Ohio State Football: JK Dobbins on pace to smash freshman record and …
Ohio State freshman running back JK Dobbins is on pace to have a record setting season.
As the Ohio State Buckeyes are about to play their fifth game of the season, I want to take a look at what JK Dobbins has accomplished so far and put it into perspective. Having played just one-third of the regular season schedule, he has already rushed for 520 yards.
If he were to continue at the torrid pace he is on, JK will become the Ohio State freshman leader in rushing yards by season end. Not only that, he could have one of the finest seasons a Buckeye running back has ever had.
Just take a look at the numbers he would put up by seasons end. He would have 1,560 yards rushing which would blow by Maurice Clarett’s freshman record of 1,237 yards, and be the 8th best season ever for a Buckeye running back. He will have scored 12 touchdowns as well.
His 7.7 yards per carry would also be the second highest ever for a player who led the Buckeyes in rushing for the season. Walt Klevay averaged 7.9 yards per carry in 1950.
However, Klevay only rushed for 520 yards that season. So JK Dobbins would have the record for yards per carry for a 1,000 yard back who led the team in rushing. That would surpass Carlos Hyde’s 7.3 yards per attempt in 2013.
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The scary thing is that JK Dobbins will play in at least 13 games with a bowl game if he stays healthy, and could play 15. That will be the case if Ohio State wins the Big Ten title and the Buckeyes make it to the College Football Championship game like they did in 2014. Just add 130 yards rushing per game in the postseason.
When projecting the numbers for 15 games it would give Dobbins 1,950 yards rushing. That would be the all-time Ohio State record currently held by Eddie George with 1,927.
Now I doubt that JK will be used extensively enough the rest of the season to attain those high marks. After all, Mike Weber is supposed to be back a full strength now and reps will probably be shared between the two, but who knows how that situation will play out.
Next: Predictions for week 5 game vs. Rutgers
However, nothing this young freshman running back accomplishes going forward will surprise me. Even though he was a highly regarded recruit who impressed the coaching staff from day one, JK Dobbins wasn’t expected to perform at the level he has already.