At the beginning of the year, NIU junior tailback LeShon Johnson predicted to gain 1,500 yards by the end of the season.

Some chuckled and snickered knowing full well that there hadn’t been a 1,000-yard tailback in these parts since 1983, while others just kept silent, aware of the fact that he rushed for more than 1,300 yards at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.

After eight games at the Division I-A level, the chuckling continues, but it is in the form of a boast or brag. After Saturday, he is now stationed as the No. 3 rusher in the nation with 130.3 yards per game.

Two Heisman Trophy candidates stand between him and the title of top rusher in the nation. The injured Marshall Faulk leads the pack with 167.6 yards per game and Georgia’s Garrison Hearst sits at the No. 2 spot averaging 141.4 yards per game.

Not only is Johnson making history in the NCAA, he’s also leaving his mark at NIU. Johnson has become only the sixth player in NIU history to run for more than 1,000 yards. With three games remaining in the season, he currently ranks No. 7 on the NIU season rushers list and No. 19 on the Huskie career rushers list with 1,042 yards.

The last Huskie tailback to rush for more than 1,000 yards was Darryl Richardson in the 1983 California Bowl season. He finished with 1,204 yards. At Johnson’s current pace, he could very well pass Richardson before the end of the season.

All of these numbers have stirred up a ton of conversation about the “Cowboy.”

“He’s an excellent back,” said Western Michigan head coach Al Molde. “He has great speed. What impresses me as much as anything about him is the fact that he’s tough. He’ll run inside and try to run over you. He’s not just an outside back. He’s a complete running back.”

“Their running back is the best running back that we’ve faced this year,” said WMU cornerback Pierre Hixon, “and he is one of the best in the country. He showed us that he could get the yards.”

“He looked impressive,” said WSCR-AM (820) radio’s Jesse Rogers. “He’s done very well. From what I’ve seen I think he’s got explosive ability and speed.”

“In my view, he could play at Michigan, he could play at Ohio State,” said former NFL head coach and current Liberty University boss Sam Rutigliano. “I think someday he’ll be able to play pro football. I was in that league 18 years and I watched a lot of them and drafted a lot of them. He’s an outstanding player. He’s got the size, the speed, the acceleration. He’s got power.”