Running Back U

[quietfan 233]

Running Back University indeed!

http://www.al.com/sp...he_numbers.html

16 Auburn players have been the SEC's rushing leader with RB Cameron Artis-Payne joining the list in 2014, when he ran for 1,608 yards on 303 carries. Auburn has produced twice as many SEC rushing leaders as any other team. LSU is second with its players topping the SEC in rushing eight times, and one of them, Kevin Faulk, did it twice. Auburn has 16 rushing champions without a repeater. The Tigers' other SEC-leading rushers have been Joe Childress in 1954, Fob James in 1955, Tommy Lorino in 1956, Jimmy Sidle in 1963, Terry Henley in 1972, Joe Cribbs in 1978, James Brooks in 1979, Bo Jackson in 1985, Brent Fullwood in 1986, James Bostic in 1993, Stephen Davis in 1994, Rudi Johnson in 2000, Kenny Irons in 2005, Cam Newton in 2010 and Tre Mason in 2013. Artis-Payne also extended Auburn's streak of seasons with at least one 1,000-yard rusher to an SEC-record six in 2014. In 2009, Ben Tate ran for more than 1,000 yards for Auburn. In 2010, Newton and Mike Dyer did, and Dyer did it again in 2011. Mason reached 1,000 yards on the ground for Auburn in 2012 and 2013, and QB Nick Marshall also had 1,000 rushing yards in 2013

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[msza 228]

Interesting. It appears that our stats back up the title of Running Back U, although we seem to have lost that perception nationally and even regionally.

I think some of that perception shift is just because Gus is such a dynamic play caller that our character is more defined by his play calling than by any specific position. Plus our biggest stars haven't been RBs as often in the past 5 years. Cam and Nick were the stars of 2010, overshadowing Dyer, and Marshall overshadowed Mason and CAP in the press for most of the past two years (Tre was criminally underrated until the Iron Bowl if not the SECCG).

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Mason was the runner-up for the Heisman. I don't think he was overshadowed by anyone on that team.

[msza 228]

No one even mentioned him in the Heisman conversation until late November. As I said, he was unsung in the press for the majority of the year.

[hikerdns 52]

Mason was the runner-up for the Heisman. I don't think he was overshadowed by anyone on that team.

Technically I believe he was 6th in the voting:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2013.html

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Sorry. He was a finalist. My point stands. He was the offensive star of the team.

[msza 228]

If Tre hadn't had a huge game against Mizz, he would not have been invited to the Heisman ceremony. That's how late everyone caught onto him.

We (AU fans) all knew Tre was great all season, but calling someone a star means you are factoring in performance + recognition. Mason was relatively obscure in the "national landscape" until the very end of the season when his greatness could no longer be overlooked. Marshall was the star for most of the year.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Sorry. He was a finalist. My point stands. He was the offensive star of the team.

Nick Marshall commanded a lot of attention from the media as well. If anything, they were co-stars. Before the Alabama/Missouri games, Tre wasn't even considered for the Heisman. Nick and Tre fed off each others strengths, so I don't think it is fair to say just one was the offensive star.

[Tiger 8,817]

Thats pretty awesome. I'm sure that blurb is sent out to every RB prospect the staff has their eyes on.

[lca408 366]

If Tre hadn't had a huge game against Mizz, he would not have been invited to the Heisman ceremony. That's how late everyone caught onto him.

We (AU fans) all knew Tre was great all season, but calling someone a star means you are factoring in performance + recognition. Mason was relatively obscure in the "national landscape" until the very end of the season when his greatness could no longer be overlooked. Marshall was the star for most of the year.

Tre didn't really start getting the big numbers until the second half of the season. I think the A&M game was the first in a series of strong performances to close out the year - he didn't pass the 1,000 yard mark until the Tennessee game which was mid November. It really just took that long for Mason to cement himself as the starter with the sharing of carries prior to A&M being pretty dispersed. If he had been putting up better numbers earlier in the year, he would have been recognized alot earlier than championship week. Of course, that falls on the coaches not putting everything on him, but that's really more of a trait of the Malzahn offense to be liberal with the spread of carries to the backs until he's sure who is the best option.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

It's fine to say that Mason didn't get recognition until late in the season, but he was the face of that team nationally. He was the guy in New York. He was the early round draft pick. Tre Mason was the biggest star of that team. Offensively or defensively. He was overshadowed by two plays, but he was the face of the franchise.

[AU64 10,122]

It's fine to say that Mason didn't get recognition until late in the season, but he was the face of that team nationally. He was the guy in New York. He was the early round draft pick. Tre Mason was the biggest star of that team. Offensively or defensively. He was overshadowed by two plays, but he was the face of the franchise.

It's hard for a running back to steal the attention away from a pretty decent QB because the QB handles the ball about every play.

Tre did a great job carrying the team late in the season and could have gone down as one of the all time greats if his last TD against FSU had held up. That TD burst was an outstanding individual effort and IMO, got lost to history when AU's defense collapsed at the end of the game.

None the less....he's one of our best cases for AU being know as "running back U". JMO

[Tiger 8,817]

It's fine to say that Mason didn't get recognition until late in the season, but he was the face of that team nationally. He was the guy in New York. He was the early round draft pick. Tre Mason was the biggest star of that team. Offensively or defensively. He was overshadowed by two plays, but he was the face of the franchise.

It's hard for a running back to steal the attention away from a pretty decent QB because the QB handles the ball about every play.

Tre did a great job carrying the team late in the season and could have gone down as one of the all time greats if his last TD against FSU had held up. That TD burst was an outstanding individual effort and IMO, got lost to history when AU's defense collapsed at the end of the game.

None the less....he's one of our best cases for AU being know as "running back U". JMO

Yessir, that TD to end the game would've become legendary. The way he shrugged off the tacklers and then did the Heisman pose (terrible move in hindsight) would've lived on forever.

I still ache for the players on that team. What they had to go through the prior year under Chizik and to bounce back to the level that they did was remarkable. One of my favorite AU teams in my lifetime for sure.

[aujeff11 6,243]

It's fine to say that Mason didn't get recognition until late in the season, but he was the face of that team nationally. He was the guy in New York. He was the early round draft pick. Tre Mason was the biggest star of that team. Offensively or defensively. He was overshadowed by two plays, but he was the face of the franchise.

I can't agree that Tre was the "face of the franchise." There are some players out there on different teams that receive that title, in large part because their teammates were only average . For example, I don't know that any of us knew another offensive player on Wisconsins team besides Melvin Gordon. I still don't know the names of Wisconsin's qb, wr's, etc...

In Tre's case, he was an excellent running back with a quarterback and receivers that made A LOT of noise that year. Nick Marshall made several great plays, had great stats overall, rushing and passing and Sammie was second in the nation in yards per catch. Like I said earlier, I think Tre and Nick brought out the best of each other because both were playing at high levels and they fed off of it. Yeah, Tre made that incredible run against Florida State and Nick didnt have his best game, but did y'all forget that Nick converted a 4th and long only a couple plays before that???If anything I think Tre and Nick were co-stars in 2013, and their legends will live on in the future because of their accomplishments in 2013.

Oh and here is Gus Malzahn's take on Nick Marshall after leading Auburn past Alabama:

For his poise and ability to lead No. 3 Auburn (11-1, 7-1 SEC) to an SEC West division title and berth in the SEC Championship, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn feels Marshall deserves to be in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy.

"He should be in the mix, no doubt," Malzahn said. "He is one of the better players in college football. He is leading our team."

http://www.usatoday....trophy/3866327/

[mcgufcm 4,096]

I wish there was some way to know which player the rest of the country thought was better. Some national vote where players from all positions were eligible. Then we'd know who people thought was the key offensive player on that team. If only there was such a thing.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2013.html

[aujeff11 6,243]

I wish there was some way to know which player the rest of the country thought was better. Some national vote where players from all positions were eligible. Then we'd know who people thought was the key offensive player on that team. If only there was such a thing.

http://www.sports-re...isman-2013.html

The Auburn football team named Nick Marshall the offensive player of the year in 2013, so maybe you send your sarcasm that way.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/auburnauthority/2014/04/19/nick-marshall-robenson-therezie-headline-2013-team-awards/7907821/

[Tiger 8,817]

How a Heisman finalist can be overlooked, if you can call it that, for the offensive player of the year for his own team is pretty weird to me. So, the nation thought Tre was one of the best players in the entire country -- and by default best player on the team, but the team/staff thought NM was the best player on the team.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

So jeff, it would appear Tre was overlooked by his teammates, not the rest of the country. Send your complaints to them.

[aujeff11 6,243]

So jeff, it would appear Tre was overlooked by his teammates, not the rest of the country. Send your complaints to them.

The point I have been trying to make is that you can't legitimately say that Tre was the "face of our franchise" when it was the tandem of Nick Marshall and Tre that was talked about throughout the SEC and the nation. In 2012, you can legitimately say that Tre was the "face of our franchise" because he was literally the only one that did anything of significance that year. However, in 2013, Nick made Tre look good and Tre made Nick look good. They were co-stars. Leading up to the BCS national championship game, all I heard about was Nick Marshall and his zone read ability and how defenses would game plan for Marshall. Just because Tre had the stats that got him to New York, that doesn't make him the de facto face of the team.

FWIW I have no problems with the team voting Marshall the Offensive MVP in 2013. Malzahn has said before that we are a qb oriented team and when the qb plays well, we play well; when he plays bad, we play bad.

[LKEEL75 2,566]

To me being tops in the SEC is not what qualifies you as RB U. To me you need to be relevant nationally on a consistent basis. I know plenty of you are going to argue that AU would average 3,000 yards a year if we played in the Big 10 or whatever. But the truth is that if we want to recruit around the country then we have to compare to everyone not just the SEC. So I went on a search. Well, I pulled a 'Stats' and went looking for National Average rushing over the last few years. I found this really nifty website (www.cfbstats.com). I am pretty sure Stats is involved in this site some how. Anyway... So after some copy & paste I found that there are several top tier schools ranked above AU. But on a good note, AU is the top SEC school. Since this argument is RB U I did remove any other positions (NOTE: This slightly hurt AU as Newton was ranked very high 2010, but he was a QB on the roster so I did not include him). Now you can trim this down by removing the schools that only have less than X appearances, but here is the raw data: (Sorry about the formatting, but couldn't figure out how to paste from excel)

College,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,Grand Total

Buffalo,15,,,14,,13,10,13

Western Ky,,53,3,2,5,3,20,14.33333333

Ga South,,,,,,,15,15

Washington,,31,13,16,19,4,,16.6

App St,,,,,,,21,21

SMU,,33,14,7,34,,,22

SDSU,,,10,4,55,33,4,26.83333333

Oregon,44.5,8,1,28.5,4,47,44,27.77777778

Mich St,4,,30,83,3,27,22,28.16666667

Stanford,57,2,39,21,20,12,,29.71428571

Okla St,7,30,9,33,21,,79,29.83333333

Wisconsin,53.5,11,38.66666667,3,6,14,44,29.91666667

Utah,,49,,11,37,,23,30

U Conn,1,40,2,29,70,,,30.33333333

UCLA,,,27,75,9,,17,32

Fresno St,70.5,1,26,10,16,,34,32.57142857

Arizona,41,96,,,1,2,28,33.6

New Mexico,23,,,,12,16,59.5,34

Toledo,56,48,44,17,8,42,3,35.11111111

Nevada,8,29,7,72,2,67,72,35.75

Va Tech,36,5,95,8,,,,36

Boise St,87,50,22,23,46,19,9,36.57142857

FAU,53,12,59,24,,,,37

Auburn,93,22,56,20,53,7,16,38.14285714

CSU,13,72,,32,,10,33,38.66666667

N Texas,54,13,6,34,74,52,,38.83333333

Ohio State,6,88.5,34,,35,8,13,39

Pittsburgh,10,3,52,,64,87,6,39.14285714

W Mich,46,27,,,66,,18,39.25

NMSU,,54,,,,,25,39.5

Ball State,5,65,,88,22,28,30,39.66666667

Miss St,59,6,48,36,50,,39,39.66666667

California,49,63,21,22,,,37,40.16666667

Cincinnati,,80,29,27,29,,,41.25

UTEP,,4,,77,60,42,26,41.8

Nebraska,76,51,54,19,62,6,14,42

La Tech,38,28,20,47,64,39,38,42.25

Syracuse,26,43,24,43,43,79,,43

Minnesota,,,,,80,37,12,43

Memphis,33,7,,,,76,56,43

BYU,44,36,70,,,26,,44

Utah State,,20,86,49.5,13,46,,44

Oregon St,12,19,19,,69,,73.5,44.33333333

La-Monroe,61,29,,,,,,45

Kansas St,,21,8,63,76,57,,45

N Carolina,,96,,28,11,,,45

Temple,,14,76,40,25,,,45.16666667

Texas St,,,,,,60,31,45.5

Iowa,2,57,25,15,61,65,99,46.28571429

Kentucky,,58,35,,,,,46.5

LSU,37,,37,,90,14,55,46.6

Air Force,,60,54,45,27,66,29,46.83333333

Penn State,28,37,57,30,54,61.5,,47

Georgia,20,85,76,71,33,30,19,47.71428571

BC,65,17,23,89,,1,92,47.83333333

N'western,,,,,26,86,32,48

Baylor,60,,28,9,82,44.5,36,48.25

Arkansas,22,,16,94,,57,46,48.28571429

WVU,24,16,67,,,40,95,48.4

UAB,,,69,,48,59.5,7,48.6

Louisville,42,,11,,,97,,50

Alabama,25,10,70.5,5,51.5,61.5,73.5,50.36363636

Ohio,,,,52,10,80,60,50.5

Iowa State,72,25,55,,,,,50.66666667

Army,14,99,58,26,51.5,58,41,50.77777778

Troy,50,,,,52,,,51

Akron,16,,63,55,47,74,,51

Ga Tech,21,24,17,,,84,84.5,52.5

Texas A&M,,79,41,35,,,,53.8

Kent State,52,,,,34.5,95,,54

Houston,27,,64,91,39,,54,55

Tennessee,,23,53,,84,34,83,55.4

Vanderbilt,,76,,35,45,,67,55.75

Rutgers,,61,,61,58,44,,56

Marshall,35,15,,,97,76,47.5,56.28571429

Indiana,,71,,87,,61,2,56.4

BGSU,,,97,58,55,15,57,56.4

USM,17,45,82,,,,,56.5

Clemson,91,40,,37,56,59,,56.6

Tulsa,18,,,80,75,18,53,57

Missouri,58,73,,12,49,51,78.5,57.14285714

Colorado,66,64,12,57,87,,,57.2

S Carolina,,,31,,100,32,68,57.75

E Mich,,94,51,,59,29,,58.25

ODU,,,,,,,59,59

Wyoming,19,,81,,,55,70.5,59.2

UNLV,77,,,93,36,31,,59.25

Oklahoma,49.5,91,40,,78,68,8,59.375

N Illinois,,71,18,80,,48,70,59.66666667

Miami (Fl),71,93,80,18,66,,11,59.85714286

UCF,,42,90,,42,45,81,60

Rice,75,,62,68,,21,74,60

ECU,,26,85,,63,38,89,60.2

Purdue,32,55,,,97,,57,60.25

Ariz St,,75,83,53,,41,51,60.6

Maryland,31,,,62,,92,,61.66666667

Illinois,80,72,4,,,91,,61.75

Tulane,,44,45,70,,89,,62

Kansas,70,,77,95,52.5,36,,63.83333333

Miss,,,49,,83,,,66

C Mich,,,99,,15,85,,66.33333333

La-Lafytte,9,,,99,75,81,61.5,66.85714286

USC,90.5,46,68.5,48,73,94,24,67

Navy,53,69,78,54,94,,75,68

Ark St,64.5,81,,,57,99,42,68

FIU,,,87,40,79,,,68.66666667

Hawai'i,,,43,,,,96,69.5

S Florida,,,94,81,,62,48,71.25

SJSU,92,,,51,68,77,,72

Michigan,,100,,44,,,,72

Florida,95,,,67,44,,85,72.75

Texas,,,,64,,83,,73.5

Notre Dame,,68,,56,90,,84,74

Virginia,62,,74,85,,49,100,75.83333333

Texas Tech,91,70,91,,,,40,76.6

TCU,97,92,47,74.5,,,76,76.83333333

FSU,79,79,96,,,72,63,77.8

MTSU,85,66,65,,82,88,98,80.66666667

NC State,86,78,,79,86,82,80,81.83333333

Idaho,89,59,,98,,,,82

Wk Forest,,,84,90,,,,87

Miami (Oh),97,,82,,,,,89.5

[AU64 10,122]

So jeff, it would appear Tre was overlooked by his teammates, not the rest of the country. Send your complaints to them.

The point I have been trying to make is that you can't legitimately say that Tre was the "face of our franchise" when it was the tandem of Nick Marshall and Tre that was talked about throughout the SEC and the nation. In 2012, you can legitimately say that Tre was the "face of our franchise" because he was literally the only one that did anything of significance that year. However, in 2013, Nick made Tre look good and Tre made Nick look good. They were co-stars. Leading up to the BCS national championship game, all I heard about was Nick Marshall and his zone read ability and how defenses would game plan for Marshall. Just because Tre had the stats that got him to New York, that doesn't make him the de facto face of the team.

FWIW I have no problems with the team voting Marshall the Offensive MVP in 2013. Malzahn has said before that we are a qb oriented team and when the qb plays well, we play well; when he plays bad, we play bad.

Agree...the OP was running back U...but at almost any school the QB is going to get the lion's share of the attention, especially in an offense like Gus's. That takes nothing away from Tre's accomplishments...and IMO he did nothing to detract from Auburn's reputation as "running back U"

[AuburnSpider 2]

The Great Karnac says another Heisman Finalist has recently joined RBU

[msza 228]

Ya know, it's weird -- I still think of a few teams in the SEC as being more productive at running back than us: Bama, Arkansas, LSU. I think some of it comes down to the type of offense that is run. How many times have we seen Bama or LSU sit on a lead and grind out 3rd and 4th quarters on the ground? That burns the image of unstoppable run production into one's mind, whereas at Auburn Gus's offense is always dynamic enough that I dont really think about an RB carrying the load like at some other schools (even in 2013, when we ran like 80% of the time).

[Randman5000 4,223]

Ya know, it's weird -- I still think of a few teams in the SEC as being more productive at running back than us: Bama, Arkansas, LSU. I think some of it comes down to the type of offense that is run. How many times have we seen Bama or LSU sit on a lead and grind out 3rd and 4th quarters on the ground? That burns the image of unstoppable run production into one's mind, whereas at Auburn Gus's offense is always dynamic enough that I dont really think about an RB carrying the load like at some other schools (even in 2013, when we ran like 80% of the time).

What? You serious?

[douggwilliams 61]

Ya know, it's weird -- I still think of a few teams in the SEC as being more productive at running back than us: Bama, Arkansas, LSU. I think some of it comes down to the type of offense that is run. How many times have we seen Bama or LSU sit on a lead and grind out 3rd and 4th quarters on the ground? That burns the image of unstoppable run production into one's mind, whereas at Auburn Gus's offense is always dynamic enough that I dont really think about an RB carrying the load like at some other schools (even in 2013, when we ran like 80% of the time).

What? You serious?

yea, what? NVNC!