EARLY RISER
D.J. Dozier hit the ground running as a record-setting freshman in '83
n the 47 years since freshmen became
eligible to play intercollegiate foot-
ball, two running backs stand
apart from all the Penn State true
freshmen who played in their rookie
seasons: Saquon Barkley and D.J.
Dozier.
Dozens of true freshmen, such as
quarterback Christian Hackenberg in
2013 and wide receiver Kenny Jackson in
1980, have had out-
standing debuts. Others
made history in their
first game, such as cen-
ter Joe Iorio, who in 1999
became the first walk-
on player to start since the 1972 NCAA el-
igibility rule.
Although Barkley and Dozier are sepa-
rated by 32 years, their freshman seasons
were eerily similar, right down to the
school rushing records they set. In 1983,
Dozier broke Matt Suhey's 1976 freshman
rushing record of 487 yards by running
|
UP AND OVER
Dozier is the
Nittany Lions'
seventh-leading
rusher all-time.
Photo courtesy
of Penn State
Athletics
I
H I S T O R Y
