Caleb Hawkins Challenges Himself Entering First Year with Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State’s top running back is one of the highest-rated backs in the country and he has even bigger goals this season.

Oklahoma State's Caleb Hawkins. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

During Oklahoma State media day, a reporter posed this question to running back Caleb Hawkins — “What do you expect from yourself this season?”

It’s a normal question. Hawkins provided a matter-of-fact response.

“To hopefully just be better than last year,” he said with a slight smile.

It’s a great goal, but it will be hard to top.

As a true freshman at North Texas, he was one of the best backs in the country. He set the FBS record for most touchdowns scored by a freshman (29). He was the FBS statistical champion in total touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and scoring. He was named a first-team freshman all-American and a second- or third-team all-American by multiple outlets.

As much publicity as has surrounded quarterback Drew Mestemaker, Hawkins is deserving of as much. But an encore after that season feels impossible — unless one looks at it differently.

Can Caleb Hawkins Be Better Than Last Season?

Oklahoma State’s Caleb Hawkins. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Head coach Eric Morris — who coached Hawkins at North Texas last season — admitted that he felt Hawkins became a big overused last season. Hawkins touched the football 263 times. UNT ran the ball 517 times last season and he carried it 44.6% of the time. No other back in the offense carried it more than 75 times.

It led to massive numbers — 1,434 rushing yards, including 1,056 yards after contact, and 1,804 all-purpose yards. But Morris worries it could lead to overuse, and he experienced that first-hand last year during the American Championship game.

“I thought there was times we probably put a little bit too much on him, to be honest with you,” Morris said. “And it came back [on us]. He he got hurt the first drive of the conference championship game, and it changed the outlook of what was going on.”

Morris believes he’s adjusted for that this year. He’s brought in a set of transfers that have all been productive at their former schools — James Madison’s Ayo Adeyi, Central Oklahoma’s William Mason, Abilene Christian’s Tre Page III and North Texas’ Dennis Moody III. Adeyi had been a 1,000-yard rusher under Morris at UNT before he transferred to JMU. Mason had more than 1,500 yards for his career at UCO. Pate would have been a 1,000-yard rusher last year had he not missed a few games due to injury.

Plus, there is freshman KD Jones from Jenks, Okla., who had 5,748 all-purpose yards for his career.

None are Hawkins duplicates, either. All of them can fill different roles. Even Hawkins sees it.

“We’ll have some guy that weighs 225 pounds [Mason] and we'll have somebody that weighs like 180 [Page] that's really fast,” Hawkins said. “So, I think the diversity helps us a lot. They're not going to know who's coming out there and what skill set they're gonna bring.”

Morris envisions opportunities to use different backs to exploit matchups and give his lead back a little more rest during games. Hawkins, who is 6-0 and 219 pounds, admits he invites contact. He’s a bruiser. He knows it. The constellation of backs around him should keep him fresher, especially later in the season when the games could matter a great deal — if the Cowboys exceed expectations.

Hawkins may not duplicate the numbers of a year ago. But he would be OK with duplicating UNT’s record from a year ago — 12-2. If so, it means that Hawkins will still have a huge impact, even if he doesn’t quite carry the same heft as a season ago.