Madison West running back Leighton Settle's breakout performance came a year ago when he rushed for 315 yards and four touchdowns in his second game as a sophomore against West Allis Central.

Among the people to take notice was another running back in town.

"He had a crazy game," University of Wisconsin tailback P.J. Hill said.

Hill had the same thought as many observers: For a running back to be so good, so young, what does the future hold?

"His dad's a good coach, so that's good to have someone like that in your family," Hill said.

It isn't often one of the best college running backs in the nation takes notice of a local prep back. Then again, Hill is an occasional visitor at the Settle house. John Settle is the running backs coach for the Badgers.

"Coach 'Set' gets excited," UW fullback Chris Pressley said. "It's Friday and he'll say, 'I'm going to go watch (Leighton) play.' He's really proud of him because (Leighton) is humble. He says he's a really hard worker."

John Settle knows running backs. He also knows his son.

"I think he has an opportunity to be special," John Settle said. "He loves the game. I enjoy watching him because I know he has a passion for the game."

John Settle will be in the stands with his wife, Karen, Friday night at Mansfield Stadium when the Regents (2-1), fresh off an eye-opening 23-6 victory over Janesville Parker, play host to Madison East (1-2).

Different than dad

At 5-foot-9? and 180 pounds, Leighton Settle is still growing. He wears the same No. 23 his father wore at Appalachian State.

Any similarities end there.

John Settle was a power back who bulled his way to 4,409 yards in college and had his number retired.

He made the NFL as a free agent and had a Pro Bowl season with the Atlanta Falcons in 1988 before his career was cut short by knee injuries.

Leighton Settle is a slasher, whose favorite college back was Reggie Bush, and is still learning to run inside.

"What he's really working on this year and where he's improved is the hard yards," West coach Greg Valaskey said. "If nothing's there, putting the head down and getting what you can."

Most of his yards this year have been "hard yards."

After he rushed for 1,341 yards on 211 carries last year, opposing defenses have targeted Leighton Settle from the time he steps off the bus.

"Teams are just really loading up the box," Valaskey said. "They're begging us to throw, which we're trying to do a little bit and we're getting a little better at, to take a little pressure off Leighton."

West's fast start is a credit to a defense that dominated Parker last week and an experienced line that has given Leighton Settle just enough room to run. He has 426 yards on 86 carries and four touchdowns.

He has also returned a kickoff for a score.

"That's really where it all starts," Valaskey said of the offensive line. "It doesn't matter how good your back is, you have to have somewhere to run. He doesn't need much, but he does need a seam."

The highly competitive Leighton Settle admittedly has been frustrated at times as defenses have keyed on him.

"I don't think it's going good for me right now," he said. "I hope to start gaining more yards, game after game. I just need to get back on track like I was last year."

'A little scrappy dude'

Leighton Settle's family nickname is "Scrappy" and it was hard earned. He grew up competing against older and bigger kids.

"Nobody was ever too big to confront as a kid," John Settle said with a knowing laugh. "He was always in the middle of something, a little scrappy dude."

Last week's win over Parker was indicative of how it has gone.

Leighton Settle was shut down in the first half, but the Regents still led 10-0, helped by a 70-yard touchdown run by fullback Evan Zurbuchen. Leighton Settle kept pounding away and put the game away with two touchdown runs in the second half. He finished with 87 yards on 25 carries.

"When we really needed a first down or really needed to punch it in, he was the guy to go to," Valaskey said. "He had another gear."

The attention he is getting from defenses may be nothing compared to how college recruiters could swarm Leighton Settle next year.

He has received letters from Illinois, Iowa and Oregon, among others.

And, yes, the local Big Ten Conference school has sent mail, too. He runs the 40-yard dash in between 4.5 and 4.6 seconds, but more importantly, he plays fast and shows good vision.

"He's able to play at that speed the whole game," John Settle said. "He doesn't have to slow down to make a cut. He can run right at you and cut on a dime. ... He can do some things as a junior, I probably wasn't doing them until freshman year of college."

Leighton Settle is not sure if he wants to play for his dad. "Everyone asks me that but I don't know," he said, adding it probably would not be his first choice right now. But it's early in the process and that could change.

"The decision is going to be his," John Settle said. "The thing I'm looking at as a dad is a place he can succeed academically, as well as have some success on the field.

"My biggest concern is trying to make sure as a junior, he understands, the better he is in the classroom, the more opportunities he'll have. All the other stuff will take care of itself, if he takes care of what he needs to take care of."