How Four Players Can Change Oklahoma State Running Back Rotation

Running back is among the positions for Oklahoma State where there is little question about who will start. Caleb Hawkins already has that job locked down.

It's not just because he played at North Texas last year for new Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris. It's that he was highly productive in Morris’ air raid offense at North Texas last season.

Hawkins rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and set an FBS record for most total touchdowns in a season by a freshman. There is little reason to put the starting job in competition.

But Hawkins will need help. And one could argue that the running back position might be the deepest position on the roster, when one considers production, experience and freshman talent.

“They all have a little bit of a different skill set,” Morris said. “So I think that we'll use the majority of them, you know, kind of in different situations.”

Morris pointed out four other backs that should have a role this season.

Ayo Adeyi

Adeyi is a back that Morris is familiar with. He spent his first three seasons of college football at North Texas where Morris inherited him from the former coaching staff. In 2023 he was a second team All-American Conference selection after he rushed for 1,017 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He transferred to James Madison after that season.

With the Dukes he took a medical redshirt in 2024 after playing two games. He maintained that redshirt in 2025 even though he played in six games and gained 120 yards. He was along for the ride as JMU made the College Football Playoff.

Health is the priority for Adeyi right now, according to Morris.

“He’s got to stay healthy. He knows that,” Morris said. “He's somebody that's you know been banged up the last couple years.”

KD Jones

The true freshman was recruited out of Jenks, Okla., where he was one of the most explosive players in Oklahoma high school football. He set program career records for rushing yards (4,742), all-purpose yards (5,798), rushing touchdowns (67) and total touchdowns. He also chose OSU over a passel of other power conference programs. He was a Top 25 running back in the country.

“When you look at a young guy in KD that's shown some explosion and he's matured a lot during this time,” Morris said of the early enrollee.

Tre Page III

Morris plucked Page out of Abilene Christian, where some of his staff formerly coached. Page would have been a 1,000-yard rusher for the Texans last year had he not missed a handful of games due to injury. He finished the season with 839 rushing yards with seven rushing touchdowns for an FCS playoff team.

At 5-8, he can be that scat-back that gives Hawkins a breather.

“Tre Page is super-fast,” he said. “He has the speed to take it the distance.”

William Mason

Mason was born in Detroit, Mich., played his prep ball in Coweta, Okla., and played the last three season with Division II Central Oklahoma. He’s rushed for more than 1,500 yards and earned all-conference selection twice, including second-team honors in 2025. He rushed for 735 rushing yards while adding five rushing touchdowns for the Bronchos.

He’s 5-11, but at 225 pounds, Morris can use him as a blunt instrument in short-yardage situations.

Between those four backs and Hawkins, the Cowboys might have the makings of a solid running back rotation.

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