Ohio State freshman running back J.K. Dobbins (2) runs the ball in the third quarter of the B1G Championship game against Wisconsin on Dec. 2 in Lucas Oil Stadium. Ohio State won 27-21. Credit: Alyssia Graves | Assistant Sports Director
Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins was named to the freshman All-American team by ESPN Monday as the all-purpose back.
His current teammate, redshirt sophomore Mike Weber, was named to the team by ESPN last season.
In Ohio State’s 27-21 win in the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin, he took 17 carries 174 yards en route to being named the game’s MVP. The freshman running back set the Ohio State record for most rushing yards in a season by a freshman with 1,364, surpassing Maurice Clarett’s record of 1,237 yards set in 2002.
In rushing for more than 1,000 yards, Dobbins became only the fourth freshman in Ohio State history to accomplish the feat, joining Weber, who rushed for 1,096 last season, Clarett and Robert Smith. His 1,364 yards are currently the 14th-most in the nation.
Dobbins racked up those yards on just 181 carries, bringing his average yards per carry to 7.5. Seven of those carries went for touchdowns. The true freshman also proved to be a receiving threat as well, hauling in 22 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown.
