Brady Christensen, also part of that 2021 draft class, said he was always impressed with the way Hubbard went about things, but also recognized that the arrow had turned sharper in the last two years, especially this season, where he ranks fifth in the league in rushing.

“Yeah, he’s the ultimate culture guy,” Christensen said. “I mean, from day one he’s just, he grimaces and he works, and he doesn’t say much about his work. He leads by example more than anything, and then his play on the field benefits him. “You have to have both to build that culture, and he does it.

“Of course, at the beginning I don’t know exactly how a person’s career will change. But he got the job done from day one. He worked like Christian, he just followed him and studied like him, he worked.” Like him, he recovered and as soon as he saw that, he knew he had the potential to be one of those guys.

Of course, even the guys who are just getting to know him recognize these qualities. Right guard Robert Hunt, who came this offseason from a successful Miami program, said he immediately recognized that Hubbard was calling the shots here.

“Just the way he worked, the way he went about his business, the hours he put in here,” Hunt said. “Just dedication to the game, dedication to wanting to be good.”

Then Hunt nodded and gave his running back the simple sign of respect in the locker room: “He’s a guy.”