Running back, Arizona State, 2014–⁠17

Kalen Ballage

Number
No. 7
Height
6′3″
Weight
230 lb
Hometown
Peyton, CO
Born
Dec 22, 1995

Kalen Ballage played running back at Arizona State (2014–⁠17). The Miami Dolphins took Ballage in round 4, No. 131 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
669
Rushing yards, 2017 (Arizona State, 7–⁠6)
Best game
137 yards
Vs. Texas Tech, week 2, 2016: No. 3 rushing game in FBS that week
Drafted
No. 131
Round 4, 2018 NFL Draft (Miami Dolphins)

Career highs

137rushing yards, career highvs. Texas Tech, 20167rushing touchdowns, career highvs. Texas Tech, 201610catches, career highat Arizona, 2016118receiving yards, career highvs. Utah, 2016

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2014Arizona State421263.0312
2015Arizona State1256535.2465
2016Arizona State1265364.31475
2017Arizona State1576694.3635
Career4501,9844.42775

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTDPRYdsTD
2014Arizona State61870–––
2015Arizona State3260–––
2016Arizona State1840901−60
2017Arizona State214370–––
Career481,05901−60

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2014Arizona State66410.7138
2015Arizona State12605.0016
2016Arizona State4446910.7171
2017Arizona State20914.5010
Career826848.3271

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls. A dash: the source has no number for that season (often an FCS season), and career totals count only the numbers on file.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosHtWt
2014Arizona State7RB
2015Arizona State7RB
2016Arizona State7RB
2017Arizona State7RB6′3″230

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2014Arizona State40-0.12––-4.96%–
2015Arizona State1490.0221st (n=268)0.122.717%0.10
2016Arizona State1810.2274th (n=259)0.1339.620%0.19
2017Arizona State1890.0118th (n=287)0.121.919%0.11

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2017 Arizona State 13 games, 669 rushing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Aug 31vs.New Mexico StateW 37–⁠3118792151–
Sep 9vs.San Diego StateL 20–⁠3015441123–
Sep 16atTexas TechL 45–⁠5216561492–
Sep 23vs.OregonW 37–⁠3512470478–
Sep 30atStanfordL 24–⁠349600331–
Oct 14vs.WashingtonW 13–⁠79171–––
Oct 21atUtahW 30–⁠1014750–––
Oct 28vs.USCL 17–⁠48–––125–
Nov 4vs.ColoradoW 41–⁠309430–––
Nov 11atUCLAL 37–⁠4421970352–
Nov 18atOregon StateW 40–⁠24191030128–
Nov 25vs.ArizonaW 42–⁠3011361230–
Dec 29 ✦vs.NC StateL 31–⁠524120127–
2016 Arizona State 12 games, 536 rushing yards, 14 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Sep 3vs.Northern ArizonaW 44–⁠1310561127–
Sep 10vs.Texas TechW 68–⁠55131377122–
Sep 16atUTSAW 32–⁠28146214991
Sep 24vs.CaliforniaW 51–⁠416220–––
Oct 1atUSCL 20–⁠41690–––
Oct 8vs.UCLAW 23–⁠2012240–––
Oct 15atColoradoL 16–⁠407140128–
Oct 22vs.Washington StateL 32–⁠3712821242–
Oct 29atOregonL 35–⁠5418622496–
Nov 10vs.UtahL 26–⁠4915461480–
Nov 19atWashingtonL 18–⁠44690115–
Nov 25atArizonaL 35–⁠567131–––
2015 Arizona State 10 games, 653 rushing yards, 4 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Sep 26vs.USCL 14–⁠429300–––
Oct 3atUCLAW 38–⁠2311591–––
Oct 10vs.ColoradoW 48–⁠2315450–––
Oct 17atUtahL 18–⁠341849012–
Oct 29vs.OregonL 55–⁠611212701−3–
Nov 7atWashington StateL 24–⁠3814841–––
Nov 14vs.WashingtonW 27–⁠1711922–––
Nov 21vs.ArizonaW 52–⁠37181100–––
Nov 28atCaliforniaL 46–⁠485310–––
Jan 2 ✦vs.West VirginiaL 42–⁠4312260127–
2014 Arizona State 11 games, 126 rushing yards, 3 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Aug 28vs.Weber StateW 45–⁠1412361–––
Sep 6atNew MexicoW 58–⁠236212–––
Sep 13atColoradoW 38–⁠24––––––
Sep 25vs.UCLAL 27–⁠625220353–
Oct 4atUSCW 38–⁠34390–––
Oct 18vs.StanfordW 26–⁠10230–––
Oct 25atWashingtonW 24–⁠10100–––
Nov 1vs.UtahW 19–⁠165150–––
Nov 8vs.Notre DameW 55–⁠31260–––
Nov 22vs.Washington StateW 52–⁠31100–––
Dec 27 ✦vs.DukeW 36–⁠3151403134–

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

Played in the 2018 Senior Bowl (North team, lost 16–⁠45).

DrillCombine 2018
Height6′1½″
Weight228 lb
Arm length32¾″
Hand size9½″
40-yard dash4.46 s
10-yard split1.54 sW
Vertical jump32½″
Broad jump10′2″
Bench press15 reps
3-cone drill6.91 s
20-yard shuttle4.35 s

Unmarked: Combine and pro day results compiled by array-carpenter (nfl-draft-data); W: Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Rosters and honors: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

4 seasons, 43 games with a stat; latest team: Pittsburgh Steelers.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2018Miami Dolphins12361911956
2019Miami Dolphins127413531463
2020Los Angeles Chargers1191303329166
2021Pittsburgh Steelers81236028
NFL career43213665754293

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat.

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