Big Ten Midseason Report (Part II): Running Backs
Halfway through the season, the Big Ten has backed up its claim of being a rushing conference. Although the power I-formation is nearing an end in the conference and the spread is starting to take over, the running backs have still rushed with success.
This series breaks down each position for the Big Ten teams. This article is Part II and will focus on the running backs in the conference. Part I covered the quarterbacks and Part III will cover the receivers.
Here are the Big Ten running backs, ranked by how they have performed so far. The rankings take into consideration rushing yards, yards per carry, rushing touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Only backs with 25 or more rushing attempts are listed.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 1. | No. 19 | Tyrell Sutton | Northwestern | Senior | 5'9" | 200 | Akron, OH |
Highlight
September 13, 2008
Tyrell Sutton rushed 17 times for 101 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-7 win over Southern Illinois. He also caught five passes for 16 yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 464 | 5.3 | 5 | 18 | 156 | 1 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 6 | 9 | T4 | 1 | 2 | T3 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 2. | No. 24 | Kory Sheets | Purdue | Senior | 6'0" | 206 | Manchester, CT |
Highlight
September 13, 2008
Kory Sheets rushed for 180 yards on 29 attempts with two touchdowns in a loss to Oregon. He also caught four passes for 17 yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 498 | 5.4 | 8 | 17 | 139 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 5 | 8 | T2 | 2 | T3 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 3. | No. 22 | Evan Royster | Penn State | Sophomore | 6'1" | 212 | Fairfax, VA |
Highlight
October 4, 2008
Evan Royster had 18 rushing attempts for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 20-6 win at Purdue. He also caught four balls for 53 yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 659 | 7.8 | 8 | 8 | 88 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 3 | 2 | T2 | T7 | 8 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 4. | No. 2 | Marcus Thigpen | Indiana | Junior | 5'9" | 199 | Detroit, MI |
Highlight
September 27, 2008
Marcus Thigpen rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries in a loss to Michigan State. He also caught two passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 279 | 7.5 | 4 | 8 | 210 | 2 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 12 | 3 | T8 | T7 | 1 | T1 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 5. | No. 23 | Javon Ringer | Michigan State | Senior | 5'9" | 202 | Dayton, OH |
Highlight
September 6, 2008
Javon Ringer rushed 34 times for 135 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-10 win against Eastern Michigan. He also had one reception for eight yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 988 | 4.7 | 12 | 7 | 60 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 1 | T13 | 1 | 9 | 9 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 6. | No. 23 | Shonn Greene | Iowa | Junior | 5'11" | 235 | Sicklerville, NJ |
Highlight
September 27, 2008
Shonn Greene had 21 attempts for 159 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Northwestern. He also caught one pass for five yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 822 | 6.4 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 2 | 6 | T4 | T10 | 15 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 7. | No. 22 | Daniel Dufrene | Illinois | Junior | 5'11" | 201 | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Highlight
September 13, 2008
Daniel Dufrene rushed 19 times for 126 yards in a 20-17 win against Louisiana-Lafayette. He also caught three passes for 24 yards and a touchdown.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 442 | 6.0 | 0 | 13 | 139 | 2 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 7 | 7 | 22 | 4 | T3 | T1 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 8. | No. 23 | DeLeon Eskridge | Minnesota | Freshman | 5'11" | 190 | San Francisco, CA |
Highlight
September 20, 2008
DeLeon Eskridge rushed for 78 yards on 19 attempts with two touchdowns in a blowout win over Florida Atlantic. He also caught six passes for 61yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 354 | 3.8 | 5 | 16 | 123 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 10 | T18 | T4 | 3 | 6 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 9. | No. 39 | P.J. Hill | Wisconsin | Junior | 5'11" | 236 | East Elmhurst, NY |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
P.J. Hill had 26 rushing attempts for 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-17 win over Akron.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 512 | 4.7 | 5 | 3 | 38 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 4 | 13 | T4 | T14 | 10 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 10. | No. 2 | Sam McGuffie | Michigan | Freshman | 5'11" | 185 | Cypress, TX |
Highlight
September 13, 2008
Sam McGuffie rushed 25 times for 131 yards in a loss at Notre Dame. He also caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 319 | 3.8 | 3 | 12 | 97 | 1 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 11 | T18 | T11 | T5 | 7 | T3 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 11. | No. 21 | Stephfon Green | Penn State | Freshman | 5'10" | 189 | Bronx, NY |
Highlight
September 20, 2008
Stephfon Green rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown on nine carries in a blowout win over Temple. He also had one reception for 17 yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 368 | 6.9 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 9 | 4 | T8 | T14 | 16 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 12. | No. 28 | Chris Wells | Ohio State | Junior | 6'1" | 237 | Akron, OH |
Highlight
October 4, 2008
In his second game back from a toe injury, Chris Wells carried the ball 22 times for 168 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 win at Wisconsin.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 385 | 7.9 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 8 | 1 | T13 | 13 | 18 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 13. | No. 22 | Duane Bennett | Minnesota | Sophomore | 5'9" | 202 | Fairview Heights, IL |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
Duane Bennett rushed 18 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-27 win over Northern Illinois. He also caught four passes for 25 yards.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 140 | 4.4 | 2 | 12 | 125 | 1 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 17 | 17 | T13 | T5 | 5 | T3 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 14. | No. 32 | John Clay | Wisconsin | Freshman | 6'2" | 237 | Racine, WI |
Highlight
September 6, 2008
John Clay had 11 rushing attempts for 54 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win over Marshall.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 260 | 6.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 14 | 5 | T8 | T21 | T20 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 15. | No. 1 | Daniel Herron | Ohio State | Freshman | 5'10" | 193 | Warren, OH |
Highlight
September 20, 2008
Daniel Herron rushed 20 times for 94 yards in a 28-10 win against Troy.
Stats:
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 262 | 4.5 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 13 | T15 | T18 | T10 | 13 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 16. | No. 29 | Omar Conteh | Northwestern | Senior | 6'0" | 205 | Cypress, TX |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
Omar Conteh rushed 12 times for 71 yards in a 30-10 win over Syracuse.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 136 | 3.2 | 2 | 5 | 32 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | T18 | 22 | T13 | T10 | 12 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 17. | No. 30 | Zach Brown | Wisconsin | Sophomore | 5'11" | 207 | Royal Palm, FL |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
Zach Brown rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in a blowout win over Akron.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 174 | 5.1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 15 | T10 | T13 | T19 | 19 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 18. | No. 20 | Shady Salamon | Minnesota | Freshman | 5'10" | 185 | South St. Paul, MN |
Highlight
September 6, 2008
Shady Salamon rushed 12 times for 64 yards and a touchdown in a win at Bowling Green.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 136 | 4.9 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | T18 | 12 | T11 | T19 | 17 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 19. | No. 27 | Jewel Hampton | Iowa | Freshman | 5'9" | 200 | Indianapolis, IN |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
Jewel Hampton rushed nine times for 68 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win over Maine.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 154 | 5.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 16 | T10 | T13 | T21 | T20 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 20. | No. 5 | Mikel LeShoure | Illinois | Freshman | 6'0" | 240 | Champaign, IL |
Highlight
September 6, 2008
Mikel LeShoure had 10 rushing attempts for 49 yards in a 47-21 win over Eastern Illinois.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 95 | 3.8 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 22 | T18 | T18 | T14 | 11 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 21. | No. 27 | Bryan Payton | Indiana | Junior | 5'9" | 205 | Fort Wayne, IN |
Highlight
August 30, 2008
Bryan Payton rushed nine times for 57 yards in a 31-13 win against Western Kentucky.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 133 | 3.6 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 21 | 21 | T18 | T17 | 14 | T6 |
| Team | Year | Height | Weight | Hometown | |||
| 22. | No. 22 | Demetrius McCray | Indiana | Junior | 5'11" | 200 | Brandon, FL |
Highlight
September 6, 2008
Demetrius McCray rushed eight times for 47 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win over Murray State.
Stats
| Rush Yds. | YPC | TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | TD | |||
| 134 | 4.5 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | |||
| Big Ten Rank | 20 | T15 | T18 | T17 | 22 | T6 |
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
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