SEC NOW, Rushing Attack Rankings

[AU-24 3,107]

Ok, so I just read a 247 article about the McElroy segment. They said McElroy ranked Auburn with having the best rushing scheme. The team ranking in the OP was just his ranking of the RBs on each team. He goes on to say that the running backs and offensive line Auburn will have this season should be "equally as productive as last year". That is a little different perspective than presented in the OP.

If that's the case, although it is definitely different from the view represented by the OP, I stand by my initial reaction:

Rank us 5th or 6th best in the country. Rank our rushing attack (McIlroy) and o-line outside the top 5 (Stinchcombe). Talk about how you don't think we can get through our tough schedule unscathed (Herby is the latest, though everyone thinks this). Fuel that fire that's already burning to get back to the big game and be 13 seconds better this year!

Yep, talking heads filling air time without doing their research. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh. The worst one though was that OL ranking you refer to. In total OL starts, bama is 13th in the SEC yet that guy has them as his (key word here) #1 SEC OL. I had to chuckle on that one.

As a reference, Auburn was tied with South Car @ #1 for most starts with 113 until Kozan went out. After losing Kozan, Auburn dropped "all the way down to #2" with 99 total OL starts.

So even without Kozan, AU is still #2 in most O-line starts. Then factor in coach Russell's off season workouts, Grimes and Gus coaching... Gonna kick some be-hind, out of some d-line, this season!!

[McLoofus 35,182]

This is what we lost:

-A generational LT

-A true workhorse RB

-A devastating FB

-A really, really good OG

Heroes, every one of them, without a doubt. And that's all the "on paper", top level analysis that the McElroys of the world are going to provide tells us. But this is what Auburn fans know:

-That generational LT is being replaced by another 5* who is enough of a bad ass to beat cancer.

-That true workhorse RB didn't win the job outright over the guys we have returning until the 4th game of the season, and there is now quality depth behind them as good as any in the SEC.

-That FB's blocking won't be replaced, but his virtually non-existent threat to touch the ball will be far exceeded by his replacement(s).

-That really, really good OG has lots of really, really good OL behind him. Like, LOTS.

We led the SEC in rushing by 90+ yards a game last year. We averaged 125+ more a game than bama. Even if we run for 50 less a game than last year, that's still a Kenyan Drake a game better than the next best. I'm not mad at the media or rival fans now, but I will be next season if they keep it up (and, of course, if we keep it up).

[NoALtiger 3,867]

With the general thought that our passing game will be opened up a good bit more than last year, I'm gonna say that we won't lead the league in rushing yards nor total passing yards. I will say that due to the balance we achieve combined with our scheme/talent level, we'll lead the league in yardage and be considered the best O in the SEC.

[JFDTiger80 790]

I know this thread is about RB's, but our QB is a much better running threat than other QB in all of college football. Advantage AU. He will average between 70 and 100 yds rushing a game. No other team will compete with this and this drives defenses to fits.

[yeaauburn 21]

Bell slammed him to the ground in the 2010 Iron Bowl harder than I thought...little lapse in memory going on wouldn't you say?

[cole256 17,084]

Smh, some of you cry about NOTHING. Every team they named has an nfl back starting for them....we are more biased than anything. You have to get on the field and prove how good you are. You're not going to come in and rank a back up over guys that have carried their teams and put up thousand yard years. Lsu usually has an excellent running game and they signed the number 1 recruit who has made noise over the summer and they have a couple of back ups that looked pretty good.....Do you see them on the list? Does everybody hate them? Man what happened to earning what you get?

[douggwilliams 61]

We had the no 1 rushing attack in the nation last year and only lost 2 players. Their analysis is wrong.

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

Silly rating. Makes no sense.

[WarTiger 3,910]

Smh, some of you cry about NOTHING. Every team they named has an (potential not guaranteed) nfl back starting for them....we are more biased than anything. You have to get on the field and prove how good you are. You're not going to come in and rank a back up over guys that have carried their teams and put up thousand yard years. Lsu usually has an excellent running game and they signed the number 1 recruit who has made noise over the summer and they have a couple of back ups that looked pretty good.....Do you see them on the list? Does everybody hate them? Man what happened to earning what you get?

Gurley is about the only one out of that list that has nfl potential. The rest, not so much..

When did Nick Marshall become a backup?? I could have sworn he started every game last year but one and ran for over 1,000 yards.

[gman87 398]

Niles Davis and the Collins kid have NFL potential IMO.

[bigman334 56]

Niles Davis and the Collins kid have NFL potential IMO.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Collins, Gurley, Yeldon, Henry, and Davis all have NFL potential...

[NoALtiger 3,867]

We had the no 1 rushing attack in the nation last year and only lost 2 players. Their analysis is wrong.

Robinson, Kozan, Prosch, and Tre. Those are 4 really big cogs gone from the rushing attack. Whether anyone's analysis is right or wrong is yet to be proven.

[hunter021003 0]

At first it irritated me with the disrespect, then I thought it was good. We know what we have, I like the media giving our team more motivation to work harder to prove them wrong.

These young men are already very motivated for coming up short last year, the media is just feeding that fire

[juscAUse 1]

I don't worry to much about what anybody says before a game is played. We lost two key O-Linemen we lost our top back. Most of the teams rated ahead of us also have at least 3 or more returning starters in O-Line and proven backs. Also a lot of them have new QB which means they will rely more on the run.

We have a returning QB and most of our fan base expects us to throw more this year and run less. So based on all those facts I can see why they are rated higher before the first game is played.

Personally I do think we will pass more but I expect that to lead to fewer runs but more long runs as defenses will be off-balance. I think we have great players in the O-Line to replace the lost players and I think our backs are every bit as good as the backs who are more proven.

I understand the reason for the predictions and can't really argue with them, but I think once the season starts we will prove them wrong.

I said this when Bo was at AU. He could have had the same or more yards with a third less carries IF we throw the ball down the field a few times. Don't be surprised. If we can hit some big plays down the field and make some short third down passes, AU can have more passing and rushing yards. Every defense gives up something.

[caleb1633 1,418]

If the prediction is based on the quality of the backfield, ok. If it's based on who will have the most lethal rushing attack I would say this is probably one of the most illogical predictions I've heard of. I know Stat has talked to this before, but the rushing numbers that Malzahn's offenses have averaged in the SEC in comparison to other teams makes predicting Auburn to lead the league in rushing a very safe bet.

[AUmind 0]

Preseason predictions are for chumps!!!

[cole256 17,084]

Smh, some of you cry about NOTHING. Every team they named has an (potential not guaranteed) nfl back starting for them....we are more biased than anything. You have to get on the field and prove how good you are. You're not going to come in and rank a back up over guys that have carried their teams and put up thousand yard years. Lsu usually has an excellent running game and they signed the number 1 recruit who has made noise over the summer and they have a couple of back ups that looked pretty good.....Do you see them on the list? Does everybody hate them? Man what happened to earning what you get?

Gurley is about the only one out of that list that has nfl potential. The rest, not so much..

When did Nick Marshall become a backup?? I could have sworn he started every game last year but one and ran for over 1,000 yards.

That's not true. Yeldon, Davis, Collins all have nfl potential. High draft potential at that. Henry and that back up for Collins do as well. All of them are higher on the nfl radar before this season begins than CAP. They all have proven themselves already for at least one season. After CAP does his thing and prove himself he'll be held in higher regard

[C'viewTiger 242]

Smh, some of you cry about NOTHING. Every team they named has an (potential not guaranteed) nfl back starting for them....we are more biased than anything. You have to get on the field and prove how good you are. You're not going to come in and rank a back up over guys that have carried their teams and put up thousand yard years. Lsu usually has an excellent running game and they signed the number 1 recruit who has made noise over the summer and they have a couple of back ups that looked pretty good.....Do you see them on the list? Does everybody hate them? Man what happened to earning what you get?

Gurley is about the only one out of that list that has nfl potential. The rest, not so much..

When did Nick Marshall become a backup?? I could have sworn he started every game last year but one and ran for over 1,000 yards.

If you would have highlighted 2 more words you would have noticed cole said "back". While NM did in fact start and indeed rushed for 1000+ he was not a back.

This entire thread is based off of opinions that are pretty much based off of preseason hype coupled with speculation. CGM doesn't give out much info, we aren't going to get much love until the nation either sees us light it up or flop.

[JFDTiger80 790]

If the prediction is based on the quality of the backfield, ok. If it's based on who will have the most lethal rushing attack I would say this is probably one of the most illogical predictions I've heard of. I know Stat has talked to this before, but the rushing numbers that Malzahn's offenses have averaged in the SEC in comparison to other teams makes predicting Auburn to lead the league in rushing a very safe bet.

This guy gets it.

[madkat7 233]

Honestly I think Greg McElroy is the best analyst on the sec network. Tebow is awful, and so is that LSU lineman.

Tim Tebow just doesn't have what it takes for TV. Maybe some experience & exposure will help him but he is not good and neither is the LSU guy.

IMHO the staff on the SEC network are lackluster at best. Tebow is clueless and comes off childlike. The LSU guy is just there to chuckle a lot. That one woman who's name escapes me that wore the green dress the other day fumbles with words and has the biggest man-hands I've ever seen.

.....and then there's Greggy boy. I would have never thought it possible for anyone to annoy as much as Holtz but by god it has happened in grand fashion. He absolutely oozes condescension. That smile that says "you are so lucky I am on your tv" and the way he treats people is so off putting. This is before we acknowledge he's a Bama alum. So irritating.

SECN needs some professional, relatively unbiased talent.

....end rant