BHS’s Mullens stays busy

Aaron Morrison

Buford High School senior player Josh Mullens, a two-way starter at fullback and linebacker, stays on the ball for the Yellow Jackets.

Buford High School senior athlete Josh Mullens is a man for all seasons.

No matter the season, Mullens is on the ball, or on the mat.

In the fall, it’s football and then wrestling in the winter before heading to the Jackets’ baseball diamond come spring.

“It’s a year-round thing for me,” said Mullens, a two-way performer for the Jackets’ football team. “I just go from season to season. I really don’t think about it a lot. When one season ends, I head for the next sport and practice.

“When football season ends, I know I’ll be heading for the gym to wrestle,” Mullens said. “In football, I’m trying to build weight, but when wrestling comes around, I’m cutting weight. This season I’ll wrestle at 152, or 160.”

Mullens isn’t ready to head for the mat and a winter of wrestling.

He’s working on a solid season with the BHS football team, his third with the Jackets and second as a starter.

The 5-10, 175-pounder is the Jackets’ fullback in a ground-oriented Wing-T attack and a linebacker on the defense.

He said he prefers offense and one can understand why because he has 10 touchdowns – nine on the ground and one on a catch. He has run for 608 yards and added 68 yards in receptions. Mullens also has a pick six from his linebacker post.

“I just like to run the ball,” Mullens said. “I wait for the hole to open and just run through. Sometimes, it just feels like my body takes over.”

Mullens’ rushing has been a key role in Buford’s success.

“Josh is what makes us go,” said Buford High assistant coach Eric Funderburk, who also coaches Mullens in baseball where he plays shortstop. “If he’s running well, it means our line is giving him holes, he’s running hard and we’re moving the ball.

“That’s the key in our offense to keep moving the football and controlling the game,” Funderburk said.

Funderburk noted Mullens’ work has paid off for him.

“He’s worked hard in the weight room and he plays hard,” Funderburk said.

“He’s valuable on offense, but he also contributes on defense.

“He has come along to the point at linebacker where he supports on the run and can help defend the pass,” Funderburk said. “He does what’s asked of him.”

Mullens said he hopes the Jackets can make the most of playing their final two regular-season games at home starting tonight against Chesterfield.

“They like to throw the ball, but if we play to our potential, I think we will be OK,” he said. “We’ve lost some good players to injuries, but we have to play like we’re capable of playing. We came out and played Central real well a couple of weeks ago and we need to have that for four quarters tonight.”

BHS head football coach Mike Wells said Mullens will give it his best.

“You can count on Josh no matter where he’s playing,” Wells said. “What we are able to achieve, he will play a big part in what we do.”