TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The U.S. Lawns Fall Football Camp continues as Indiana State football prepares for the upcoming September 1 kickoff against North Alabama.
 
The Sycamores will be breaking down the team throughout the fall camp toward the opener in Terre Haute with position-by-position group previews, as well as opponent previews. In today's edition, we take a look at the running backs.
 
From the Coordinator
"Super excited, deep group and ready to get on the field." – Offensive Coordinator Mike Bath on the running backs
 
Positional Breakdown
Projected Starters: Justin Dinka, Tee Hodge, Omarion Dixon
 
Returners: Dawson Basinger, Korbin Allen
 
Additions/Newcomers: CJ Cooper, Plez Lawrence
 
Things to Watch
We Roll Deep
The Indiana State running back room is one of the deepest in terms of experience on the Sycamores roster heading into the 2022 season. Six of the seven running backs have collegiate experience and have lined up in at least one game, while the seventh (Plez Lawrence) is a true freshman that racked up 1,400 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior season at Kokomo High School.
 
Justin Dinka, Tee Hodge, and Omarion Dixon are likely to get the starting nods throughout the 2022 season. Dinka is the most experienced of the bunch and returns as the Sycamores' leading rusher averaging 5.9 yards per carry with a season-high 42 yards coming against Southern Illinois. Hodge made his collegiate debut at Tennessee last season, while Dixon made a trio of appearances on the field last season. Dawson Basinger and Korbin Allen also saw time on the field in the 2021 season and will be in the mix throughout the year.
 
Transfer Backs
Indiana State's running back room features a pair of FBS transfers in Justin Dinka (San Diego State) and Tee Hodge (Tennessee). In the offseason, the Sycamores also added Division II transfer CJ Cooper (Quincy) as the Sycamores have multiple battle-tested backs ready to take the next step.
 
Dinka is a former three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports coming out of Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas prior to attending San Diego State. He's currently in his third season on the Sycamores' roster heading into 2022 and served as one of the top backs for ISU in 2021. Hodge is also a former three-star recruit from 247spots coming out of Maryville High School in Maryville, Tenn. He posted 1,006 rushing yards on 141 carries and 15 touchdowns in 2019 on his way to leading the team to a 15-0 record and Class 6A state championship. Cooper redshirted in his lone season at Quincy, but recorded 1,500 yards over seven games in his senior season at Calumet New Tech High School in Hammond, Ind.
 
Pound the Ball
Indiana State's rushing attack has been one of the staples of a Curt Mallory offense and this season will likely be no exception. Overall, four different running backs were utilized in the backfield in the 2021 season as the Sycamores averaged 111.6 yards per game on the ground and picked up 10 rushing touchdowns.
 
Gone is workhorse back Peterson Kerlegrand (185 carries, 830 yards, five touchdowns) as the senior running back accounted for 67.6% of the Sycamores' rushing attack last season. However, the Sycamores will have a renewed emphasis in building out the rushing game and will spread the wealth this season to keep the clock running and chains moving.
 
Numbers Watch

• 19 – Indiana State's running back room returns 19 carries from the 2021 season following the departure of Peterson Kerlegrand among others. Justin Dinka is responsible for all 19 carries picking up 112 rushing yards over 10 games of action on the field.
• 111.6 – Indiana State averaged 111.6 rushing yards per game in 2021 and had four games with 100-plus rushing yards on the year.
• 228 – Indiana State's highest rushing total of the 2021 season came last year on October 23 as the Sycamores picked up 228 yards on 43 carries against Youngstown State. ISU added four rushing touchdowns in the win over the Penguins.

Position Group Interviews







 
2022 Indiana State Football Season Tickets On Sale
For more information on Indiana State 2022 football tickets, fans can contact Assistant Manager of Athletic Ticketing Austin Bishop by phone at 812-237-8972 or via email at Austin.Bishop@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu.
 
Fans have the opportunity to also buy or renew season tickets online by clicking HERE. Fans will also have the option to get their season tickets printed for an additional $5 charge.
 
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Football, visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.