Is Chuba Hubbard Coming Back Next Season?
STILLWATER -- The entire Cowboy nation was up in arms Thursday evening when Chuba Hubbard was snubbed out of winning the Doak Walker Award. He also missed out on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He was a finalist for both.
Despite leading the nation in rushing yards (1,936), yards per game (161.3), all-purpose yards per game (180.1), one more touchdown, 21, compared to 20 by Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, and doing all of that in one less game than Taylor, the committee still gave the award to Taylor.
Not that he wasn't deserving as he's now won the award in back-to-back seasons and is going to finish with one of the best collegiate careers of all time. But there was no question that Hubbard was the best running back in the country this season.
So, after putting up the second-best rushing season in Oklahoma State history, what's next on the docket for Chuba Hubbard? NFL? Maybe not.
Shortly after the awards show came to a close, Hubbard took to Instagram and posted a cryptic message.
I think this post sent Cowboy nation more into a frenzy trying to exactly figure out what it meant than Hubbard being snubbed.
One more...
Does this mean that Hubbard is coming back for just one more game, or possibly for another season? It certainly could mean either one. I would expect an official announcement at some point in the next couple of weeks (possibly sooner), but let's take a look at what coming back would mean.
You get an offensive line that loses a few pieces, but overall is going to be bigger, stronger and better. You get a healthy, more mature and more poised Spencer Sanders. We saw that progression that he had just throughout the season. Think about just how good he'll be with another year under his belt.
While we don't know anything for sure, there's a chance that Tylan Wallace is going to the NFL, but the rest of the receivers will be another year older, stronger and wiser. C.J. Moore on the outside, Langston Anderson, Landon Wolf, Braydon Johnson and others.
Plus, Dillon Stoner will be a redshirt senior and we all saw what he can do when put into a main role on the outside.
The running back room behind Chuba promises to be very good as well. LD Brown came on strong towards the end of the season and Deondrick Glass sat out all season resting, recovering after a hard high school career and should be ready to go. Plus, JUCO transfer Dezmon Jackson will be back healthy.
Not to mention the defense only losing just a handful of guys, but no starters on the defensive line, linebackers or safety groups.
If Chuba returns, we could be looking at one of the better Oklahoma State teams we've seen in a long time and I, for one, and very much looking forward to seeing what Chuba decides.
