College Football's 15 Most Explosive Running Back Duos for 2012

Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram, Reggie Bush and LenDale White, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones—those are just a few recent examples of some of the great running back duos that have graced college football over the past few years. 

Watching a running back duo, comprised of two terrific backs, work as a cohesive and complementary tandem is enough to give any true football fan a thrill, and those three especially gave fans plenty of highlights during their college careers. 

Those who are in search of college football's next great rushing pair should have a lot to look forward to in 2012, as there are definitely some backfields around the country that'll have more than just one must-watch running back. 

Here's a look at the top 15 running back duos to watch out for in 2012. 

1. Montee Ball and James White, Wisconsin

Going into this past season, most expected that Wisconsin running backs Montee Ball and James White would carry an almost equal share of the rushing load for the Badgers. However, it was Ball who was the one that emerged as the team's true go-to back, as he ended up carrying the ball more than twice as much as White did in 2011.

Last year, the 5'11'', 210-pound senior earned a fourth-place finish in the Heisman voting after totaling 2,286 yards of offense and accounting for 40 total touchdowns. 

After such a productive performance, it was expected that Ball would enter the 2012 NFL draft, but instead he gave Wisconsin fans a pleasant surprise when he announced that he would return for one more year in Madison. 

Ball will now join back up with White, who had a respectable season of his own in 2011, averaging over five yards per carry and totaling 863 yards of offense, to give Wisconsin the best running back duo in the country.

The two won't have the same type of big, dominant offensive line that opened up massive holes for them last year, and they won't have quarterback Russell Wilson to keep defenses honest. But that shouldn't stop the two Badger backs from having another highly productive year on the ground in 2012. 

2. De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner, Oregon

Rarely does a team lose a star running back like LaMichael James without feeling some major after-effects the following season.

Even now that James is gone, though, Oregon may not actually experience much of a drop-off in the running game next season, as coach Chip Kelly will have two explosive backs, De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner, to turn to in 2012.  

Thomas and Barner are both home-run threats that possess the same kind of game-changing speed and playmaking ability that allowed James to become a star in the Ducks' spread offense over the past three years.

Thomas is a former 5-star recruit who made an immediate impact and became a breakout star in Eugene as a freshman in 2011, as he totaled 1,200 yards of offense and proved to be a valuable threat as both a runner and a receiver. 

Barner, on the other hand, finished ninth in the Pac-12 with 939 rushing yards, and he scored 14 total touchdowns last year. 

The two speedsters are both truly dynamic offensive weapons that should have no trouble picking up the slack for the departed James in 2012. 

If Thomas and Barner both play up to their potential, Oregon will be right back in the hunt to win its fourth straight conference championship next season. 

3. Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, LSU

There's no question about which team will have the deepest and most talented backfield in the country next season. LSU will return four starting caliber running backs—Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue—for the 2012 campaign. 

Hilliard and Blue should both be key contributors to the rushing attack once again, but the two standouts of the group are Ware and Ford. 

They're two of the SEC's most talented rushers, and they were two of the real unsung heroes of LSU's undefeated run through the regular season last year. 

Ware and Ford combined to rush for 1,463 yards, and they scored a total of 16 touchdowns between them in 2011. 

Both backs possess the type of size, power, strength and toughness that it takes to flourish in a conference like the SEC.

With Ware and Ford leading the way, and Hilliard and Blue helping out as well, there's no reason that the Tigers shouldn't have one of the best rushing attacks in college football next season.

4. Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker, TCU

Many Big 12 fans seem to be unsure about what to expect out of TCU during the Horned Frogs' inaugural season in the conference in 2012. While it remains to be seen just how well Gary Patterson's team will be able to adapt to the step up in competition, we do know one thing, and that's that TCU should have no trouble running the football next season. 

The Horned Frogs return a trio of talented backs, comprised of Ed Wesley, Matthew Tucker and Waymon James. 

James was the one who actually led the team with 875 rushing yards last season, but in terms of pure talent, it's Wesley and Tucker who are truly TCU's two top backs. 

Last year, the two juniors put up almost identical rushing statistics, as Wesley ran for 726 yards on 120 carries, while Tucker gained 702 yards on 123 attempts. 

That balance will likely continue in 2012, as the Horned Frogs will look to utilize the strengths that both backs possess. 

The 6'1'', 227-pound Tucker is a bigger back who can really pound it inside the tackles and gain important yards in short yardage and goal-line situations, while the 5'9'', 200-pound Wesley is the type of back that can get to the second level and cause havoc in the open field. 

With Wesley, Tucker and James all back in the mix, TCU will have the type of three-headed monster backfield that should cause a lot of problems for Big 12 defenses next season. 

5. Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State

The Oklahoma State offense is certainly going to miss the lethal passing combination of QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon, who were the two key offensive players for the past two seasons.

It's now likely that the Cowboys will look to the ground game more often in 2012 as they try to figure out how to replace the two most vital pieces of their offense. Luckily for coach Mike Gundy, he'll have Joseph Randle, one of the nation's top running backs, to help with the transition next season. 

Even though Oklahoma State relied heavily on the passing game for success last year, there was still enough room for Randle to make a name for himself in his first year as a starter. The 6'1'', 194-pound junior ran for over 1,200 yards, caught 43 passes and scored 26 total touchdowns in 2011. 

Randle will be the focal point of Oklahoma State's offense next season, but he'll certainly benefit from the help of fellow backfield mate Jeremy Smith, who averaged over seven yards per carry last year.

While Randle will still get the majority of the touches, Smith should become a bigger factor in the offense next season, and the two juniors will try their best to transform the Cowboys' offense into a more run-oriented attack in 2012. 

6. Knile Davis and Dennis Johnson, Arkansas

The return of RB Knile Davis, who missed all of 2011 with an ankle injury, to the Arkansas backfield will undoubtedly be one of the biggest stories in the SEC next season. 

After enjoying a breakout campaign in 2010, in which he ran for over 1,300 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, Davis was set to be the conference's top returning rusher last season before a freak preseason injury forced him to the sideline. 

Now that he's back and ready to go, it'll be interesting to see if the 6'0'', 220-pound junior can regain the form that he showed during his sensational sophomore season. 

Physically, you can't build a much better back than Davis, as he offers up a rare combination of size, strength, speed, vision, balance and power that few other runners can match. 

Still, the Razorbacks coaching staff will likely want to ease Davis back into the offensive flow, which means that Dennis Johnson, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry in 2011, should see his fair share of touches next season as well. 

Davis and Johnson should have no trouble boosting a rushing attack that ranked ninth in the SEC last year. If the two perform as expected, Arkansas already has the passing pieces in place, with players like QB Tyler Wilson, WR Cobi Hamilton and TE Chris Gragg, to give the Razorbacks one of the most dangerous and diverse offensive attacks in college football in 2012. 

7. Le’Veon Bell and Larry Caper, Michigan State

Is Le'Veon Bell ready to be the guy?

That's one of the key questions that's swirling around East Lansing this offseason, as Michigan State is now preparing to rely on Bell to be their bell cow back for the 2012 season. 

The 6'2'', 237-pound junior is certainly capable of thriving in the role, there's no question about that. Bell is one of the most talented and physically gifted running backs in the country, and he proved that last year when he ran for 948 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. 

The question, though, is now that RB Edwin Baker has left for the NFL, can Bell step his game up and ascend to that next level of stardom in 2012?

Bell will get the help he needs from his backfield counterpart, Larry Caper, who should be able to step up and help defer some of the workload to keep the big back fresh all season long. 

Now that quarterback Kirk Cousins and receivers Keshawn Martin and B.J. Cunningham are all gone, the running game will be the key focus for the Michigan State offense next season. 

Bell and Caper are definitely capable of carrying the Spartans back to the Big Ten championship game in 2012, but it will be up to Bell to step up and become "the guy."

If he plays up to his potential, Bell could be this year's version of Montee Ball. 

8. Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron, Texas

Even though Texas' passing game was basically a disaster in 2011, as the team failed to find the type of consistent play at the quarterback position that it needed, the rushing attack was actually something that fans could be proud of. 

The Longhorns ranked 21st in the nation in rushing last season, as they averaged 202 yards on the ground per game. 

Texas got most of its rushing production out of two first-year backs, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. 

Brown and Bergeron both turned out to be immediate impact players for the offense, as they combined to rush for over 1,200 yards in their first season in Austin. 

Both backs are big, physical runners who have the size and power that it takes to punish a defensive front for all four quarters. 

The two should benefit from the arrival of incoming 5-star recruit Johnathan Gray, but don't expect them to give up too many carries to the young freshman, as Brown and Bergeron will likely remain the two key pieces of Texas' rushing attack in 2012. 

9. Dominique Whaley and Roy Finch, Oklahoma

Former walk-on Dominique Whaley turned out to be one of the biggest surprise stories of the first half of the 2011 season.

Last year, Whaley stepped into the starting role for the Sooners and opened plenty of eyes by totaling 730 yards of offense and scoring nine touchdowns in just seven games before an ankle injury shelved him for the rest of the season. 

The 5'10'', 197-pound senior should be back and ready to go for the 2012 season, and he'll once again be joined by intriguing junior Roy Finch, who averaged 5.4 yards per carry last year. 

Neither Whaley nor Finch will make Oklahoma fans forget about Adrian Peterson, but the two backs are both good enough to give the Sooners the type of ground game that they need to balance out the offense and complement the team's high-powered passing attack led by QB Landry Jones. 

10. Marcus Lattimore and Brandon Wilds, South Carolina

When Marcus Lattimore went down with a knee injury in South Carolina's seventh game of the season last year, many wondered if the Gamecocks would simply fold down the stretch without their star back. Instead, South Carolina rallied, winning five of its final six games to finish 11-2. 

One of the main reasons that South Carolina was able to remain so successful without Lattimore was the play of backup Brandon Wilds. Even though he was just a true freshman, Wilds managed to handle the responsibility with great poise, as he finished the season with 622 yards of total offense. 

With Lattimore now set to return to the lineup this fall, South Carolina will once again be expected to be right back in the hunt for an SEC East division title in 2012. 

While it's going to take some time for the 6'1'', 232-pound junior to regain the juice in his legs after rehabilitating all offseason long, it wouldn't be surprising to see Lattimore get back to bruising and battering would-be tacklers sooner rather than later next season. 

11. Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy, Clemson

Clemson has had three running backs—C.J. Spiller, James Davis and Jamie Harper—drafted in the last four years, and the Tigers will keep that tradition going in 2013 when Andre Ellington makes his way up to the pro ranks. 

Ellington could have entered this year's draft and been a day two pick, but instead he opted to return to Clemson for his senior season, just like Spiller did, and it could be a move that pays off in a big way for both him and the Tigers. 

Last year, the 5'10'', 190-pound senior stepped into the starting lineup and became a big factor for the Clemson offense, as he rushed for 1,178 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. 

Ellington has the speed and the burst to blow by defenders on a regular basis, and he could be in store for a monster senior campaign next season. 

Joining him in the backfield will be talented, yet still immature sophomore Mike Bellamy. 

As a freshman in 2011, Bellamy showed some flashes of his potential, rushing for 343 yards on just 57 carries, but he also found himself in Dabo Swinney's dog house near the end of the season. 

If Bellamy can keep his head on straight, he and Ellington have the chance to be an absolutely electrifying rushing combo in 2012. 

12. Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler, Alabama

For the second offseason in a row, Alabama has to figure out how to replace a star running back. Last year, it was Heisman winner Mark Ingram. This year, the Tide will have to figure out how to make up for the loss of soon-to-be top-10 pick Trent Richardson. 

Richardson, who led the SEC with 1,679 rushing yards in 2011, leaves a big hole to fill, but luckily Alabama has two big backs, Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler, to help fill it.

The 6'0'', 220-pound Lacy and the 6'1'', 242-pound Fowler are both big, intimidating backs who should be capable of replicating what Richardson gave the offense last year. 

Lacy and Fowler only carried the ball a combined 151 times in 2011, but they still managed to rush for over 1,000 yards, as Lacy averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per carry, while Fowler averaged 6.9.

The good news is that the two backs will have the luxury of running behind college football's most dominant offensive line next season, and they should both be able to produce at a high level in 2012. 

13. Orwin Smith and David Sims, Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson loves to run the football, and his triple-option offense can often times cause fits for ill-prepared opponents, especially when there's a dangerous go-to back leading the way.

During his four-year tenure in Atlanta, Johnson's unorthodox offense has produced two different ACC rushing champs, Anthony Allen and Jonathan Dwyer. 

While it's doubtful that either of Georgia Tech's top two backs for 2012, Orwin Smith and David Sims, will get enough individual carries to give Johnson a third conference rushing champ, Smith and Sims should still form an effective and productive pair. 

Last year, the two backs combined to rush for over 1,300 yards and score 20 touchdowns. 

Smith, who averaged over 10 yards per carry, was the big play threat, while Sims was the back who wore down defenses with his size and strength. 

Both backs complement each other well, and Johnson should have no trouble forming another consistent ground attack with the two of them and QB Tevin Washington in 2012. 

14. Perry Jones and Kevin Parks, Virginia

Virginia's Perry Jones and Kevin Parks didn't receive a lot of attention and publicity last year, but the two backs did play a key role in the Cavs' eight-win regular season in 2011. 

Jones and Parks combined to rush for 1,624 yards and score 18 total touchdowns this past season. 

While neither of them can be considered an elite back, both are proven producers who look prepared to have another big outing in 2012. 

Jones, a 5'8'', 185-pound senior, is the more experienced of the two, but Parks, a 5'8'', 195-pound sophomore, is the more talented. 

With two of the conference's best offensive tackles, Morgan Moses and Oday Aboushi, leading the way up front, Jones and Parks will have plenty of room to run next season.

The two talented tailbacks should give Virginia the type of rushing attack it needs to compete in the ACC Coastal division in 2012. 

15. Isaiah Crowell and Keith Marshall, Georgia

Due to the departures of the team's top two running backs, Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, last offseason, Isaiah Crowell was forced to become the team's No. 1 running back basically by default for his freshman season in 2011. 

Crowell arrived in Athens as a highly touted 5-star recruit who had a lot of lofty expectations to live up to, but it didn't take long for the Georgia native to prove that his high school hype was legitimate. Last year, the 5'11'', 215-pound sophomore finished sixth in the SEC with 850 rushing yards. 

For as good as Crowell was on the field, though, he was as big of an enigma off of it, as his maturity and toughness were both questioned by fans in 2011. 

What will be interesting to watch this offseason is how Crowell handles the arrival of a new freshman sensation, Keith Marshall, who, like his predecessor, has arrived in Athens as a decorated 5-star prospect. 

Crowell and Marshall have the chance to form one of the SEC's most dynamic rushing duos for the 2012 season. For that to happen, though, Crowell will need to embrace the challenge of being pushed by Marshall and respond by becoming a more mature and focused impact player over the offseason. 

Other Duos to Watch

Zac Stacy and Warren Norman, Vanderbilt

Curtis McNeal and D.J. Morgan, USC

Ray Graham and Isaac Bennett, Pittsburgh

Carlos Hyde and Jordan Hall, Ohio State

Devonta Freeman and Chris Thompson, Florida State

Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason, Auburn

Mike Gillislee and Omarius Hines, Florida

Rex Burkhead and Aaron Green, Nebraska

Christine Michael and Trey Williams, Texas A&M

Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins, Rutgers

Dustin Garrison and Shawne Alston, West Virginia