As a true freshman, Georgia Tech running back Dedrick Mills had the lowest rate of rushes for loss or no gain among Power Five rushers.
David M. Hale of ESPN reported on Monday afternoon that Mills finished his first season as a Yellow Jacket with a 5.9 percent rate of rushes gaining more than zero yards. The runner-up was Texas Tech running back Da’Leon Ward with 7.8 percent.
Mills finished the 2016 season with 771 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
"It's easy enough to credit the option offense— which clearly does matter (Army, Air Force and Navy also had top runnings in this category nationally,)" Hale wrote on Facebook. "It's worth noting on all other non-scramble rushes by Georgia Tech, the Jackets averaged 20.8 percent stopped at or behind the line— more than double Mills' rate."
Mills finished the 2016 season with a rate lower than former Stanford and current Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey, who finished second in Heisman voting in 2015, finished his junior season with a 10.3 percent of his rushes ending in loss or no gain.
