Ken Simonton isn't big, but he's thick. It's a kind of subtle thick, a thick you don't feel until he's running through your chest.

The kid is not fast either. In fact, he's the first to tell you his days of sub-4.5 forties are pretty much over.

But take a look at the stats: Three straight 1,000-yard seasons, over 4,000 total rushing yards. Simonton could become the Pac-10's second all-time leading rusher (behind Charles White's phenomenal 6,245) and all-time leading scorer by season's end. He is the epitome of the student-athlete, and he succeeds on the field in much the same way he does off it -- by using his head.

How does a 5'8", 190-pound back rack up such numbers? Among other things, Simonton has great vision and balance. OSU head coach Dennis Erickson has said that one of Simonton's greatest strengths is his ability to run to daylight. In OSU's single-back scheme, Simonton must read his blockers.

"There's no guaranteed hole for him," says one opposing coach. " He's just got a place where he starts to. With an average running back you can help on the wide receivers. Not with Ken."

"He knows where that ball should go," says second-year OSU running backs coach Dan Cozzetto. "It's a one cut or a no cut and get going. His reads are simple, he accelerates through the hole and gets vertical. He's got tremendous balance and his lower leg strength is awesome. People say he's not fast, but I've seen him run away from some people."

Another thing that fascinates Cozzetto is how Simonton makes up for his lack of size. Two years ago, Cozzetto was an assistant to Bruce Snyder at Arizona State. And Snyder, like his mentor John Robinson, was always a fan of the big tailback.

"It's hard for a small man to get through an entire season," says Cozzetto. "But I was amazed by how durable Kenny was. He's not a afraid to take on defenders or split defenders."

Or if need be, run you over.

All of which makes Simonton an intriguing NFL prospect. Simonton shies away from the Barry Sanders comparison, made mostly because the two backs have similar size.

But there's no denying his productivity, or his heart.

And after five years of college stipends, Simonton is ready to start earning the "kwan."

"You're dealing with grown men," he said when I interviewed him back in May. "We recognize the business we're in. Michael Vick just signed a six-year, $62 million dollar contract.

"You can't treat him like a little kid anymore."

John Gustafson covers college sports for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at john.gustafson@espnmag.com.