Josh Hokit changed his plans to help team. As season closes, here’s what he thinks about that
The plan fell apart faster than it was put together, and now Josh Hokit is a day away from playing his final college football game.
The Fresno State senior, a two-sport stalwart, was supposed to have more. He was going to take a redshirt this football season, move to linebacker from running back and maybe get into a few games, gain some valuable experience while retaining that year of eligibility and possibility.
After that, he would wrestle as a heavyweight, rather than at 197 pounds as he did a year ago, avoiding that quick cutting of weight going from one love to the next, and vice versa in the spring when he returned to football.
“Had it all planned out,” coach Jeff Tedford said.
But just about everything this season has strayed from script for the Bulldogs, who went from 12-2 with a Mountain West Conference championship a year ago to 4-7, out of bowl contention with a week to go and will play their final game on Saturday at San Jose State.
MY STORY IS ALREADY WRITTEN …
“I’ve had peace with just knowing that everything happens for a reason,” Hokit said. “At the end of the day, I’m not in control of my destiny. My story is already written. God already has a plan for me, whatever that may be.
“If now is my time to leave instead of next year, it’s meant to be.”
In fall camp, the Bulldogs started losing running backs to season-ending injuries. Jordan Mims would not be available, coming back from a foot injury at the end of the 2018 season. Romello Harris went down with a knee. Freshman Peyton Dixon, down with a knee.
Tedford and the Fresno State staff didn’t have a lot of choices, certainly none with as much upside as moving Hokit back to running back even if it meant scrapping a plan that in theory was all upside for the player and the Bulldogs’ football and wrestling programs.
Hokit, a two-sport star at Clovis High, didn’t blink.
“When we realized that we were down backs and he was going to do that, there was some concern, but not from him,” running backs coach Jamie Christian said. “That next day he came into the running backs room and he was all in and we never talked about it again.”
Hokit simply dived in.
“I have a lot of respect for Josh because he’s a team player all the way,” Tedford said. “There was a plan going in and that plan changed because of some injuries and it wasn’t even a question.
“He said, ‘Coach, whatever you need me to do for the team.’ He has been huge for us. He has made a great contribution. He’s through and through Mr. Bulldog and he’s going to do what he has to do for the team.”
But it wasn’t always easy.
With one last game to go, Hokit this season has carried the football only 6.2 times per game while also playing on special teams. He has scored nine rushing touchdowns, ranking fourth among running backs and sixth overall in the Mountain West Conference.
“It’s pride,” he said. “We all have battles that we’re dealing with ourselves. It hurts, though. I’m not going to just push that aside, like it doesn’t.
“I wanted to redshirt and I felt like I could have been a bigger factor than I was this year or have been in the past years playing linebacker next season. But that wasn’t meant to be. Looking back at it, I’m going to see why it all happened and I’m going to be at peace with it.”
PART II, WRESTLING STILL THE PLAN
The only part of the plan that will hold up is that last part, wrestling heavyweight, and there will be no break in between.
A year ago, Hokit went from the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 15 to competing at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 20.
He finished sixth there, rallying from a first-round loss to NCAA Tournament qualifier Sawyer Root from Citadel to win five matches in a row.
Hokit was down 7-3 to Bakersfield’s Mark Penyacsek in the last of those matches, but scored a takedown with 36 seconds remaining in the third period to send it into sudden victory where he secured another takedown with 5 seconds to go and an 11-9 victory.
He was unable to wrestle in the fifth-place match, having reached the maximum daily limit of six matches.
That was just five days after the football season ended.
“I haven’t really had any time off since I’ve been here in college, but no one said this was going to be easy,” Hokit said.
“You only get one shot at this and I’m not putting any limitations on myself. When I look back and I say, ‘Did I give everything I’ve got? I’m going to say, ‘Yes.’” When the week is over I’m going straight into wrestling.”
The goal is an NCAA championship – Hokit finished fifth at 197 pounds last season, earning All-American honors.
“On the bright side, I have more time to train,” Hokit said. “I feel like that’s realistic this year. It’s a big possibility, I can’t wait.”
A SHOT AT THE NFL …
But Tedford also expects the NFL to be there in the spring.
“It’d be great to see him go far in wrestling and then maybe what his opportunity might be at the next level in the NFL,” Tedford said. “I think he has proven it. I think he has a lot of potential to be an NFL fullback and there are not a lot of those guys running around.
“I hope and I believe he’ll get a shot somewhere to do that.”
Hokit, who started his Fresno State career as an outside linebacker, hitting everything that moved in his first fall camp whether or not the Bulldogs were in a live period, has positional versatility at the next level.
But as a fullback, he can block, run and catch the ball out of the backfield. He is good in pass protection, can excel on special teams.
“He’s such a multi-faceted guy – I think that’s what makes his potential for a future career very viable,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said.
“It has been fun watching him grow, and the thing we miss the most is thinking about going into a game next year without a guy like Josh who just has a total physical presence when he touches the ball. He’s just an absolute stud.”