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.

			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