Cam Skattebo has stepped into the main running back role at Arizona State, a position the team initially planned for him. Last season, he had to adapt by playing quarterback, receiver, and even punter for the Sun Devils.
In the Big 12, which had a record six returning 1,000-yard rushers and added two more through transfers, Skattebo is leading the rushing stats after an impressive performance.
Coach Kenny Dillingham praised Skattebo’s performance after he rushed for 262 yards on 33 carries and caught three passes for 35 yards in the Sun Devils’ win over Mississippi State. Skattebo was named the AP national player of the week.
The Big 12 is off to a strong start with six players averaging over 100 rushing yards per game. Skattebo leads this group with an average of 155.5 yards per game. Arizona’s Quali Conley, who transferred from San Jose State, is also among the top rushers, averaging 101 yards per game.
Big 12 rushers who gained 1,000 yards last season, like RJ Harvey from UCF, DJ Giddens from No. 14 Kansas State, and Devin Neal from Kansas, have each surpassed 100 yards in both games this season.
Harvey leads the Power Four players with six rushing touchdowns, while Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner is averaging 100 yards per game after a strong showing against Pittsburgh.
However, the top two rushers from last season in the Big 12, Ollie Gordon II from 13th-ranked Oklahoma State and injured Texas Tech back Tahj Brooks, are missing from this list.
After rushing for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the opener against defending FCS champion South Dakota State, Gordon struggled with just 49 yards on 17 carries against Arkansas. However, he scored the game-winning touchdown and added a 2-point conversion in double overtime.
Gordon leads the league with 45 rushing attempts but is averaging only 3.9 yards per carry, down from 6.1 last season. He is seventh in the league with 87.5 yards per game.
“Not getting going early, that’s not really good,” Gordon said. “But you have teammates like I do, it’s great for the team, so you’re good.”
Last season, Gordon also had a slow start, with only 109 rushing yards in the Cowboys’ three non-conference games. He improved significantly in the Big 12 games, averaging 163 yards per game and ending with 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Brooks missed last week’s game at Washington State due to an arm injury after rushing for 153 yards in Tech’s opener. Coach Joey McGuire mentioned that Brooks might return for Saturday’s game against North Texas if he performs well in practice.
Last year, the Big 12 had eight 1,000-yard rushers, the Sun Belt had six, and the MAC, ACC, and SEC each had five. All five rushers from the MAC are still active, but three have moved to different leagues.
Peny Boone moved from Toledo to UCF and joins Harvey in the top Division I rushing offense, which averages 419 yards per game.
Among the SEC’s five 1,000-yard rushers from last year, only Quinshon Judkins is still active, having transferred from Ole Miss to Ohio State. Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai is the only returning 1,000-yard rusher from the Big Ten. Marcus Carroll moved from Georgia State in the Sun Belt to Missouri.
Skattebo moved from Sacramento State to Arizona State, where he had a strong performance in his only Pac-12 season last year.
He rushed for 793 yards and nine touchdowns, added 286 yards and a touchdown receiving, and completed 6-of-15 passes for 130 yards with a touchdown and an interception during 50 snaps at quarterback. He also averaged 42.3 yards on eight punts.
His 262 rushing yards against Mississippi State were the second-most in Sun Devils history. He ran for 93 yards in the fourth quarter, with his longest run being 39 yards on his last carry.
“I’m always expecting to have it in my backpack, but it’s not an every-week thing, and this week it was,” Skattebo said. “I’m glad I was able to do that. I’m glad these guys trust me to be able to do that.”
