The 2015 season is supposed to be a big season for young running backs. You know the heavy hitters already -- Nick Chubb, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette etc. -- but here’s one you may not know. There were plenty of performances worth recognizing after the first weekend of college football was put in the books. One you may have overlooked was Old Dominion running back Ray Lawry. Against Eastern Michigan, Lawry rushed for 223 yards and four touchdowns, both new career highs for the sophomore. Both are numbers that now lead the nation out of the gates of a brand new college football season.
The New Jersey native came through in a big way for Old Dominion by rushing for a 45 yards for what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the game Lawry broke loose on a 54-yard touchdown run too. It would seem, perhaps depending on the opponent, Old Dominion has a little home-run threat to utilize in the running game. Time will tell how effective he is on a regular basis once Old Dominion’s schedule gets a little tougher. That will not happen this week, with Norfolk State coming to town. The following week though, against North Carolina State, could be different. Old Dominion pushed NC State last season in Raleigh, and now Old Dominion gets a chance to score an upset win over the ACC opponent on their home field. Lawry should play a key role in that upset bid.
Lawry did not go unrecognized by Conference USA. On Monday the conference awarded him Offensive Player of the Week. He ended his day just one yard shy of the school record for single-game rushing yards. Lawry should once again be able to pile up some big numbers this weekend as Old Dominion hosts Norfolk State. The Spartans were just routed by Rutgers in the season opener, and should have their hands full once again with Old Dominion’s ground attack.
Lawry rushed for 947 yards and 16 touchdowns last season for Old Dominion, as the program underwent its transition year from FCS to FBS. He ended the season with a career-high 213 rushing yards in the last game of the season against FAU and set his single-game rushing touchdown bar of four touchdowns earlier in the year at Western Kentucky.