33 DAYS TO KICKOFF: John Hubert

Starting today, I'm going to have to double up entries because there are duplicates for almost every single number from 33 down. There actually were some duplicates prior to now, but I already moved them to other days that didn't have a player associated with them.

#33 John Hubert Redshirt Junior 5-7 | 191 Waco, Texas Bio

Position: Running Back Previous College: None Projection: Starter Status: On Scholarship

John Hubert (b. Feb. 24, 1991) was the forgotten man of the running back competition last summer, but that status certainly didn't last very long once the season was under way.

Somewhere between the thoroughly unfulfilled hype of Bryce Brown and the still-unseen potential of DeMarcus Robinson, there was the man who broke LaDainian Tomlinson's high school single-season rushing record.

Anyone who watched Hubert's recruiting videos in 2009 knew Bill Snyder found a steal. All Hubert did in those videos was break long touchdown run after long touchdown run. He has deceptive speed and endless tenacity.

The lack of hype entering the season might have been somewhat deserved, considering Hubert lost several key fumbles at inopportune times in 2010 during his rare forays onto the field, but it quickly was proven shortsighted.

Hubert didn't amass huge numbers in 2011 — those were reserved for Collin Klein — but within his 970 yards amassed, he had a knack for breaking off big runs when we most needed them to sustain drives.

Who could forget the big run against Miami late in the game to regain the lead for good? Or his 47-yard TD run against Iowa State that reminded me of his cousin, Perrish Cox, where he just willed himself into the end zone?

And he was consistently productive as Klein's wingman, too. Hubert rushed for 74.6 yards per game, just shy of Klein's 87.8, and he posted an eye-popping 4.8 yards per carry because defenses were so focused on the QB.

No, he's not the fastest RB on the roster, nor the biggest or strongest, but more than anything, he was the most consistent. If there's one thing Snyder values above all, it's consistency, and Hubert has it in spades.

Perhaps he will be beaten out by Angelo Pease or Robinson this season, but it won't be for lack of trying. And something tells me it also won't keep him off the field entirely, now that he's had a taste of the big time.