College Football: Top 20 Running Backs To Watch In 2011
All of the underclassmen have announced if they're leaving, so now we know who to look for next fall. And based on that information I came up with my list for the top 20 college football running backs. This has nothing to do with how good they will be in the NFL, or if they will even play in the league.
I am only basing my opinion on how high a level they will perform at the collegiate level, and these guys have performed at a pretty high level, or showed some serious promise in a smaller capacity.
There are so many different types of runners and systems in college that it is equally difficult and fun figuring out who is better. But here is what I came up with.
20. Jeff Demps, Florida
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Jeff Demps is one of the most explosive players in the country. He is no doubt one of the fastest human beings in the world. Look at his track career. But Florida just got a new pro-style offense to run and Demps' success will depend on how quickly they pick up Charlie Weiss' new offense.
Last year wasn't a great one for the Gator. He was plagued with injuries when he did play and missed three games due to injury as well. he finished with 92 carries for 551 yards.
But make no mistake, this guy can make defenses pay when healthy. Urban Meyer's spread offense got him in space and let him abuse his speed on defenses. It will be interesting to see him run between tackles, and if he can, this guy is going to have a great year.
Too talented not to be on this list.
19. Chris Thompson, Florida State
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Chris Thompson started the 2010 season splitting carries with two other running backs, but by the end of the year he stood alone. Not only as the last remaining healthy back, but as the most talented back as well. Thompson, a sophomore, averaged 6.4 yards per carry on 133 carries, and finished with 846 yards and six touchdowns on the year.
In the Seminoles' Chick-fil-A Bowl win over South Carolina – the nation's 12th ranked rushing defense – Thompson carried the ball a season-high 25 times for 147 yards and a score.
18. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
3 of 20
Despite losing their head coach to the NFL, Stanford is returning the best quarterback in the country in Andrew Luck, and a great running back in Stepfan Taylor. Taylor's 2011 numbers almost doubled the second Luck said he will be coming back to Stanford.
Teams know they cannot load the box against the Cardinals, because Luck will make you pay. So everything opens up for Taylor. Last season he finished with 223 carries for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also added 28 catches for 266 yards and a score.
Look for bigger things next year in his junior campaign.
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17. Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky
4 of 20
Bobby Rainey carried the ball 340 times last season for 1,649 yards. That is just under five yards per carry, but with a 5-7, 196 lbs frame, that is amazing that he could take a beating like that. It was no secret that his team was going to give him the ball this season, and teams still couldn't stop him at the end of the year.
He went over 150 yards in each of his last four games last season, including a 248 yard outing against Middle-Tennessee. Look for the Hilltoppers to change things up next season though, because despite his gaudy rushing numbers, the team finished 2-10 last season.
16. Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State
5 of 20
As a freshman, Ronnie Hillman had 262 carries for 1,532 yards and 17 touchdowns. next season, with even a slight drop-off, he will still be one of the nation's leading rushers.
His head coach Brady Hoke just took the job at Michigan, but he was replaced with former SDSU defensive coordinator Rocky Long who had a front row seat to the Hillman show this year. I would look for him to get the ball often and make the best of it next season.
If he adds some bulk to that 175 lbs frame he would just become that much more dangerous.
15. Lance Dunbar, North Texas
6 of 20
North Texas is not a very good football team. But Lance Dunbar is an exceptional running back. Dunbar has rushed for 1,378 yards and 1,553 yards in back-to-back years, and is heading into his senior year next fall looking to continue to up his yardage.
His team finished 3-9 last season, and his yardage was the lone bright spot. Dunbar rushed for 270 yards on 22 carries in the team's final game of the season against Kansas State. He had 630 rushing yards in the team's final three games.
Teams knew it was coming. They just couldn't stop it. Look for more of the same next season.
14. Edwin Baker, Michigan State
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Edwin Baker averaged 5.8 yards per carry for the Spartans last season on his way to 1,201 yards. He will be one of their key players coming back and should look for an even bigger role in next year's offense which could be going in another direction because last year's Offensive Coordinator, Dan Treadwell, just accepted the head coaching job at Miami (Ohio).
This could bode well for Baker, and the team could become more run-based, or it could be bad for him. Nobody is sure yet. We will see. But he will be splitting carries with big-back Le'Veon Bell next season too. Bell had 605 rushing yards of his own last season as a freshman, and definitely made his case to have a bigger role in next season's offense.
13. Montel Harris, Boston College
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Montel Harris finished this season with 1,243 yards and eight touchdowns in just 11 games this season. He sat out the final game of the season and the bowl game with a knee injury. But Harris was a workhorse for the Eagles this season. He carried the ball 269 times, including a season-high (37) against a hard-hitting Clemson team.
Harris has had some talented lines to run behind at Boston College. It comes with the territory in Chestnut Hill. But there is zero doubt that he will produce in his final year. He has ran all over the ACC for three years, and he will make it four next year.
12. Andre Ellington, Clemson
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Andre Ellington had some big games last season, before getting injured and getting just one carry in the team's final five games of the season. In eight games, he had 118 carries for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He was splitting carries with Jamie Harper at the time too. Harper is gone to the NFL now and it will be a one-man show with Ellington looking to bounce back for a solid junior year. Look for him to be the focus of the Clemson offense next season a la C.J. Spiller.
11. David Wilson, Virginia Tech
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David Wilson would have been a star at most schools last fall, but he was splitting carries with two of the best running backs in the country in Ryan Williams and Darren Evans to start the year.
Wilson finished the year with 113 carries for 619 (5.5 yards per carry). With Evans and Williams gone to the draft, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor graduating, it is going to be all eyes on Wilson. If he can stay healthy, and they can find some balance on offense, he should get the bulk of the carries and be one of the nation's most talented and productive backs.
10. James White, Wisconsin
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It is possible that I could've ran for at least 400 yards behind the Wisconsin line last year. They proved anybody could, as they became one of the best running teams in the land last season. As a true freshman, James White ran behind one of the best run blocking offensive lines I have ever seen.
They will have to replace two All-Americans on the left side, but with White returning along with Montee Ball, this should be one of the best backfields in the nation. I wouldn't look for much of a sophomore slump here, and you better believe that line will be ready to roll again come September.
I like White's explosiveness over Ball's bulk.
9. Brandon Bolden, Mississippi
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Brandon Bolden is everything you want in a running back and a leader. he is the hardest working guy in the weight room, and the results show on the field. Bolden averaged six yards per carry last season on his way to 976 rushing yards.
He also caught 32 balls for 332 yards and found the endzone a total of 17 times last season (14 rushing, three receiving). This Ole Miss team is only going to get better, honestly, because they can't get too much worse. Look for a big year for a big senior year from Bolden.
8. Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh
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What a difference a year makes, right? Nobody knows that better than the Pitt Panthers football team. They were all sizzle, no steak this season. They were everyone's pre-season favorite to win the Big East. And when I say everybody I mean mine.
But Dion Lewis was a huge reason why. As a freshman, Lewis rushed for 1,799 yards. It's fair to say the secret was out this season on Dion Lewis. He averaged ended the year with 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns. It's tough to call a 1,000+ yard rushing season a disappointment, but in this case it was.
I look for him to bounce back with a big year next year and bolt for the draft. The guy is a beast.
7. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
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In Texas A&M's three losses last season, Cyrus Gray had a total of 11 carries for seven yards. Over the last seven games of the season he averaged 22 carries for 134 yards per game and the Aggies went 6-1. That is not a coincidence.
In that stretch the team beat Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. Gray had a 223 yard outing against the Longhorns. Their only loss came to LSU in the bowl game.
Look for a lot of Gray next year, in what should be a solid season for the Aggies.
6. Knile Davis, Arkansas
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Knile Davis ran for 1,322 yards last season on just 204 carries (6.5 yards per carry). Most people outside of SEC country might not know that, but this guy is good. Very good. His job was certainly made easier by Ryan Mallett's rocket launcher for a right arm, but regardless, you don't put up those numbers in the SEC unless you are a solid back.
Davis is going to be counted on to deliver and take some pressure off new quarterback Tyler Wilson, who has some promise. When I say counted on, I mean he is going to get a ton of carries. The 6'0'' 220 lbs beast is going to have to hit the ice bath hard after some of next year's games. he should expect 25-30 carries per game.
5. Michael Dyer, Auburn
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As a freshman, Michael Dyer was apart of one of the fiercest rushing attacks in college football. A lot of it had to do with Cam Newton's ability to run and pass, but Dyer is the real deal. He rushed for 1,093 yards last season and he has an ideal frame at 5'9'' and 215 lbs.
He also has a lighter, quicker back in Onterio McCalebb to share the load with and change up the pace to keep defenses off balance. I think next year is going to be a tough one for an Auburn offense that loses a lot of key players, but the backfield is as talented as any in the country and should help them buy some time to find a new quarterback.
4. Doug Martin, Boise State
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Boise State returns Heisman finalist Kellen Moore at quarterback next season, and Doug Martin will be back to run wild next season. Martin carried the ball 201 times for 1,260 yards (6.3 yards per carry). He will be a major piece of the puzzle next year as well.
Martin had 38 catches last season for 338 yards. He will be a threat out of the backfield in both the running game and passing attack. Having Moore back certainly makes his life much easier, and vice versa. You cannot stop both weapons, especially the teams that Boise plays.
Look for Martin to go for 1,200 rushing, 500 receiving next year.
3. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
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Marcus Lattimore was a big-time recruit out of high school, and in his first year in college, he made Steve Spurrier do something he hates. Run the ball. We know Spurrier loves to air it out. But Lattimore's ability to run both outside and between the tackles was too much to ignore. It made life easier for quarterback Stephen Garcia, who, without Lattimore, has an uncanny ability to make the toughest position in sports appear even tougher.
Lattimore had 1,018 yards and didn't fumble until the bowl game, and he was literally unconscious when he did fumble. Look for another big year next year from the South Carolina native as SC vies for SEC East supremacy.
2. Trent Richardson, Alabama
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We all know every thing there is to know about this guy. The year after Mark Ingram won the Heisman there was talk he might not start because Trent Richardson is better. Well, Ingram is gone and Richardson is the man in the backfield.
Richardson is honestly the perfect back on paper, and puts up numbers. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry this season while rushing for 700 yards on the season. He also had 23 catches for 266 yards and had 10 total touchdowns on the year.
There is no reason he cannot be the man to lead Alabama to the National Championship like Mark Ingram did two years ago.
1. LaMichael James, Oregon
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There couldn't be a more perfect running back for Oregon's system than LaMichael James. The fact that he led the nation in rushing (1,731 yards) certainly speaks to that. He is perfect in it. Sort of like what Tim Tebow was to Urban Meyer's spread offense. In two of Oregon's most challenging regular season games against Stanford and Southern Cal, James went off.
He carried the ball 31 times for 257 yards against Stanford and had 36 carries for 239 yards against USC. Outrageous numbers against talented opponents. This year should not be any different for the Ducks or James.
Look for him to break 2,000 this season. It is a fun offense to watch.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
