College Football 2011: Power Ranking the Top 10 Rushing Duos Next Season
The NFL has adopted a philosophy that favors two running backs over the traditional one ball-carrier.
More and more college football programs are now emphasizing multiple running backs in the backfield as well. This allows for a mix of rushing styles, less mileage on a running back and different looks for defenses to prepare for.
A lot of teams have capable rushing duos, but 10 teams’ duos stand out over the rest.
Here are 10 rushing combinations that grind out yards and keep opposing defensive coordinators up all night.
10. Florida: Jeff Demps/Mike Gillislee
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Quarterback John Brantley did not show the ability to consistently lead the offense down the field through the air last season. To be fair though, Brantley did not receive top-notch production from his offensive line.
Still, if your offense does not have a reliable passing game, you better have a rushing attack that can pick up the slack. Luckily, Florida does have a loaded backfield that is headlined by the duo of running backs Jeff Demps and Mike Gillislee. Chris Rainey also adds to the backfield and will receive an ample amount of carries as well.
Both Demps and Gillislee have blazing speed, and are especially dangerous in the open field. The pair rushed for 876 yards and eight touchdowns last season. These are definitely not overwhelming statistics, but both players should take steps forward next season.
Florida is looking to rebound from a subpar 8-5 season. If the Gators hope to return to the top of the SEC next season, they will need this rushing duo to come up big.
9. Clemson: Andre Ellington/Mike Bellamy
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Clemson had quite the rushing duo last year in Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper. Harper brought power to the backfield while Ellington was known for his speed.
Head coach Dabo Swinney expecting to have his “thunder and lightning” combination of Harper and Ellington back this season, but a curveball was thrown into the mix when Jamie Harper declared for the NFL draft.
Clemson will still have a great rushing duo next season, but they will now feature a double dose of speed in the backfield.
Andre Ellington is back after amassing 686 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. He will be joined by 5-star recruit Mike Bellamy. Bellamy has outstanding speed according to scouts. He figures to see immediate time with the Tigers.
Bellamy and Ellington both have speed to burn. It is uncertain how quickly Bellamy will work his way into the rotation, but this one-two backfield punch would be ideal for Clemson.
8. Texas: Cody Johnson/Malcolm Brown
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Texas is known for their dominant rushing ability, but last season the Longhorns rushing attack was surprisingly mediocre.
Texas only averaged 150.5 rushing yards per game last season which ranked 66th amongst the 120 FBS programs. No rusher came close to eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark. Cody Johnson led the team in rushing with 592 yards.
Nevertheless, there is excitement and buzz swirling around the Longhorns backfield for this coming fall.
The aforementioned Cody Johnson will be a senior and hopes to build on the success he enjoyed in 2010. Johnson will be accompanied by freshman Malcolm Brown.
Malcolm Brown was rated the No. 1 running back in the class of 2011, and the 10th-best prospect overall according to Rivals. As a senior at Steele High School, Brown rushed for 2,596 yards and 30 rushing touchdowns.
Expect Brown to get an ample amount of carries in his upcoming freshman campaign, as he splits time with the veteran Johnson. Many have cited Texas’ inability to dominantly run the football as one of the reasons for the Longhorns' slide last season. With that being said, expect Texas to return to their traditional rushing dominance next season behind the talented duo of Johnson and Brown.
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7. Florida State: Chris Thompson/Ty Jones
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Florida State is sort of a poor man’s Oregon in a sense that the Seminoles have multiple rushers that can torch defenses.
Chris Thompson and Ty Jones are the two featured running backs. Dual-threat quarterback E.J. Manual can hurt teams with his legs though. Senior running back Jermaine Thomas will contribute. Finally, incoming freshman James Wilder Jr. should also make his presence felt in the Seminole backfield next season.
Neither Thompson nor Jones eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark least season, but the duo is poised to collectively take a step forward in 2011. Three returning starters on Florida State’s offensive line will greatly aid the rushing duo.
Head coach Jimbo Fisher’s first season in Tallahassee was a huge success. Despite the departure of quarterback Christian Ponder, Florida State is the favorite to win the ACC next season and their vaunted rushing attack is one of the main reasons why.
6. USC: Marc Tyler/Dillon Baxter
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Marc Tyler is obviously poised to have a breakout season in 2011. Tyler rushed for 913 yards and nine touchdowns in last season.
Dillon Baxter meanwhile was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school. He also played well as a freshman, rushing for 252 yards and one touchdown during limited action. Baxter had a difficult time moving up the depth chart behind seniors Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable. The departures of Bradford and Gable should pave the way for the talented Baxter to accept a featured role in the offense along with Marc Tyler.
Matt Barkley is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and will lead the Trojans passing attack. Look for the rushing game to flourish as well behind the duo of Marc Tyler and Dillon Baxter.
5. Auburn: Michael Dyer/Onterio McCalebb
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No Division I FBS team returns less starters than Auburn. The Tigers only have seven starters back from last season’s national championship team.
With that being said, running backs Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb are back in the fold for head coach Gene Chizik. The return of this rushing duo makes Auburn a team not to be overlooked, regardless of how many newcomers will be on the field.
The duo rushed for 1,903 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last season. They will be at the center of Auburn’s offensive game plan as new quarterback Barrett Trotter gets broken in. Both Dyer and McCalebb are punishing backs that do not stray away from contact.
They will be running behind a less-seasoned offensive line next fall, but this should not cause too big of a drop in their production. Auburn is not in a position to make a repeat appearance in the national title game, but Dyer and McCalebb will ensure that Auburn does not fall too far.
4. Texas A&M: Cyrus Gray/Christine Michael
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Texas A&M had a breakout season in 2010 under head coach Mike Sherman, and expectations are high heading into the 2011 campaign.
There is particularly a lot of buzz surrounding an Aggies offense that returns nine starters. At the center of the offense will be running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael.
The 5’10" 198-lb Gray had a breakout season last year. He is one of the top running backs in the Big 12 entering the 2011 season. Joining Gray in the backfield will be Christine Michael.
Michael is extremely talented in his own right. He was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school, and has been a dependable rusher for Texas A&M. Michael rushed for 631 yards during his first eight games before a broken leg sidelined him for the remainder of the year.
The return of a healthy Christine Michael coupled with the emergence of Cyrus Gray should prove to be a daunting duo for defenses to slow down next season. If opponents load the box to stop Gray and Michael, you leave yourself susceptible to quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
3. Oregon: LaMichael James/Kenjon Barner
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Honestly, the Ducks do not have a rushing duo. Rather, head coach Chip Kelly has a fleet of talented speed burners he can call on in the backfield.
For the sake of this particular piece, I will only be profiling LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner. Quarterback Darron Thomas and incoming freshman De’Anthony Thomas will also play pivotal roles in the offense as well though.
LaMichael James is one of the front runners to win the Heisman Trophy next season, and is widely considered to be the top running back in college football. James does not have imposing size at 5’9" 185 lbs, but his elusiveness and breakaway speed cannot be matched.
Barner meanwhile would be the featured back in most college backfields. He will likely carry James’ mantle as the starter in 2012. He also has great speed and showed tremendous promise as a sophomore rushing for 551 yards and six touchdowns.
2. Michigan State: Edwin Baker/Le’Veon Bell
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Head coach Mark Dantonio has an offensive philosophy that is similar to Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema. Michigan State is dedicated to playing a physical brand of football that is centered around a power rushing game.
Many believe that this could be the year that the Spartans win the Big 10 championship, and running backs Edwin Baker and Le’Veon Bell are two of the main reasons why Michigan State is being so highly regarded.
Baker is a junior and has been a consistent contributor ever since he was a freshman at Michigan State. Baker’s presence in itself equated to a solid rushing attack, but it was only after Le’Veon Bell burst onto the scene as a freshman that the Spartans rushing attack exploded.
The pair rushed for 1,806 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Their presence will be coupled by the return of senior quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins will provide steady play under center, but the rushing duo of Baker and Bell will take precedence over the passing attack next season.
1. Wisconsin: James White/Montee Ball
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Wisconsin’s rushing attack has always been the staple of their offense.
This season will be no different in Madison. Quarterback Scott Tolzien has moved on, and Wisconsin will rely on running backs James White and Montee Ball to keep the chains moving.
The duo rushed for 2,048 yards and 32 touchdowns last season. Ball and White are not flashy rushers, but their production cannot be argued with.
Incoming quarterback John Budamyr should not be overly concerned about next season. His No. 1 role will be handing the ball off, and letting these two backs move the chains.
Opposing defenses will not have to put too much guesswork into how Wisconsin intends to move the ball, but actually stopping the Badgers is another story entirely.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
