Former running back at Massachusetts. 2024: 529 rushing yards, 4 rushing TD, 14 catches.
5′11″ · 190 lb · Cincinnati, OH
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
RB recruit
No. 1760 nationally · Signed with Western Michigan
Last played in 2026.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Former running back at Massachusetts. 2024: 529 rushing yards, 4 rushing TD, 14 catches.
C.J. Hester
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Two head coaches in two seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 95 rush yds, 2 rush TD against Lindenwood, Week 1, 2026.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
How it ended
Two seasons at Massachusetts, 653 rushing yards — his college career is complete.
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2023–2024
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Don Brown → Shane Montgomery. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Massachusetts | 119 | 529 | 4.4 | 4 | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 29 | 124 | 4.3 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 148 | 653 | 4.4 | 6 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Massachusetts | 14 | 58 | 4.1 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 15 | 60 | 4.0 | 0 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 4 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 34-41@ Delaware State | 18 | 91 | 5.1 | 1 | 22 | Season-high 95 yds |
| Wk 1 | W 36-32vs Lindenwood | 14 | 95 | 6.8 | 2 | 52 | Season-high 95 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 17-41@ Ball State | 10 | 85 | 8.5 | 0 | 45 | |
| Wk 3 | W 56-24vs Rhode Island | 18 | 77 | 4.3 | 4 | 12 | 4 rushing TDs |
| Total | 60 | 348 | 6.2 | 7 | 52 |
Season context · Team result + system
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 4 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 86.0 | 5.5 | 3.0 |
| Road2g | 88.0 | 6.8 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-74g | 87.0 | 6.2 | 1.8 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Joe Harasymiak
Pass share
37.9%
61 pass / 100 run
Plays / game
53.7
3 games
Team sack rate
4.3%
69 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Blake Hester’s 2021 season.
Matches Blake on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Ca'Lil Valentine's sophomore season at Illinois (2025).
Matches Ca'Lil on
Differs from Ca'Lil on
Player DNA