Before Cam Buffington was the next breakout linebacker at Iowa, he was an absolutely terrorizing the eight-man football field. Buffington grew up in Winfield, Iowa -- population 1,033 -- about 45 minutes outside of Iowa City. The biggest employer in town is Winfield-Mt.
Union Community School, a single building housing students of all ages. First-graders remember "Mr. Cam," who would come to classes regularly to read with children, a tradition that continues on among varsity players since he left.
But on Friday nights, Mr. Cam would transform on the football field. Eight-man football features three offensive linemen instead of five, a quarterback and four skill players instead of five.
The field is 80 yards long by 40 yards wide, tighter than an 11-man field but with plenty of space. WMU coach Scott McCarty remembers a matchup against Montezuma. The defense they were playing shifted into a coverage that put a skinny defensive back, about 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, against the 6-foot-3 Buffington.
"We were like, no matter what play call we have, it doesn't matter, if he has that matchup then we are throwing a go route," McCarty told CBS Sports. "I think he had seven touchdowns." In 12 games as a senior, Buffington rushed for 1,362 yards, accumulated 613 receiving yards and scored 36 touchdowns. He punted, he played kickoff, offense and defense.
Only an ankle injury after reaching the state semifinals at Northern Iowa's dome stadium -- the dream of every Iowa high school player -- could keep WMU short of a coveted state championship. But Buffington didn't grow up dreaming of carrying or catching passes. In Iowa Hawkeye country, there's one dream that stands above the rest.
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