Former North Babylon star Jason Gwaltney is back home, rushing the ball for C.W. Post. He is arguably the best running back Long Island has ever had. His numbers top the record books. His name is synonymous with gridiron chatter, but Jason Gwaltney hadn't played in a football game in almost three years.

He was handed a silver platter with scholarships to some of the nation's best schools: USC, Ohio State, West Virginia, which he ultimately took. Gwaltney amassed 186 yards and three touchdowns in six games as a freshman with the Mountaineers, but suffered a knee injury and was later dismissed from the team, landing in an unfamiliar spot: off the field, out of the spotlight and on no one's "must-have" list.

The North Babylon grad, who set Long Island records with 7,800 career rushing yards and 135 career touchdowns, and won back-to-back Hansen Awards as Suffolk County's best player in 2003 and 2004, is now playing at C.W. Post.

He's close to home and playing with a different mindset.

"This is another opportunity to finish my education," he said. "I'm excited. It feels good to be back."

The same yearning to be a professional football player rests in his loins when he steps on the field, but he is more focused on staying in the classroom this time around.

"My dreams of playing in the NFL aren't going to stop any time soon," said Gwaltney, who was connected to the coaches at Post via Terry Manning, his high school coach. "School is more important because at any given time, football can end." Manning's been a rock in Gwaltney's life since his record setting days at North Babylon.

"He's been a friend of the family for a long time, like an uncle," Gwaltney said. "He's been on my back to get things right and I have a lot of respect for him and his words of wisdom."

As of Sept. 20, Gwaltney led the Pioneers with 170 yards on 41 carries through two games, a 41-0 loss to Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a 31-7 loss to Edinboro University.

Records galore: Gwaltney also holds Long Island records for yards in a season (2,882 in 2004), rushing yards in a game (467 vs. East Islip in 2003), most career points (828), most points in a single season (282 in 2004), most points in a game (54 vs. Copiague in 2004), touchdowns in a season (45 in 2003) and touchdowns in a game (nine against Copiague in 2003).