Rutgers Football 2009: Running Backs

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

In the 2008 season, Rutgers had four running backs who rushed for a combined 1664 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Besides Mason Robinson—who was moved to wide receiver—the other three running backs return, each eager to win the starting role all to himself.

Redshirt sophomores Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek are the leading candidates for the starting running back role.

For a while, Jourdan Brooks was the ESPN favorite—famous for getting an entire piece of his dreadlocks pulled out by Louisville's Travis Norton, who tackled Brooks by his hair.  Brooks was prevented from having a 90 plus-yard touchdown run.

It took Ray Rice three seasons to get a 90-yard touchdown run.  

Brooks shouldn't be famous for just being pulled for losing his hair.  A bruising back with surprising speed, the 6'1", 230-pound Brooks is a bigger, faster, and more powerful version of Ray Rice.

As a freshman, Brooks led the Knights in touchdowns last season with six.  He had 100 carries for 516 yards and averaged roughly 5.2 yards per carry.

Brooks is almost a guaranteed first down if you use him on third and short situations.  He also has surprising speed that people don't usually mention.  Although he is not as fast as his fellow running backs Joe Martinek and Kordell Young, he has enough speed to break long runs.

This wasn't only evident in the almost 90-yard touchdown run when Brooks was pulled down by his hair.  One time during training camp, while practicing against the first-team offense, Brooks took a handoff from Mike Teel, lost a shoe, and still ran for a 60-yard touchdown with only one shoe on.

He could be used in the exact same way Ray Rice was and could definitely be called upon to get 25 carries a game if needed.  Based on his YPC average, if he received 30 carries a game like Ray Rice did, he would be an 1800 plus-yard rusher.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?