But the suggestion of limiting his playing time chills Moats in white-knuckle anxiety.

To remain in a game, Moats, whose team plays Hawai'i Saturday at Aloha Stadium, will hide any sign of injury or fatigue. He tries to avoid eye contact with the coaching staff.

It does not matter that he is the nation's sixth-leading rusher, averaging 151.6 yards per game and 6.7 yards per carry, or that Bulldog coach Jack Bicknell scrapped an effective passing scheme to feature Moats' running skills. Moats is the thin man who views himself as the chubby child.

"I don't ever want to come out," he said. "Sometimes I think, if I come out, I might not get a chance again. And I don't want to let my team down. I go as far as I can go."

His insecurity dates to an injury suffered during his sophomore year at Bishop Lynch High in Dallas. He absorbed a sharp hit to his thigh, but managed to finish the game. But he had difficulty walking the next day and, two weeks later, he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging, a detection procedure that showed damage to a bone on his femur, an injury likely caused by a staph-like infection.

After two surgeries and a diagnosis of a "rotted" bone, Moats was told he would not be able to play football again.

But then the damaged bone began to grow. "It was like a miracle," he said. "Thank God. He gave me a second chance. I wanted to take advantage of it."

By the start of his junior season, the bone was fully healed.

"Now I'm a big fan of milk," he said. "It does a body good. I drink a lot of milk and eat a lot of Tums."

Bypassed by Division I-A football programs in Texas, most likely because of his 5-foot-9, 206-pound frame, Moats accepted a scholarship offer from Louisiana Tech.

Behind Smith on the 2002 depth chart, Moats carried 12 times as a freshman. In 2003, Moats and Ralph Davis were expected to split time at running back. But after the fourth game, Davis was suspended for violating a team rule.

In his first career start, Moats ran eight times for 99 yards in a loss to Boise State. The next week against Texas-El Paso, he gained 118 yards. Then came what he called "my beginning."

Against UH, Moats ran 34 times for 267 yards and two touchdowns. He also made five catches for 81 yards.

"That was my coming-out game," Moats said. "That was my breakout game."

It was during that game, Bicknell decided, "He's one of the best in the country."

During the offseason, Bicknell began editing the offensive playbook. In training camp in August, Bicknell recalled being in awe of several of Moats' runs.

"I thought, 'either we stink at tackling or he's a pretty good running back,' " Bicknell said. "I think it's proven out, mostly, he's a great back."

He rushed for at least 236 yards in three of the Bulldogs' first five games this season. Despite a sprained ankle, he gained 186 yards against Southern Methodist.

Moats, who can run 40 yards in 4.4. seconds and bench press 350 pounds, relies on his strength to bounce off would-be tacklers. "The biggest thing," Bicknell said, "where you say, 'Wow,' is his acceleration. Right when somebody is about to tackle him, he seems to be able to accelerate away. He's extremely quick."

UH coach June Jones likened Moats to former NFL standout Barry Sanders. As an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions, Jones watched Sanders every day during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

"The more tape I look at, the more I see how much (Moats is) like Barry," Jones said. "He's got great balance. He has a lot more strength than you think he has, and he has great vision and quickness."

Told of Jones' comments, Moats turned quiet, then said, "That's an honor, a great honor."

Moats said he wears No. 20 in tribute to Sanders. "I don't look up to him as just a football player," Moats said. "I look up to him as a person who loves football and the other things in life, someone who tries to do good. I learned how he lived his life, and I was hooked. I want to stay humble, just like Barry Sanders. The longer you stay humble, the longer you last."