By Matt Osborne
SouthernPigskin.com

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Overcoming the odds as an undersized true freshman, Larry Rose III used the 2014 season as his platform to announce his talents to the college football world.

The 2015 campaign was one of streaks for the New Mexico State Aggies.

After beginning the season with victories over Cal-Poly and Georgia State, the Aggies would go on to lose their next ten games, finishing the season with an overall record of just 2-10 and 1-7 in Sun Belt play.

While there are still plenty of issues which must be addressed before head coach Doug Martin’s squad can be expected to make significant improvement in the conference, the good news for the Aggies heading into 2015 is that the team will be able to rely on one of the league’s top performers this fall.

As a freshman in 2014, running back Larry Rose III quickly cemented his status as one of the most impactful first-year contributors in program history. Earning starts in eight of the contests in which he played, Rose finished the season with 1,102 yards on just 186 carries, an average of just over 5.9 yards per attempt.

Playing his freshman season at a mere 174 pounds, Rose emerged as one of the Sun Belt’s most electrifying playmakers, using his speed and elusiveness to routinely produce highlight-quality runs. The ability to be light on his feet allowed him to frequently leave defenders grasping at air once he broke into the open field.

Unfortunately, his lack of ideal bulk also limited his ability to contribute to his team. Rose missed the UTEP and LSU contests because of separate injuries to his lower body, and was also limited to just four carries against Louisiana because of a concussion.

Motivated by the game action which he missed last fall, Rose has been working hard in the weight room in order to add weight and muscle to his frame for his sophomore campaign. Thanks to the guidance of strength and conditioning coach Don Decker, Rose has already added an additional 10 to 15 pounds during the offseason.

His added weight should come in handy as Rose looks to run behind an experienced offensive line which should open plenty of sizable holes through which he can operate. The Aggies return four starting offensive linemen from a unit which helped New Mexico State average more than 179 yards per game on the ground.

Overcoming the odds as an undersized true freshman, Rose used the 2014 season as his platform to announce his talents to the college football world.

Now, with an experienced offensive line and a body better-suited to withstand consistent physical pounding, Rose should be able to easily build upon an impressive rookie performance.