JONESBORO -- Larry Rose III's Rivals.com profile is a quick read.
The recruiting service attached two stars to the all-purpose back who was coming out of Fairfield, Texas, in 2014. The website listed his height (5-11) and weight (175 pounds) and that he committed to New Mexico State on Jan. 27, 2014.
Up next
ARKANSAS STATE AT NEW MEXICO STATE
WHEN 3 p.m. Central, Saturday
WHERE Aggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, N.M.
RECORDS Arkansas State 7-3, 6-0 Sun Belt Conference; New Mexico State 3-7, 3-3
RADIO KASR-FM, 92.7, in Little Rock/Conway; KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro
INTERNET ESPN3.com
That's about it, though, including any interest or scholarship offers from other schools. There was none.
The lack of information shows what most schools thought of Rose coming out of high school, and highlights what Aggies Coach Doug Martin said has turned Rose from an overlooked recruit into a possible frontrunner for Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.
"Larry plays with a very healthy chip on his shoulder," Martin said.
Martin's gamble on a player others passed on has appeared to pay off.
At 3 p.m. Saturday, Arkansas State (7-3, 6-0) will try and slow the Aggies sophomore from doing what he's done to most Sun Belt teams this season. Through 10 games, Rose's 1,481 rushing yards has already broken the single-season school record, is almost 200 yards more than the next closest player and he has scored 12 touchdowns.
Rose's 148.1 yards per game is second nationally only to LSU's Leonard Fournette, his 7.48 yards per carry ranks eighth in the FBS and, according to cfbstats.com, his 20 rushes of 20 yards or more are most in the FBS.
Rose's production has caught the attention of ASU's coaches.
"He's definitely playing with a mission," defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen said.
Rose had 137 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run at ASU last season. He was one of four running backs to rush for more than 100 yards on the Red Wolves in the final seven games of the season. Two of those backs -- Louisiana-Lafayette's Elijah McGuire and Appalachian State's Marcus Cox -- fared less favorably in rematches with the Red Wolves this season.
McGuire was held to 32 yards in ASU's Oct. 20 victory and Cox had 74 yards on 16 carries in a Nov. 5 victory.
Cauthen and ASU Coach Blake Anderson would like the same results Saturday, but said they know this might be their toughest test in rematches against big-play running backs. Rose's performances the past three weeks show as much.
Rose has rushed for 180 or more yards six times this season, including each of the Aggies' three consecutive victories. He's averaging 203.3 yards in 27.7 carries in those games -- victories over Idaho, Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayette.
"Looking at him a year later he's even better," Anderson said. "They've got a lot of confidence that the next one is going to be the big run, the next one is going to be the big run, the next one is going to break it. We've going to have to do a great job tackling."
ASU has done that for the most part. Anderson and Cauthen have talked all year about its rebuilt defensive line being better against the run than a year ago. The Red Wolves finished 103rd nationally last season allowing 205.2 rushing yards per game, and struggled even more in conference games, giving up 219.8 yards against Sun Belt teams.
But the addition of tackles Waylon Roberson and Robert Mondie in the middle have helped, as well as the team's ability to stay healthy. Roberson and Mondie have helped ASU hold teams to 146.7 yards rushing, 44th best in the country, and 132.3 yards in conference games. Two running backs have rushed for more 100 yards against ASU:Louisiana-Monroe's Ben Luckett had 149 yards and USC's Tre Madden had 106.
The progress against the run is evident, and ASU hopes it's enough to slow the league's top back, whose motivation is rooted in proving others wrong.
"He's not a bitter kid, but it is a healthy chip," Martin said. "He just wants to prove to everybody that we were right about him."
Sports on 11/26/2015