College Football Recruiting: The Top 10 Schools for Running Backs To Attend
Whether it be because of the past runners and a tradition of running backs at a school, or because a school's offensive system has produced a vaunting rushing attack, there are some schools that can get a high school running back's attention off name recognition alone.
Running back is called one the easiest positions to transition into from high school to college and college to NFL, which is why you see an impact early from a newcomer.
In college football, we have a slew of schools that just produce elite rock toter after elite rock toter, while others have a system in place where they can plug in anyone and not miss a beat. The latter was what NFL observers say the Denver Broncos had in the 90s and early 2000s. While there more than 10 great schools for a running back to attend, here are the top 10.
Just run with it.
10. Florida State
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Florida State has a seen some elite runners come through Tallahassee over the years, from Warrick Dunn to Travis Minor to Greg Jones, and it figures to be James Wilder Jr. as the next in line.
Head coach Jimbo Fisher oversees the offense and commits to a balanced offensive attack. Fisher likes to exploit match up advantages in the front seven of a defense, and attacks a front seven's area of weakness.
The Seminoles like to have a blend of running backs and do have old style fullbacks on their roster. They use these players as lead blockers in head up/iso runs and employ a speedster on sweeps, pitches and passing game work.
9. Oregon
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Oregon is on this list because of one man: Chip Kelly. His offense is a skill player's dream and a defensive player's nightmare. It's been called fast break basketball on grass and really works well for a running back.
It's a spread scheme that creates holes right off the bat based on alignment. Then, out of a mostly shotgun formation, the running back can match holes, creases and get a good read on linebackers tracking him. The offense also gives the runner good spacing and room to operate.
Although Jonathan Stewart was a bigger back, he did have a great balance and underrated shiftiness to make the rushing attack go. Yet this offense is prime for a smaller, speedy back, as these types can have the needed space to work with and be able to use their burst and quickness to jump on top of linebackers.
8. Georgia
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Georgia has seen a great group of running back recruits choose to tote the rock in Athens. From the great Herschel Walker to Tim Worley to getting recruits like Caleb King and Kregg Lumpkin.
Knowshon Moreno made a big impact in just the two years he was on the field for the Dawgs and went on to become a first-round pick by the Broncos. Now the torch is going to be given to Isaiah Crowell.
Georgia likes its running backs to be instinctive runners who have great vision. They believe their running game has a sound attack to block a front seven and if the back reads the blocks right and lets natural ability take over, the running game is in full tilt. That's why you see their recruits' top traits being instincts, quickness and vision.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Alabama
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The Crimson Tide pride themselves on running ball and have done so for years. Nick Saban prides himself on running the program similar to an NFL team, which is why his offenses have top notch rushing attacks.
You want tradition? Go back to Johnny Musso, come to Shaun Alexander to Tim Castille, Kenneth Darby to Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson.
Even in the last few years, you see Saban has operated with a two back system, like many of the NFL teams currently do, with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. The Crimson Tide got a talented runner in Dee Hart in the 2011 recruiting class and many top 2012 recruits are giving Alabama a long and hard look as well.
6. Michigan
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Now, I know Michigan has run a different offense the past few years under RichRod, but it looks like the Wolverines will go back to a traditional balanced offense.
But through the years, Big Blue has had some great backs. Just in modern history, you throw out Tim Biakabutuka, BJ Askew, Tyrone Wheatley, Ron Johnson, Anthony Thomas, Chris Perry and Mike Hart as some of the top college runners. That's just in modern history, the school has some of the initial all-time greats in its rich history.
As the Wolverines go back to a traditional offensive attack form a spread option, shotgun look, the top running back recruits will again surely start to look at running in Ann Arbor as an option.
5. Wisconsin
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Wisconsin is known for having a top rushing attack year after year, and the way they do it is by the classic Big 10 way: power. The Badgers recruit offensive linemen who are bullies in the run game, drive block well and always look to finish.
They get powerful, big running backs who are tough to bring down, run extremely hard and physically and who have good vision. Recently, they have started to implement the speedster in the backfield, which has only become even more of a menace to Big 10 rivals.
If you are a big back, then Wisconsin has to be a school you look at, hence Ron Dayne, P.J. Hill and John Clay among others.
4. Ohio State
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A Big 10 trend? Yes. Ohio State has to be an option for all of the top high school running back recruits. The Buckeyes have always shown a commitment to running the football in a traditional offensive attack. They play in a conference where weather dictates you must run the football and rarely go to a spread offense.
Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Keith Byers and Beanie Wells are some of their all-time greats, with three Heisman Trophies between Griffin and George. Vic Janowicz and Howie Cassady each won Heisman Trophies in the middle of the 20th Century as well.
The Buckeyes load up on elite offensive linemen and really invest their recruiting efforts in always stocking their offensive front. This helps the running game stay moving smoothly, as there is always talent to create holes for runners on their roster.
3. Nebraska
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What can you say about the Cornhuskers' rushing attack that has not been said? Big Red is the epitome of a program that stocked on linemen and running backs. They did it with power and strength, using linemen to move targets off marks, finish nasty and running backs that had a combo of speed and power.
A few of their greats are Mike Rozier, Lawrence Phillips, Roger Craig, Correll Buckhalter, Brandon Jackson, Ahman Green, with Eric Crouch and Tommy Frazier both basically being running backs as well.
Now the Cornhuskers have seen a resurgence of the running QB in Taylor Martinez. Martinez has had some run ins with Bo Pelini, but there is no denying his skill set and production. 2011 recruit Aaron Green looks like the next great runner for Big Red.
2. Texas
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Texas has seen arguably the greatest running back in college football history come to Austin in Ricky Williams, who electrified Austin for the four years of his tenure. Then came Cedric Benson, Jamaal Charles, Selvin Young to now 2011 recruit Malcolm Brown.
But Earl Campbell was a monster in his day. Campbell ran incredibly hard, tough and may be the best finisher at running back in history. He never backed down from tacklers and punished more often than a hard sentencing judge.
The running back position is one of tradition at Texas, and I fully expect Malcolm Brown to carry the torch.
1. USC
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Tradition. Period. You don't get the name "Tailback U" for nothing. Sam Cunningham, Marcus Allen, O.J. Simpson, Reggie Bush, Anthony Davis, Mike Garrett and Ricky Bell are some of the greats in USC history.
USC's running back tradition is second to none and has attracted many of the top recruits in the country. Even Adrian Peterson gave USC a long look before choosing Oklahoma. Marc Tyler signed with USC over UCLA, where his father went, and Joe McKnight came from Louisiana to play running back at Troy.
The Trojans seem to get a stud runner year after year in recruiting, thanks to their tradition and production at the running back position. Recruits take notice of this early and often.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
