Western Kentucky's big man on campus happens to be among the smallest men on the Hilltoppers' roster.
Checking in at 5-foot-8, 205 pounds, Bobby Rainey is on the pre-season watch lists for the Maxwell and Doak Walker awards, presented to the nation's most outstanding player and top running back, respectively.
As a junior last season, he was Offensive Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference, and an honorable mention All-American even though Western won only two games.
For some, that could fuel a cocky attitude.
Not for Rainey.
Ask him about his ability and he will tell you that faith is "a strong part of my life."
"That's basically what enables me to do what I do," he said. "I put my faith in God. I see him first in everything I do."
The irony is that Western's man of God can make life hell for opponents.
Last year, Rainey's 1,879 yards from scrimmage amounted to 49 percent of WKU's total, and he scored 15 of the Hilltoppers' 21 rushing touchdowns. He topped 100 rushing yards nine times, including his last six games. In seven of those games, he topped 150 yards.
He finished third in the nation in rushing with an average of 137.4 yards a game — 1,649 total rush yards — and led the nation with a school-record 340 carries. He wound up 11th in the nation with nearly 157 all-purpose yards per game.
"He is the ultimate competitor," WKU Coach Willie Taggart said. "Bobby's one of those kids that feels like there's nobody out there that can stop him. I think you've got to have that in you in order to achieve some of the success that Bobby has.
"He has really good patience and he can cut on a dime. He doesn't have to take a lot of steps to make a cut. He can run full speed and cut off of one foot, and that's hard for most people to do. He's got really good patience and vision, and he's stronger than what most people think."
Growing up in Griffin, Ga., Rainey looked up first to Barry Sanders and then Emmitt Smith, and says he admires "all the small running backs" now in the NFL.
His dream is to play in the NFL.
"If that doesn't come true or whatever, I still want to be a part of football," he said. "I want to go into coaching at the college level. If not that, whatever — high school or recreational. Something dealing with sports with kids."
Taggart thinks Rainey can surpass last season's statistics — if his blockers do their part.
Certainly, the will is there.
"The first goal is a Sun Belt championship. That's first and foremost," Rainey said. "For personal goals, the offensive line wants me to rush for 2,000."
That could make him a big man far beyond campus.
