DeKALB | As Will Ferrell’s character Ricky Bobby said, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”

Start telling that to everyone behind Garrett Wolfe in the MAC. Wolfe is averaging a nation-best 223.8 rushing yards per game. That’s 131 yards more per game than second place.

But make no mistake, the second-best running back in the MAC, Mark Bonds from Western Michigan, is not such a bad “last place” running back to have.

In fact, the junior was a prize pick for the Broncos three years ago.

Bonds was listed as the 33rd best high school running back in the country by rivals.com during his senior season at Warren Central High in Indianapolis. WMU wasted no time involving the talented youngster in its offense.

The 5-foot-10 running back was the Broncos’ second-leading rusher with 225 yards on 67 carries in his freshman season. Averaging 3.4 yards per carry wasn’t anything special, but returning kicks for an average of 23.6 yards made the 215-pounder stand out at the end of his first season.

Bonds got more involved with the offense during his sophomore season. The running back increased his average carry to 4.5 yards per rush and got involved in the passing game by catching five passes.

But 2006 has been the year Bonds has finally broken out and become the best back in Kalamazoo.

In five games this season, the junior already has more touchdowns than he has had in his whole career. Bonds is the fourth receiver on the team with 11 catches for 75 yards.

Bonds also is the second-best back in the MAC with rushing, as he averages a touchdown and 92.8 rushing yards per game.

With Wolfe having the season that he is having, WMU can’t complain too much about the production they’ve been getting from its “last place” running back.

Ben Gross is an NIU football beat reporter for the Northern Star.