When Knoch senior running back Cody Milsom wakes up Saturday morning after a football game, he's normally greeted by the same feeling.

“It's rough sometimes,” Milsom said. “It feels like I've been hit by a truck. But it's worth it.”

Milsom, along with Mars senior Ori Rinaman, are two Butler County running backs who are taking on heavy workloads this season.

Both are feature backs — defined as having 50 percent of more of their teams' carries — in run-heavy offenses.

Since 2002, 17 Butler County running backs have reached that mark for an entire season.

This season, Milsom has carried the ball 57 percent (119 of 207) of the time. Rinaman leads the county with 126 carries, which is 51 percent of the Planets' rushes.

“You can feel it. You can tell where you got hit,” said Rinaman who has rushed for 830 yards and 14 touchdowns. “It takes a toll on your body, but it's pretty cool going out there on Friday night and kicking butt with all your best buddies.”

Should Milsom do it again this year, it would be the second straight year he hit the mark.

Milsom carried the ball 58.3 percent (203 of 348) of the time for Knoch in 2013.

Seneca Valley's James Daniels had the highest percent of carries with 64.3 percent (202 of 314) in 2004. Mars graduate Austin Miele, who plays at Slippery Rock University, had the most carries with 271 in 2010.

While Milsom was expected to take on a heavy workload, Rinaman was pressed into service.

Mars' returning leading rusher Josh Schultheis was injured in the first quarter of Week 1 against Indiana. That forced a shift from wingback to fullback for Rinaman.

A track star whoprefers to get the ball and fly on the outside, Rinaman needed to learn how to run inside.

“I like to get outside and just run. Before I never ran up the middle,” Rinaman said. “You have to watch where you're going with your eyes and have to make cuts. Before, I just took off and ran.”

Having a track background has helped Rinaman make an adjustment in Planets coach Scott Heinauer's Wing-T attack. When he gets himself in trouble, speed helps him avoid disaster.

“He's made a great adjustment,” Heinauer said. “Because he's fast he wants to get places in a hurry. His speed will get him out of situations. A normal back wouldn't be able to get out of situations he gets himself into.”

Milsom, who is seventh in the county with 505 rushing yards and has scored six touchdowns, played linebacker his sophomore year.

He separated himself as a tailback during camp junior year. Having experience from last year helped when he was preparing for this season.

“I knew what was coming, where to go and where to run,” Milsom said.

During the past two seasons, he said the toughest challenge was Week 2 this season. Milsom carried the ball for 19 times for 87 yards and two scores in a 19-14 win.

“The Greensburg Salem game was tough,” Milsom said. “It was insanely hot.”

Milsom has received interest from Division III Washington & Jefferson and hopes to play in college.

Both Rinaman and Milsom are hoping to help carry their teams to the playoffs.

“It's nice to see how many yards we have as an offense,” Rinaman said. “It takes 11 guys. It's not just one guy, it's 11 guys blocking to the whistle, opening up the holes.”