Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes. Youngstown State running back Dra Rushton works through a drill during a practice session. After years of waiting for his opportunity, Rushton is set to assume starting tailback duties for the Penguins this fall.

YOUNGSTOWN — Dra Rushton has stayed patient during his time at Youngstown State.

Through his redshirt season. Through his injuries. Through the excellent career of his predecessor.

Now, it’s Rushton’s turn.

The Liberty graduate is, at long last, set to take the reins of the Penguins’ running back position, as he enters his final season of college football.

“It was just trusting the process,” Rushton said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else with any other group of guys. So just trusting the process, keeping my head down and continuing to work.”

Rushton joined the Penguins in 2018 after a Liberty career that included winning Trumbull County Player of the Year and a Division VI All-Ohio Honorable Mention for a senior season in which he ran for 1,339 yards and 23 touchdowns and added 907 yards and nine touchdowns passing.

Since then, however, it’s been a rollercoaster for the running back. Rushton redshirted in 2018 and saw limited action in 2019 and the 2021 spring COVID season. He also saw limited time in the fall 2021 campaign, due in part to injuries and in part to being the understudy of the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher, Jaleel McLaughlin.

Finally, in 2022, he started seeing the field more, playing in 10 of YSU’s 11 games. He tallied 329 yards on 71 carries and also served as a return specialist while backing McLaughlin up.

Now, he’s poised to serve as RB1. McLaughlin graduated and has since joined the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent, and Rushton says he’s finally fully healthy, too.

Though tough at times, Rushton said he didn’t dwell on things out of his control.

“I know who Jaleel is — he’s my best friend. We talked about everything, and we’d do everything (together), and I was getting hurt,” Rushton said. “So some things you just can’t control, and you just have to come out here, trust the process and continue to play.”

And now, he’s eager to show what it is he brings to the table.

His coaching staff is eager, too.

“To see him be able to thrive (is exciting),” YSU head coach Doug Phillips said. “When he’s healthy, even last year, he was very productive. So you try to get him where he can get through and stay healthy over time. That’s what I want to see for him, because I think he’s a great running back that we need to see each and every Saturday.”

Though Rushton won’t go into too many specifics on his toolkit — “I don’t want to tell anything on the news, but I have a lot of things coming, something special” — Phillips and offensive coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler see a more than capable tailback who features shiftiness and power as compared to McLaughlin’s lightning speed.

“Dra will find his niche in what he does. Dra runs behind his pads, and if you’re not ready to take him on, he’ll run you over,” Phillips said. “Dra has to be who he is. …We have a very good offensive line that will open holes, and I think Dra will make the most of it.”

Rothenbuhler added, “Really athletic, great vision. You get a little more shake, and it’s going to be interesting down the field. It’s a little more shake, and a shade less speed — just a little trade-off there for some more wiggle and less speed.”

Rothenbuhler also highlighted Rushton’s experience in the offense, which allows the senior to time his blocks and the pace at which he runs in order to follow through plays. Then, too, YSU returns nearly all of its offensive line.

Given the skillset Rushton features and his experience in YSU’s system, Rothenbuhler says the Penguins’ offensive identity won’t change too much.

“Not much changing in the fact that he can do a lot of the same things (as McLaughlin),” Rothenbuhler said.

Both coaches also noted Rushton’s leadership at the position. The senior has been working hard to also catch the rest of the running back room up to speed. Behind Rushton are transfer Tyshon King and a collection of youngsters, such as redshirt freshmen Da’Shaun Whatley and Cephus Harris.

Whatever his role, Rushton says he just plans to keep working through the process.

“Keep winning, keep grinding, keep doing everything with the guys that I came in with in 2018 like (starting quarterback) Mitch Davidson,” Rushton said. “Just for it to be our time now is special, so we’re going to go out here and try to have a special year.”

YSU opens its season at home Thursday, Aug. 31 against Valparaiso.

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com