Few knew that two talented college running backs with ties to Lawrence would be performing Saturday on national television. I was actually looking forward to watching Xavier Omon, but had lost track of John Randle.

You may recall that Randle was one of the most promising football players to enroll at Kansas University when he showed up out of Wichita Southeast in 2003. But you’re probably more familiar with his off-the-field peccadilloes.

Randle was the Jayhawks’ leading rusher as a sophomore in 2004, but sat out the 2005 season after being suspended by coach Mark Mangino, who finally ran out of patience after Randle’s multiple run-ins with the law, mostly for battery.

Eventually, Randle transferred to Southern Illinois, where he helped the Salukis reach this fall’s NCAA Football Championship Subdivision semifinals. Randle’s season-high 129 rushing yards weren’t enough, however, and Delaware edged SIU, 20-17, to advance to Saturday’s title game.

In his final college season, Randle ran for 1,024 yards – he missed one game with a sprained ankle – yet, more important, he appears to have ascended to a higher level of propriety.

Or as his father, Larry Randle, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Coming out of a strict religious home, he just found time to sow his oats. And he sowed the heck out of them. Now, he’s a man.”

Furthermore, Randle is on track to earn an SIU degree in – would you believe – administration of justice.

Omon, meanwhile, has spent his entire college career at Northwest Missouri State after earning second-team all-state honors as a prep at Beatrice (Neb.) High.

And what a career it has been for the 5-foot-11, 218-pounder who has shattered NCAA Division II records for rushing consistency. Omon has gained at least 1,500 yards in all four of his seasons with the Bearcats.

His last two games have been sensational. In a quarterfinal two weeks ago against Chadron State, Omon ran for a school-record 309 yards and three touchdowns. Then Saturday, he gained 292 yards and scored four times in a 34-16 victory over Grand Valley State.

That’s 611 yards and seven TDs in two games. Amazing.

Omon wasn’t quite that impressive when he played Little League ball in Lawrence and as an eighth grader at Central Junior High before his family moved to Beatrice. He was plenty good, though.

“You could tell he would be pretty special,” Lawrence High football coach Dirk Wedd told me. “I watched him the other night, and he reminds me a lot of Michael Cosey. He’s strong, and he has the ability to make people miss.”

Cosey, the Lions’ career rushing leader, went on to an impressive college career at Missouri State after transferring from Coffeyville CC. Parenthetically, Omon was a Little League teammate of the back who ranks No. 2 on the Lions’ career chart – KU’s Brandon McAnderson.

Omon reminded me more, however, of Free State High standout Chucky Hunter : and not just because of the green uniforms. The two are cousins and obviously share some of the same genes. Hunter is two inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter, yet he’s clearly a pocket version of Omon.

Anyway, make a note to watch Omon at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2 when NWMSU meets Valdosta State in the Div. II title game.