Exactly five years ago, Larry Ned Jr. was sleeping fitfully on the eve of his final high school football game. Then, rolling over at 3 a.m., Ned saw his father smiling in the doorway. Neither man said a word, and Junior rolled back over and quickly fell asleep.

That wordless exchange lasted all of one second, but it was the most important moment of Junior's life.

You see, Larry Ned Sr. had died during an epileptic seizure six years earlier, on Nov. 15, 1990.

For his last game at Rancho Verde High in Moreno Valley, Calif., Ned decided to wear No. 41, his father's high school number. But the pressure was devouring Junior. He felt he had to have a phenomenal game to show his dad how much he loved him.

Today, Larry Ned, Jr. is college football's leading rusher and San Diego State's best player since Marshall Faulk. He doesn't tell many people about that one second, about how he wouldn't be where he is today without it. Ned believes that when his dad visited him that night, he was there to calm his fears.

"He was there to tell me 'Everything will be okay. Wear my number, son, and you'll do fine,' " Ned says. "That was finally the answer I was looking for. I went out and played my best game ever."

That Friday, Rancho Verde lost in overtime, but not because of Ned. He ran for 230 yards and two touchdowns, and made 16 stops on defense. He's never worn the number since.

At his mother's urging, Ned chose San Diego State over Fresno State. But his SAT scores fell 20 points short of NCAA requirements and he became a partial qualifier. He'd have to sit out as a freshman and graduate in four years, which he did last May, to receive another year of eligibility. He almost didn't use it.

After rushing for 894 yards in '99, 2000 was a total bust for Ned. Injuries limited him to six games and 357 yards, and he considered quitting football altogether in frustration. But in March, he canceled his cable, disconnected his phone and rededicated himself to football. When this summer rolled around, Larry Ned, Jr. was in the best shape of his life.

Now, a few days before his last college game, Ned leads the nation with 1,340 yards despite being the only offensive option on a 2-8 team. In October, playing on a badly sprained ankle, Ned shredded BYU for 239 yards in a 59-21 loss. His 4.5 speed and between-the-tackles running (5.1 ypc) have NFL scouts re-evaluating a 5'11", 215-pound RB they'd crossed off their lists after last year.

"When he's healthy, he gives you everything you want in a running back," outgoing Aztecs coach Ted Tollner says. "He's a complete football player."

His life seems complete, too. He especially appreciates those moments he still has with his dad. When he cruises campus these days, Junior pops in an Al Green or Marvin Gaye CD, his father's favorites, turns to the empty passenger seat, and says "Let's roll."

E-mail Ryan Hockensmith at ryan.x.hockensmith-nd@espnmag.com.