Run to Glory

[StatTiger 3,188]

Run to Glory

There is nothing more electrifying in college football than a running back going the distance for a score. No matter if it’s from the wishbone offense or the west-coast offense, just watching a back explode into the secondary racing to the end zone is spectacular. There have been so many great running backs over the past four decades and a handful of spectacular individuals. The special ones make you hold your breath on every carry because you never know when the big play is coming.

Growing up, I remember watching Tony Dorsett and Earl Campbell running out of their tear-away jerseys to score a long touchdown run. Every time Bo Jackson or Brent Fullwood carried the ball, you could not help but anticipate a long run. No matter what era, running backs are the focal point of most offenses and the center of attention amongst most defenses. Most coaches will tell you, the key to success is running the ball and stopping the opponent from running the ball.

Pat Dye once said that Bo Jackson gave Auburn the chance to beat anyone in the country. The same can be said about Herschel Walker, Billy Sims or Marcus Allen. Since 1970, there have been over 100 running backs to eclipse the 1500-yard mark in Division 1 football. Selecting the best college running back of all time would be nearly impossible, so I’ve elected to pick the best season ever. Each back will be rated on his average yards per game, average yards per carry and average number of carries per touchdown. I will select a top ten list from each decade since 1970.

1970-1979…

1978 Billy Sims-Oklahoma…………… 1762yds-231-20tds / 11 gms / 3.33

1971 Greg Pruitt-Oklahoma…………... 1665yds-178-17tds / 11 gms / 5.00

1977 Earl Campbell-Texas…………… 1744yds-267-18tds / 11 gms / 6.00

1979 Charles White-USC ……………. 1803yds-293-18tds / 10 gms / 6.33

1976 Tony Dorsett-Pittsburgh………… 1948yds-338-21tds / 11 gms / 7.33

1971 Lydell Mitchell-Penn State……… 1567yds-254-26tds / 11 gms / 8.33

1979 Billy Sims-Oklahoma…………… 1506yds-224-22tds / 11 gms / 9.67

1974 Archie Griffin-Ohio State ……….1620yds-236-12tds / 11 gms / 9.67

1971 Robert Newhouse-Houston……... 1757yds-277-12tds / 11 gms / 9.67

1973 Mark Keller-Northen Ill……...…. 1719yds-291-16tds / 11 gms / 10.33

Of the top ten listed above, five of the running backs brought home the Heisman Trophy. Billy Sims led the pack with a #2 rating in yards per carry (7.63), 4th in yards per game (160.2) and 4th in number of carries per touchdown (11.5) for an overall rating of 3.33.

1980-1989…

1988 Barry Sanders-Oklahoma State………. 2628yds-344-37tds / 11 gms / 1.33

1983 Mike Rozier-Nebraska……………….. 2148yds-275-29tds / 12 gms / 2.00

1982 Eric Dickerson-SMU…………………. 1617yds-232-17tds / 11 gms / 8.67

1985 Bo Jackson-Auburn…………………… 1786yds-278-17tds / 11 gms / 9.33

1981 Marcus Allen-USC…………………… 2342yds-403-22tds / 11 gms / 9.33

1984 Kenneth Davis-TCU…………………. 1611yds-211-15tds / 11 gms / 10.00

1987 Thurman Thomas-Oklahoma State…… 1613yds-250-18tds / 11 gms / 10.33

1980 George Rogers-S.Carolina……………. 1781yds-297-14tds / 11 gms / 13.00

1984 Keith Byars-Ohio State………………. 1655yds-313-22tds / 11 gms / 13.33

1989 Anthony Thompson-Indiana…………. 1793yds-358-24tds / 11 gms / 13.33

Five of the top ten backs from the 80’s won the Heisman Trophy. Barry Sanders dominated the group with a #2 ranking in yards per carry (7.64), 1st in yards per game (238.9) and 1st in number of carries per touchdown (9.3) for an overall ranking of 1.33. Bo Jackson finished at #5 from the top backs of the 80’s with an overall ranking of 9.33, which tied him with Marcus Allen’s Heisman campaign in 1981. Surprisingly, Herschel Walker did not make the top ten from the 1980’s. His 1980 performance was 12th on the list, his 1982 season was #16 and his 1981 campaign was 19th. Remember this is a comparison strictly based on numbers and Walker’s numbers were simply not as good as the top ten list provided.

1990-1999…

1994 Rashaan Salaam-Colorado…………… 2055yds-298-24tds / 11 gms / 5.33

1997 Ricky Williams-Texas……………….. 1893yds-279-25tds / 11 gms / 5.67

1991 Marshall Faulk-SD State…………….. 1429yds-201-21tds / 9 gms / 6.33

1999 LaDainian Tomlinson-TCU…………. 1850yds-268-18tds / 11 gms / 9.67

1994 Brian Pruitt-Central Michigan………. 1890yds-292-20tds / 11gms / 11.00

1997 Ahman Green-Nebraska…………….. 1877yds-278-22tds / 12 gms / 11.33

1998 Ricky Williams-Texas………………. 2124yds-361-27tds / 11 gms / 12.00

1999 Ron Dayne-Wisconsin………………. 1834yds-303-19tds / 11 gms / 14.67

1994 K-Jana Carter-Penn State……………. 1539yds-198-23tds / 11 gms / 15.00

1993 Byron Morris-Texas Tech…………… 1752yds-298-22tds / 11 gms / 16.67

Three of the top ten runners from the 90’s won the Heisman Trophy. Rashaan Salaam finished with an overall raking of 5.33 with a #5 rating in yards per carry (6.90), #4 in yards per game (186.8) and #7 in number of carries per touchdown (12.4). Ki-Jana Carter was #1 in yards per carry (7.77), #1 in number of carries per touchdown (8.6) but finished at #43 in yards per game (139.9).

2000-2005…

2000 Damien Anderson-North Western…….. 1914yds-293-22tds / 11 gms / 4.33

2002 Larry Johnson-Penn State…………….. 2087yds-271-20tds / 13 gms / 5.33

2005 Garrett Wolfe-Northern Ill…………… 1580yds-242-16tds / 9 gms / 6.00

2004 Jamario Thomas-North Texas……….. 1801yds-285-17tds / 10 gms / 8.33

2004 DeAngelo Williams-Memphis………. 1948yds-313-22tds / 12 gms / 8.67

2005 Reggie Bush-USC…………………… 1740yds-200-16tds / 13 gms / 9.00

2005 DeAngelo Williams-Memphis……… 1964yds-310-18tds / 9.33

2004 Garrett Wolfe-Northern Ill………….. 1656yds-256-18tds / 11 gms / 10.33

2000 LaDainian Tomlinson-TCU…………. 2158yds-369-22tds / 11 gms / 11.00

2002 Willis McGahee-Miami……………… 1753yds-282-28tds / 13 gms / 11.67

2004 JJ Arington-California……………….. 2018yds-289-15tds / 12 gms / 11.67

Willis McGahee and JJ Arington were tied for 10th place, while Damien Anderson from North Western led all the super backs from the current decade. Anderson was 5th in yards per carry (6.53), #5 in yards per game (174.0) and #3 in number of carries per touchdown (13.3) for an overall ranking of 4.33. Reggie Bush was the only Heisman winner from the top eleven.

Final Rankings…

Taking the top five backs from each decade, I compiled an elite group of twenty backs. I sorted their averages to select the top five rushing performances over the past four decades.

1988 Barry Sanders-Oklahoma State 2628yds-344-37tds / 11 gms / 2.00

1983 Mike Rozier-Nebraska 2148yds-275-29tds / 12 gms / 3.33

1994 Rashaan Salaam-Colorado 2055yds-298-24tds / 11 gms / 6.33

1971 Greg Pruitt-Oklahoma 1665yds-178-17tds / 11 gms / 8.00

1997 Ricky Williams-Texas 1893yds-279-25tds / 11 gms / 8.33

Barry Sanders dominated on paper just as he did on the field in 1988. He was #4 in yards per carry, #1 in yards per game and #1 in number of carries per touchdown. Greg Pruitt had an astounding 9.35 yards per carry, which carried him to #4 on the list of 130 running backs involved in the rankings. Bo Jackson finished at #20 on the list with his totals from the 1985 season.

Averages by decade…

Here are the averages of the 130 running backs selected for this poll. The data is sorted by decade.

1970-1979: 151.6 yards per game / 6.00 average per carry / 17.5 avg. carry per TD

1980-1989: 157.5 yards per game / 5.67 average per carry / 18.4 avg. carry per TD

1990-1999: 155.7 yards per game / 5.83 average per carry / 17.2 avg. carry per TD

2000-2005: 149.0 yards per game / 5.91 average per carry / 17.2 avg. carry per TD

Looking at the numbers, I don’t believe many would deny Barry Sanders having the best season of any college running back. His 1988 season is the most prolific in the history of the game. Of course, one season doesn’t make him the best of all time but it certainly is something to consider. On a side note, the Heisman trophy was awarded to eleven consecutive running backs from 1973-1983. Over the past six years, Reggie Bush is the only running back to win the Heisman, which was awarded to a quarterback from 2000 through 2004. Herschel Walker (994 carries), Marshall Faulk (766), Ricky Williams (946), Tony Dorsett (854) and Travis Prentice (1015) are the only running backs in the history of NCAA football, to compile three seasons of over 1500-yards rushing. There is a lot to be said about their durability.

War Eagle!

[jumbo 0]

all I can say is wow you can always amaze me

[swensks 0]

I think you should change your name to StatDiety. That was very thorough...and AUsome.