ASHLAND, Ohio — Lee Owens has welcomed plenty of high-profile recruits to Ashland University during his 13 years as head coach, but none arrived directly from high school with as much fanfare as Keishaun Sims.

Ohio’s reigning Mr. Football hasn’t disappointed.

AU’s true freshman tailback was awarded the state’s highest prep honor during a remarkable senior season at Massillon Perry. He rushed for a Stark County single season-record 3,224 yards and 43 touchdowns last fall, leading the Panthers to the Division II state championship game.

Concerns about his academic standing and slight stature — he’s listed at 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds — scared off most Division I programs. Several Mid-American Conference schools showed interest but an offer never materialized, so Sims singed with the Eagles in early July.

“We told him from the day we recruited him, he had to be ready to play,” Owens said. “He worked all summer and had a great camp.”

Going into the opener against Mercyhurst, the plan was for Sims and redshirt sophomore Andrew Vaughn to serve as Vance Settlemire’s understudies. Sims and Vaughn would get an occasional series, but a majority of the carries would go to Settlemire, a senior who rushed for 1,116 yards last fall.

“We only had one proven back,” Owens said. “Andrew has proven himself now, but at that point (in the preseason) it was just Vance.”

Settlemire rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns in the opener. Vaughn rushed for 45 yards on nine attempts, while Sims had just four carries for 44 yards in the 48-0 AU victory.

The watch-and-learn approach hit a snag last week when Settlemire injured his shoulder in the first half of a come-from-behind 36-25 win over Wayne State. Both Sims and Vaughn answered the bell, with Sims rushing for 102 yards and scoring his first two collegiate touchdowns on 10 carries. The more physical Vaughn (5-11, 219) rumbled for 100 yards on 19 attempts.

Settlemire’s status for Saturday’s game against Findlay (1-1) is unknown, although Owens said he would have to hide Settlemire’s helmet and shoulder pads to keep him off the field against the Oilers. Settlemire is a Findlay High School graduate.

“He told me he’s got to play. It’s Findlay and he loves to play in that game,” Owens said. “He’ll do everything he can to get himself back.”

As for Sims, there is still plenty of work to do. He struggled in pass protection in the Week 1 win over Mercyhurst, resulting in a sack of quarterback Travis Tarnowski.

“It’s more physical and both teams really get after it,” he said of his adjustment to the college game. “I need to get a little bigger and work on my pass protection.”

The good news is Sims found a comfort level against a physical Wayne State team that was absent in his limited action in the opener against Mercyhurst.

“My first run, it was mind-blowing. Everything was racing in my head,” he said. “(Against Wayne State) I got used to it. I knew the tempo and I knew what I needed to do. I got the feel for it.”

Coverage of Ashland University Eagles athletics is produced in partnership with OhioHealth, the official sports medicine provider for Ashland University and dozens of high schools and universities throughout Ohio.