the day, I think it’s going to be a good year for us.”

He added, “They’re pretty focused. They like to work, they enjoy the grind and they enjoy the process. When you have a group like that, the sky’s the limit.”