SEC RBs

[RunInRed 16,992]

Seriously, what's with the obsession with UAT RBs? Seriously, no respect for a rushing attack that led the conference last year and has key players returning, not too mention, almost the entire OL ...

http://espn.go.com/b...running-backs-6

http://espn.go.com/b...running-backs-4

[AUenginerd 16]

I don't care what their attempt at a popularity contest says, and neither do our boys on the Plains! WDE.

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

UA has a great group of running backs. Yeldon is consistently productive and Henry and Drake have each shown flashes of being special. I would agree they return the top back field in the SEC, except maybe UGA. I feel our back field, based on returning produciton, would rank somewhere in the 4-6 range, but by the end of the year could be much higher once we get a look at Roc and Barber. CAP and Grant are both very good backs and Grant fits his role in the offense perfectly.

Where would you rank our unit?

[McLoofus 35,182]

I would put us 1 spot higher. A&M? Huh? The other thing I take issue with is this:

What Tre Mason did last year was nothing short of impressive

Whoa, bro, don't get too crazy with the superlatives.

As for UAT, I probably wouldn't take issue with the ranking if I weren't an Auburn (or UGA) fan. There's not a ton of separation at the top.

I'm just looking forward- as usual- to the end of season lists.

[aujeff11 6,243]

I am little worried about Henry. I've seen him in person and the dude is huge. The other two are good but untrustworthy in my opinion. Too many fumbles and too many failed conversions in big spots

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Well, it depends on what we're ranking. Are we ranking Auburn RBs based on projected production this year? If so, I'd rank them first or second. Are we ranking pro draft potential? If so, I'd have them lower but still in the upper-half of the SEC. Are we ranking them based on past production? If so, they're in the middle.

Keep this in mind, Auburn's per game run production last year was almost double UGA's per game number. You read that correctly. Almost double. We ran for 1200 more yards than the second place team in the SEC. By the end of the season, an Auburn RB is going to be in the top three in rushing, even if Yeldon and Gurley and Davis stay 100% healthy all season. As a group, Auburn's RBs will finish no worse than second in rush yardage. So again, it depends on what we're ranking.

[bikeriderga 134]

Bammer does have a good stable of RBs. But I would put ours up against theirs and believe CAP or Grant will lead the league in YPG and overall yardage by year's end.

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Well, it depends on what we're ranking. Are we ranking Auburn RBs based on projected production this year? If so, I'd rank them first or second. Are we ranking pro draft potential? If so, I'd have them lower but still in the upper-half of the SEC. Are we ranking them based on past production? If so, they're in the middle.

Keep this in mind, Auburn's per game run production last year was almost double UGA's per game number. You read that correctly. Almost double. We ran for 1200 more yards than the second place team in the SEC. By the end of the season, an Auburn RB is going to be in the top three in rushing, even if Yeldon and Gurley and Davis stay 100% healthy all season. As a group, Auburn's RBs will finish no worse than second in rush yardage. So again, it depends on what we're ranking.

I think they are ranking the talent of the individual running backs, and the combined talent of the running back group. If this was a ranking of the overal running game of each team, we would be much higher, and there would be a discussion of the offensive line units.

[WarEagle84 0]

Aschoff is basing his rankings off of last year's numbers. All of the teams/players rated ahead of Auburn and CAP have more returning production than we do. There are a lot of really good RBs in the conference, so I don't have a huge problem with the rankings. The only thing I would add is that there is very little separation in the top half of the league.

[WarTiger 3,987]

The guy that wrote that must be smoking some serious stuff. uat's best in the nation?? Are you kidding me? Drake is the only dependable one they have and I doubt he would even be in the rotation at Auburn. Yeldon fumbles way too much (which is the way I like it). They aren't even the best running back group in the STATE much less the entire country. That list is a joke. Auburn being 6th after how well we ran the ball last year and with what returns is just extremely short sighted. Either this guy slept through 2013 and did no research for 2014, or he's just clueless.

[autigeremt 6,970]

They love Henry so much that it blurs their mind.

[RunInRed 16,992]

Aschoff is basing his rankings off of last year's numbers. All of the teams/players rated ahead of Auburn and CAP have more returning production than we do. There are a lot of really good RBs in the conference, so I don't have a huge problem with the rankings. The only thing I would add is that there is very little separation in the top half of the league.

UAT's Derrick Henry (382yds) didn't out-perform CAP (610yds) or Corey Grant (647yds) for that matter, last year. I really don't get the fascination with him.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,340]

IMHO Henry looked like TRich 2.0 in the sugar bowl last year. But we'll see what happens during an entire season of carries and a young OL, new QB, New OC...

[WarEagle84 0]

Aschoff is basing his rankings off of last year's numbers. All of the teams/players rated ahead of Auburn and CAP have more returning production than we do. There are a lot of really good RBs in the conference, so I don't have a huge problem with the rankings. The only thing I would add is that there is very little separation in the top half of the league.

UAT's Derrick Henry (382yds) didn't out-perform CAP (610yds) or Corey Grant (647yds) for that matter, last year. I really don't get the fascination with him.

Two words: Sugar Bowl.

[AUcivE09 582]

The Sugar Bowl is fresh on everyones mind. It was impressive for a single game, even if it was against OK. Could very well be the best back, but lets see him go for more than 1 good game. Even I give him the benefit - not like he is on a bad team. Yeldon is one of very few returning starters with major workload experience. Hands down we would be number one if Mason was back, but he isn't and we have to see what Roc and Barber can do.

I would have us, Preseason, based on last years stats, 4th. UGA, UA, USCe in that order.

[Shift 350]

I understand what everyone is saying and don't disagree but Henry looks to be the real deal. I can see him in the hunt for Heisman at some time during his career at Alabama.

I hope I am wrong.

[AUbritt 611]

Two letters: OL.

We lead the league in rushing again, IMO.

[chimesAU 89]

I would put us 1 spot higher. A&M? Huh? The other thing I take issue with is this:

What Tre Mason did last year was nothing short of impressive

Whoa, bro, don't get too crazy with the superlatives.

As for UAT, I probably wouldn't take issue with the ranking if I weren't an Auburn (or UGA) fan. There's not a ton of separation at the top.

I'm just looking forward- as usual- to the end of season lists.

Haha I thought the same thing. "What Mason accomplished last year was good...I guess"

If I'm being completely honest, I think that list was pretty close to being right. I think we're solidly in the 4-6 range as far as pure talent between CAP and Grant. I think Barber and Thomas are more talented but I'm not sure how many carries they'll get this year. bammer has, by far, the most talented backfield with UGA coming in 2nd. I think LSU and Ark are interchangeable at 3rd and we fall somewhere below that. By 2015, I think we'll be near bammer and UGA.

[Rednilla 5,406]

Okay, first off, I'm getting tired of Alabama constantly having a backup running back who is more talented than the starter, because we've been hearing that since Mark Ingram was misguidedly awarded the Heisman, and I just don't buy it. Do they have talented backs? Absolutely. Does this Henry kid look to be the real deal? Sure he does.

It's just that Auburn is Running Back U. Period. No ifs, no ands, no buts. Jonathan Ford would likely be a starter at half the schools in the SEC (even in a year as stacked with runners as this one appears to be), and he's playing defense at AU due to a combination of need on that side of the ball and depth at his natural position. CAP and Grant have already proven that they can carry the load if needs be, considering they combined for more than 1,200 yards last year, but mark my words: Peyton Barber and Roc Thomas are going to be calling to mind images of Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams very, very soon.

So where would I rank Auburn? Honestly, right now, I would say that we should be somewhere between 2 and 4. The lack of a proven bell cow is the only thing that keeps us from taking that top spot, but I put the overall talent at equal to or greater than that of anyone in the country, and the fact that the line is what it is provides a pretty solid indication that the running game will continue to produce spectacular numbers (even though I don't expect that we'll be running quite as much this year as last).

[aujeff11 6,243]

The guy that wrote that must be smoking some serious stuff. uat's best in the nation?? Are you kidding me? Drake is the only dependable one they have and I doubt he would even be in the rotation at Auburn. Yeldon fumbles way too much (which is the way I like it). They aren't even the best running back group in the STATE much less the entire country. That list is a joke. Auburn being 6th after how well we ran the ball last year and with what returns is just extremely short sighted. Either this guy slept through 2013 and did no research for 2014, or he's just clueless.

Drake fumbled 4 times in 92 carries while Yeldon fumbled 5 times in 207 carries. So, Drake rushed less than half as many times as Yeldon, but only had 1 less fumble.

Dependable= Tre mason only fumbling four times on 312 carries ( One of them wasn't a fumble IMO )

[JamesG 0]

I don't really have a big problem with Bama and UGA being 1 and 2. But there is no reason we should be behind Arky and A&M and USC. That's just stupid.

[JFDTiger80 791]

Two letters: OL.

We lead the league in rushing again, IMO.

I agree with this. Don't forget Marshall as he is the key to our running game.

[AU64 10,122]

Interesting arguments but keep in mind..it was just one guy's opinion and it was mostly just supposition and opinion....and means nothing on the playing field..

[tigerwings 75]

What is scary is that as good and comfortable as we are with 2014. If we do sign Robinson and Johnson, 2015 is going to be absolutely filthy with Barber, Roc, Robinson, and Johnson. We could run a wildcat with all 4 in the backfield and 7 lineman on the line. It would be an enormous shell game a wishbone plus 1. I would love to see that play.

[AUbritt 611]

Two letters: OL.

We lead the league in rushing again, IMO.

I agree with this. Don't forget Marshall as he is the key to our running game.

Agreed on Marshall. I also think our improved receiving corps and passing will help our running game.