Justice Hill Chases Oklahoma State Freshman Rushing Records

Justice Hill is a star. He might be a superstar. Hill has 568 yards on 108 carries this season which is good for 5.3 yards per carry. In Big 12 games that number jumps to 5.6 yards per carry.

His 568 rushing yards would have led last year’s team over the course of its 13-game season. Hill will almost certainly lead this year’s team in rushing and has a chance to set the all-time freshman record for yards in a season by a running back.

Here’s where he ranks on that list currently.

1. Mike Hamilton (961 yards)
2. Jamaal Fobbs (928 yards)
3. Thurman Thomas (843 yards)
4. Andre Richardson (774 yards)
5. Kendall Hunter (696 yards)
6. Keith Toston (631 yards)
7. Rafael Denson (569 yards)
8. Justice Hill (565 yards)

Hill is averaging about 20 carries a game. Let’s say he keeps on his 5.3 YPC pace (remember, he’s beating that right now in conference play). Over the course of six more games, he would end up with 1,201 yards.

Whooooo boy.

Oklahoma State’s last 1,200-yard rusher was Joe Randle who had 1,417 in 2012. He also had just over 1,200 in 2011. That was his sophomore and junior seasons though. What Hill is doing one year removed from playing for Booker T. Washington is remarkable.

“I’ve been saying since he came in that he was the real deal and that he would have a really good season,” said sophomore receiver Jalen McCleskey who knows a few things about freshman success.

“He’s done really well,” said Gundy. “Justice is still young. He was playing high school ball last year. He is exciting and can make guys miss. We have improved in that area, and that’s given us a chance to be successful up to this point. He’s growing up.”

Yes he is. And he’s taunting record books. As my buddy Matt Amilian pointed out, if Hill stays all four years, nobody will have been better positioned than him to make a run at the all-time number of 4,847 set by Thurman Thomas from 194-1987.