Running back, Northern Illinois, 2015–⁠19

Marcus Jones

Number
No. 21
Height
5′8″
Weight
190 lb
Class (2019)
Senior
Hometown
Chicago, IL

Marcus Jones played running back at Northern Illinois (2015–⁠19).

Career highs

130rushing yards, career highat Ball State, 20182rushing touchdowns, career highvs. Eastern Illinois, 2017

Team titles: MAC champions, 2018

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2015Northern Illinois810913.6173
2017Northern Illinois833504.2329
2018Northern Illinois945255.6464
2019Northern Illinois23843.7120
Career2081,0685.1973

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2017Northern Illinois12786.5018
2018Northern Illinois13524.0014
2019Northern Illinois151348.9023
Career402646.6023

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTD
2019Northern Illinois81050

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2015Northern Illinois21RBYr 1
2016Northern Illinois21RBYr 2
2017Northern Illinois21RBYr 3
2018Northern Illinois21RBYr 4
2019Northern Illinois21RBSr. (Yr 5)5′8″190

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
2015Northern Illinois81.10––8.8––
2017Northern Illinois960.0321st (n=287)0.122.711%-0.16
2018Northern Illinois1030.1756th (n=300)0.1517.611%0.16
2019Northern Illinois400.07––2.75%–

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

2019 Northern Illinois 12 games, 84 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 31vs.Illinois StateW 24–⁠102202140
Sep 7atUtahL 17–⁠35110–––
Sep 14atNebraskaL 8–⁠44–––2180
Sep 28atVanderbiltL 18–⁠242313340
Oct 5vs.Ball StateL 20–⁠27140130
Oct 12atOhioW 39–⁠36–––1170
Oct 19atMiami (OH)L 24–⁠27––––––
Oct 26vs.AkronW 49–⁠0100–––
Nov 2atCentral MichiganL 10–⁠482304250
Nov 13atToledoW 31–⁠281101230
Nov 19vs.Eastern MichiganL 17–⁠454280–––
Nov 26vs.Western MichiganW 17–⁠149420100
2018 Northern Illinois 14 games, 525 rushing yards, 4 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 1atIowaL 7–⁠335230150
Sep 8vs.UtahL 6–⁠1773602−30
Sep 15vs.Central MichiganW 24–⁠1615400110
Sep 22atFlorida StateL 19–⁠37220–––
Sep 29atEastern MichiganW 26–⁠234181–––
Oct 6atBall StateW 24–⁠161213002100
Oct 13vs.OhioW 24–⁠218331–––
Oct 27atBYUW 7–⁠62110120
Nov 1atAkronW 36–⁠26158204210
Nov 7vs.ToledoW 38–⁠15111011–––
Nov 14vs.Miami (OH)L 7–⁠136451–––
Nov 20atWestern MichiganL 21–⁠28340–––
Nov 30vs.BuffaloW 30–⁠292−401120
Dec 18 ✦vs.UABL 13–⁠37240140
2017 Northern Illinois 12 games, 350 rushing yards, 3 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 1vs.Boston CollegeL 20–⁠2311480–––
Sep 9vs.Eastern IllinoisW 38–⁠1012632180
Sep 16atNebraskaW 21–⁠17130110
Sep 30atSan Diego StateL 28–⁠345160–––
Oct 7vs.Kent StateW 24–⁠36200–––
Oct 21atBowling GreenW 48–⁠1753702160
Oct 26vs.Eastern MichiganW 30–⁠27134911−20
Nov 2atToledoL 17–⁠27148005510
Nov 9vs.Ball StateW 63–⁠177290–––
Nov 15vs.Western MichiganW 35–⁠314−90–––
Nov 24atCentral MichiganL 24–⁠314110100
Dec 26 ✦vs.DukeL 14–⁠36130140
2015 Northern Illinois 4 games, 109 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 12vs.Murray StateW 57–⁠26190–––
Oct 17atMiami (OH)W 45–⁠122771–––
Oct 24vs.Eastern MichiganW 49–⁠214230–––
Nov 18vs.Western MichiganW 27–⁠19100–––

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

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