COLUMBUS, Ohio- In 2016, the Ohio State running back position group was very inexperienced going into the season. With Ezekiel Elliott drafted into the NFL, Mike Weber, without even touching the ball in 2015, was touted as the guy heading into his redshirt freshman season. Now, with 1096 yards rushing and nine touchdowns under his belt, he leads more of a veteran group heading into 2017.

However, the group from last year is not what is being talked about in Fall Camp. The player that is being hyped up by players and coaches from both sides of the ball is true freshman J.K. Dobbins.

For running back coach Tony Alford, Dobbins has been one of the fastest learners he has every seen in his coaching career.

“I would say that in my 22 years, this guy has picked it up faster than anybody I have ever been around as a true freshman,” Alford said. “He’s picked it up, he understands the offense, the nuances of it very, very quickly and he plays hard, goes so hard in everything he does, which is part of the culture of this program.”