College Football 2011: Power Ranking the Top 10 Running Backs of the 2011 Season
I have already given you my take on who the top quarterbacks and wide receivers will be next season. The passing game is always fun to prognosticate about, but a strong rushing attack is just as important to a dynamic offense.
An elite running back can wear down defenses, chew up the game clock and break the will of an opposing team in general. These 10 backs that I will discuss all possess those aforementioned qualities.
Some of these running backs preside at the traditional power programs while others contribute their talents to smaller schools.
Each running back on this list is an elite talent though, and is a player to take notice of.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 running backs for the upcoming 2011 college football season.
10. James White (Wisconsin)
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James White did not come to Wisconsin as highly touted as freshmen such as Michael Dyer and Marcus Lattimore. White’s production was right on par with those top ground churning backs though.
Wisconsin does not get overly creative on offense. The Badgers have a rushed based offensive philosophy that they do not deviate from. White is the latest elite rusher in Wisconsin’s history of big-time running backs.
James White rushed for 1,052 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. He formed a dynamic one-two rushing punch with Montee Ball (who also received heavy consideration for this list).
James White should once again put up big numbers as a sophomore. Wisconsin’s offense will rely even more heavily on the rushing attack with the departure of quarterback Scott Tolzien.
White will be one of the top two running backs in the Big Ten next season along with Michigan State’s Edwin Baker.
9. Ed Wesley (TCU)
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Quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver Jeremy Kerley have both moved on for TCU. The passing game will no doubt go through a transition, and head coach Gary Patterson will count on running back Ed Wesley to fill the void on the ground.
Wesley was a first team All-Mountain West selection in 2010. The 5-9 200 lb. Wesley rushed for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. There is nothing subtle about Ed Wesley’s rushing style. He meets defenders head on and is difficult to bring down.
Ed Wesley’s productions should increase next year as he will be the featured back in a TCU offense that will rely on their rushing attack. TCU will have to compensate for heavy departures next season. Ed Wesley will be one of the main reasons that the Horn Frogs will not fall off to far.
8. Ronnie Hillman (San Diego State)
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I realize that Ronnie Hillman is not the first person that comes to people’s minds when the nation’s top running backs are discussed.
Ronnie Hillman is far from a household name, but the San Diego State product is definitely a talent to take notice of. Hillman had an astounding freshman campaign rushing for 1,532 yards and 17 touchdowns. His production exceeds that of fellow freshmen on this list such as James White, Michael Dyer and Marcus Lattimore.
Hillman was not heavily recruited coming out of high school. According to rivals, he only had scholarship offers from San Diego State, Fresno State, New Mexico and Wyoming. Nevertheless, he is making some of those PAC 12 coaches wish they would have taken a little more interest in the running back.
The Mountain West Conference preseason chatter is being dominated by Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, but do not be surprised if Ronnie Hillman gains some buzz by the time the 2011 campaign is over.
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7. Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M)
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Texas A&M had a fantastic season last year under head coach Mike Sherman, and there are extremely high expectations for the Aggies as they head into 2011.
Running back Cyrus Gray is one of the reasons why Aggie fans cannot wait for the upcoming season to get started. Cyrus Gray rushed for 1,133 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Gray began the season splitting carries with Christine Michael, but he inherited the full rushing workload after a broken leg ended Michael’s 2010 campaign.
Gray will have the benefit of playing in a Texas A&M offense that has a capable passing attack to complement their rushing attack. Similar to Trent Richardson at Alabama, Cyrus Gray will share carries with Christine Michael next season. This should not drastically inhibit Gray’s ability to put up big numbers though.
6. Knile Davis (Arkansas)
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Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino is known for his high powered passing attacks. The return of wide receivers Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Cobi Hamilton and Greg Childs should ensure that Arkansas once again features a lethal aerial assault.
With all that being said, the real star of this offense is running back Knile Davis. Davis is an explosive back who ensures that opposing defenses will not strictly focus on slowing down the passing attack.
Knile Davis rushed for 1,322 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Davis has good size at 6'0" 220 lbs., but he also has breakaway speed for when he gets out into the open field.
Davis does not rush in a traditional offense at Arkansas. Nevertheless, that spread formation seems to be agreeing with the running back.
5. Edwin Baker (Michigan State)
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Edwin Baker is one half of Michigan State’s lethal rushing duo. Le’Veon Bell is the other half of the duo, and just missed making this list himself.
Edwin Baker embodies the personality of Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. Baker is not a shifty back and does not rely on an array of sidesteps to gain yards. Instead, Edwin Baker uses a punishing rushing style that wears defenses down as the game goes on.
He was always a solid back, but the complement of Le’Veon Bell in the backfield really helped take Baker’s game to another level. Even with the presence of quarterback Kirk Cousins under center, Michigan State will rely on a rush based attack that revolves around the talents of Edwin Baker.
4. Michael Dyer (Auburn)
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Auburn only returns seven starters from last season’s National Title team, but running back Michael Dyer is a gigantic piece that the Tigers have coming back.
Michael Dyer is similar to Marcus Lattimore, in that both players were highly touted prospects coming out of high school. Like Lattimore, Dyer burst onto the college landscape as a freshman rushing for 1,093 yards and five touchdowns.
Dyer played his best football of the season on the biggest stage last year rushing for 143 yards on 22 carries in the BCS National Title game.
Entering next season, Michael Dyer will be one of the leaders and top talents on Auburn’s 2011 team. Expect, Dyer to take on an increased role and expand on his fabulous championship game performance.
3. Trent Richardson (Alabama)
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Trent Richardson has yet to rush for over 1,000 yards during his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, but his spot on this list is definitely warranted.
Richardson split time in the backfield with Mark Ingram over the course of the past two years. Ingram has moved onto the NFL though, and Trent figures to take on a more featured role in the Crimson Tide’s offense.
Trent Richardson showed the ability to dominate as a freshman in the Crimson Tide’s 2009 National Title matchup versus Texas. Expect Richardson to have a huge junior campaign as he headlines an Alabama offense that will be breaking in a new quarterback.
Sophomore Eddie Lacey also figures to get an ample amount of touches in the backfield, but that should not detrimentally affect Richardson’s production.
2. Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina)
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There were tremendous expectations surrounding five-star running back Marcus Lattimore as he entered his freshman season at South Carolina.
The consensus thinking was that Lattimore would contribute to South Carolina’s rushing attack as a freshman. With that being said, not many people expected the 1,197 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns rushing touchdowns that he accumulated during his first season on campus.
The 6’0" 218 lb. Lattimore displayed a punishing style, and did not look like a player that was playing on the collegiate level for the first time. His best performance came against Florida. In his first trip to the swamp, Marcus rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries as part of the Gamecock’s 36-14 victory over the Gators.
Now as a sophomore, Lattimore is popping up on preseason Heisman lists and is widely considered to be one of the top running backs in the country. He will need to get good play out of his offensive line, but Marcus appears poised to have another tremendous season in 2011.
1. LaMichael James (Oregon)
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At 5'9" 185 lbs., LaMichael James is not going to physically overpower defenders like some of the other running backs on this list. Nevertheless, defenses still have not figured out a way to consistently slow down James.
LaMichael James rushed for 1,731 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Chip Kelly’s wide open spread open offense has proven to be the perfect fit for James’ rushing style. Also, the presence of quarterback Darron Thomas and running back Kenjon Barner forces defense to not specifically focus on slowing down James.
LaMichael James is not your traditional Heisman contending running back. Honestly though, is there anything traditional about Oregon football?
There are no signs which would indicate that James’ production will slow down next fall. Expect the running back to be at the forefront of the Heisman discussion all season long.
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