Big 12 off to another running start with newcomers Skattebo and Conley among league’s best

AP Sports Writer

Cam Skattebo is now in the primary role Arizona State envisioned for him before the running back had to show his versatility last season by taking snaps at quarterback, lining up as a receiver and even punting for the Sun Devils.

In the Big 12, their new league that had a national-high six returning 1,000-yard rushers and added two more from the transfer portal, Skattebo is the early rushing leader after a breakout performance.

“That looked like a Sunday player,” coach Kenny Dillingham said after Skattebo had 33 carries for 262 yards and team highs with three catches and 35 yards receiving in the Sun Devils’ win over Mississippi State. He was honored as the AP national player of the week.

The Big 12 is off to another running start, with a Division I-best six players averaging at least 100 yards through the first two games. That group is topped by Skattebo (155.5 yards per game) and includes Arizona’s Quali Conley (101 ypg), who came to 20th-ranked Arizona from San Jose State with new Wildcats coach Brent Brennan, though neither of those league newcomers were coming off 1,000-yard seasons.

“I have a lot of history with that young man,” Brennan said. “Seeing the confidence that Quali is playing with is really exciting.”

Big 12 returning 1,000-yard rushers RJ Harvey from UCF, DJ Giddens from No. 14 Kansas State and Devin Neal from Kansas have all gone over 100 yards in both games this season. Harvey’s six rushing touchdowns lead all Power Four players. Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner is right at 100 yards a game after following a 51-yard opener with 149 yards on 20 carries against Pittsburgh.

Noticeably absent from that list are the Big 12’s top two rushers last season: AP All-American, reigning Doak Walker Award winner and 2023 national rushing champion Ollie Gordon II from 13th-ranked Oklahoma State and injured fifth-year Texas Tech back Tahj Brooks.

After running for 126 yards and three touchdowns against defending FCS champion South Dakota State in the season opener, Gordon was limited to 49 yards on 17 carries against Arkansas when his only score was the game-winning touchdown before adding the 2-point conversion in double overtime. He has a league-high 45 rushing attempts, but is averaging only 3.9 yards per carry — down from 6.1 last season — and is seventh in the league at 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.”

Gordon got off to an even slower start last season as a sophomore, with only 109 yards rushing total in the Cowboys’ three non-conference games. He averaged 163 yards a game in their nine regular-season Big 12 games and finished with 1,732 yards and 21 TDs rushing.

Brooks missed last week’s game at Washington State because of an arm injury after running for 153 yards in Tech’s opener. Coach Joey McGuire indicated that he could return Saturday against North Texas if there are no setbacks in practice.

The Big 12 finished with eight 1,000-yard rushers last year, while the Sun Belt had six. The MAC matched the ACC and SEC with five each.

All five of those from the MAC are still playing, but three are now in different leagues. That includes Peny Boone going from Toledo to UCF, where he is part of a backfield with Harvey for the top Division I rushing offense (419 yards per game).

Only one of the five the SEC had last year is still playing: Quinshon Judkins transferred from Ole Miss to Ohio State in the Big Ten, where Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai was the only returning 1,000-yard rusher. Marcus Carroll went from Georgia State in the Sun Belt to Missouri.

Skattebo transferred from Sacramento State to Arizona State, where in his only Pac-12 season last year he ran for 793 yards and nine touchdowns, had 286 yards and a touchdown receiving and in 50 snaps at quarterback was 6-of-15 passing for 130 yards with a TD and an interception. He also averaged 42.3 yards on eight punts.

His 262 yards rushing against Mississippi State was he second-most ever for the Sun Devils. He had 93 yards in the fourth quarter, and his longest run was 39 yards on his final 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.”

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