Ex-Peoria High running back is OVC Player of Year, top five for Walter Payton award

Dave Eminian, Journal Star
·3 min read
Former Peoria High School running back Geno Hess, in a game with Southeast Missouri State, has been named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and finished fifth in voting for Walter Payton award.
Former Peoria High School running back Geno Hess, in a game with Southeast Missouri State, has been named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and finished fifth in voting for Walter Payton award.

PEORIA — Geno Hess would have been with Peoria High School for its IHSA Class 5A state title game appearance in Champaign on Nov. 26.

While Peoria High was on his mind, the Southeast Missouri State University and the Ohio Valley Conference record books were in his sights as he led SEMO into a playoff game at Montana.

The 5-foot-8, 222-pound senior running back scored two touchdowns in that playoff loss, and entrenched himself as the OVC Player of the Year.

And Hess finished fifth last week in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, which honors the Offensive Player of the Year in the FCS.

"I always thought I could do this, the confidence I had in myself," Hess said. "The dream I had. It developed on the field at Peoria High."

More:Father and son together again for Peoria High return to football championship game

Hess was an all-stater who rolled up 5,666 career rushing yards and 79 career TDs as part of a prolific Peoria High offense under head coach Tim Thornton.

"I think the thing with Geno, it was nice having that guy who you knew down and distance didn't matter -- he had a shot to take it all the way at any time," Thornton said. "Coran (Taylor) around the edge went unnoticed because everyone was so focused on Geno. I remember the pure joy on his face in that (2016) championship game."

He helped the 2016 Lions win that state championship and create a legacy for a program that has had five former players competing in recent years on NCAA college football fields: Hess (Southeast Missouri State), Marques Cox (Northern Illinois), Kaevion Mack (Western Michigan), Coran Taylor (Alabama A&M) and Kendrick Green (Illinois/now NFL Pittsburgh).

"When I first transferred there, Coach Thornton believed in me, gave me a chance and helped me pursue a dream," Hess said. "I'd be in Champaign rooting the boys on today if I could. His special magic is believing in his players. Confidence in his program. Devotion to his community."

Hess was a captain and heart of the SEMO team in 2022. He capped an amazing season in which he ran for a SEMO single-season record 21 touchdowns on 236 carries (1,691 yards) in 12 games.

He averaged 7.2 yards per carry and accounted for 32% of SEMO's points.

Former Peoria High School and Southeast Missouri State running back Geno Hess.
Former Peoria High School and Southeast Missouri State running back Geno Hess.

He re-wrote the SEMO and OVC record book for career marks, as noted in a TV interview:

● The first SEMO player to surpass 4,000 rushing yards (4,112) for a career.

● The SEMO and OVC single-game rushing record of 317 yds on Nov. 19 against Murray State.

● The SEMO and OVC points scored career record (330).

● The SEMO all-time rushing TDs (53) and total TDs record (55).

● The SEMO single-season rushing TDs record (21).

"We won our first-ever playoff game here in my freshman year," Hess said. "Now we're back. I think this is our best team.

"I'm blessed with these honors. I don't know yet what comes next for me, I have no decision yet. But I'd like to stay in football."

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Former Peoria High football player has 'dream' career playing in college