- 43,659
- 8,662
This.
Really there are only 3 options:
1. They aren't really your friends
2. It is a same sex marriage
3. They are Communists.
Only possible explanations.
2011 College Football "The Real been hacked!!!!" .
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by Chester McFloppy,
- Start date
Really there are only 3 options:
1. They aren't really your friends
2. It is a same sex marriage
3. They are Communists.
Only possible explanations.
- 31,964
- 1,056
Originally Posted by langfor5
Its like he saw all the other skill guys in the size 42, 44 and 46 and thought he better to. Not a good look. Should have went w/ the linemen sz. 48 or 50.
After looking at that picture a second time it looks all wrong. Like it was a PS or something....
It looks like they shopped it to make him look slimmer.
Yeah and he's still going to dominate your favorite SEC team this year.
If he doesnt lose that Gut before the season starts, I'm calling him having a sub par year.
- 31,964
- 1,056
Originally Posted by langfor5
Its like he saw all the other skill guys in the size 42, 44 and 46 and thought he better to. Not a good look. Should have went w/ the linemen sz. 48 or 50.
After looking at that picture a second time it looks all wrong. Like it was a PS or something....
It looks like they shopped it to make him look slimmer.
Yeah and he's still going to dominate your favorite SEC team this year.
If he doesnt lose that Gut before the season starts, I'm calling him having a sub par year.
- 1,110
- 10
4 weeks of training camp in that Carolina heat and you know the OBC will run him to death....he'll be aight.
- 1,110
- 10
4 weeks of training camp in that Carolina heat and you know the OBC will run him to death....he'll be aight.
- 5,409
- 923
Preseason top 20: Running backs
August 16, 2011
Rivals.com Staff
How much can a dominant running back transform a program? Just ask Oregon and South Carolina fans.
LaMichael James led the nation with 1,731 rushing yards last season and carried Oregon to its best season in school history - a wild ride that took the Ducks all the way to the BCS championship game. Marcus Lattimore took the SEC by storm as a true freshman and led the Gamecocks to their first East Division championship.
James and Lattimore are back this season, but who ranks alongside them as the nation's top running backs? We begin our breakdown of the nation's best players at each position with a look at running backs. "Best" doesn't necessarily mean the most pro potential or even the most talent. Instead, it's a mix of what the player has accomplished and how we think the player will do this season. But production does trump potential.
We will look at a position a day until Aug. 29, when we rank all 120 of the nation's quarterbacks. Wednesday, we will look at wide receivers. Here are the running back rankings.
20. STEPFAN TAYLOR, STANFORD
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/208, Jr.; Mansfield (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: As good as QB Andrew Luck is, Stanford opponents cannot ignore Taylor. Last season, Taylor took over for '09 Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. He gained more than 100 yards in seven games. He's also a good receiver.
19. DAVID WILSON, VIRGINIA TECH
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Jr.; Danville (Va.) George Washington
THE BUZZ: Wilson has been an important reserve/return man for the Hokies the past two seasons, but he will start this fall in the team's rebuilt offensive backfield. He ran for 619 yards and five TDs last season and also was an effective receiver. He also averaged 26.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns last season, taking two back for scores.
18. MARCUS COKER, IOWA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/230, Soph.; Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
THE BUZZ: Primarily a backup in 2010, Coker will be a key starter for Iowa this season. He started four games last season and responded by rushing for 508 yards and three touchdowns. When pressed into starting duty in the Insight Bowl, Coker earned most valuable player honors by rushing for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in six games last season and had as many as 20 carries just three times. A lack of opportunity won't be an issue this season.
17. LANCE DUNBAR, NORTH TEXAS
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/203, Sr.; Haltom City (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Dunbar has posted the third-highest rushing total nationally - 2,931 yards - over the past two seasons. Only Oregon's LaMichael James and Nevada's Vai Taua gained more. Dunbar followed up a 1,378-yard output in 2009 with 1,553 yards last season. Last season, he exceeded 200 rushing yards three times, including a season-high 270 vs. Big 12 member Kansas State. He had eight 100-yard performances, including 117 vs. Clemson.
16. BOBBY RAINEY, WESTERN KENTUCKY
THE PARTICULARS: 5-8/205, Sr.; Griffin (Ga.) High
THE BUZZ: Although toiling on a team that has managed just four victories in three seasons, Rainey is among the most productive running backs in the nation. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Rainey rushed for 1,649 yards in 2010 and was third in the nation behind Oregon's LaMichael James and Connecticut's Jordan Todman with a 137.4-yard average. A workhorse who had at least 30 carries in five games, Rainey rushed for at least 100 yards in nine games. And lest anyone dismiss his production because it was primarily against Sun Belt opponents, it should be noted that he ran for 155 yards against Nebraska, which was 11th in the nation in total defense last season.
15. JAMES WHITE, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/195, Soph.; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
THE BUZZ: The Big Ten freshman of the year in 2010, White aims to build on a tremendous debut season in which he rushed for 1,052 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. A big-play threat, four of White's 14 touchdown run covered at least 30 yards and two for more than 60. He received as many as 20 carries in just two games, but he figures to get more attempts this season.
14. RODNEY STEWART, COLORADO
THE PARTICULARS: 5-6/175, Sr. Westerville (Ohio) Brookhaven
THE BUZZ: The little guy has produced big results for the Buffaloes. Despite his stature, he proved his durability by carrying at least 27 times in five games last season. A three-year starter, Stewart enters his fourth season with 2,744 career rushing yards, including 1,318 last season. If he rushes for 1,197 this season, he'll set Colorado's career rushing record.
13. MICHAEL DYER, AUBURN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/210, Soph.; Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy
THE BUZZ: With QB Cam Newton gone, Dyer figures to become the focus of Auburn's offense, a responsibility he surely can handle. He runs with power and has breakaway speed. He ran for an Auburn-freshman record 1,093 yards despite getting fewer than 10 carries in six games. He had as many as 20 carries in just three games and gained 423 yards in those games, including 143 in the BCS national championship victory over Oregon.
12. MONTEE BALL, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/210, Jr.; Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
THE BUZZ: Ball is coming off a 996-yard performance in 2010, when he was the Badgers' No. 3 running back for much of the year. He did not receive as many as 20 carries until November, but then he rushed for at least 127 yards in five consecutive games, including 132 against TCU in the Rose Bowl. Ball, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry, will get more chances this season.
11. DAN HERRON, OHIO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Sr.; Warren (Ohio) Warren Harding
THE BUZZ: "Boom" is a blue-collar runner with a nose for the end zone. Equally adept at running between the tackles and around the end, Herron will be one of the Big Ten's top backs but must sit out the first five games for violating NCAA rules. Last season, he rushed for 1,155 yards and 16 TDs. He also caught 19 passes for 180 yards.
10. CHRIS POLK, WASHINGTON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/214, Jr.; Redlands (Calif.) East Valley
THE BUZZ: After missing most of 2008 because of injury, Polk has rushed for 2,528 yards and 14 TDs the past two seasons. He was most effective during the Huskies' four-game winning streak to end 2010, when he rushed for 685 yards and five TDs. Coaches will look to him for even more production because the Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback.
9. RONNIE HILLMAN, SAN DIEGO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/175, Soph.; La Habra (Calif.) High
THE BUZZ: Hillman ran for 1,532 yards and 17 TDs last season while leading the Mountain West and ranking 10th nationally with 117.9 rushing yards per game. He rushed for at least 150 yards in six of San Diego State's 12 games, including 228-yard efforts in a Poinsettia Bowl triumph over Navy and an early-season loss to Missouri.
8. EDWIN BAKER, MICHIGAN STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/208, Jr.; Oak Park (Mich.) High
THE BUZZ: Baker established himself last season, when he ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rushing at 92.4 yards per game (1,201 yards rushing for the season). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and figures to again have a big season for what should be a strong Michigan State offense.
7. TAUREN POOLE, TENNESSEE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/210, Sr.; Toccoa (Ga.) Stephens County
THE BUZZ: Poole didn't do much in his first two seasons, then emerged as a star last fall for new coach Derek Dooley. Going into last season, Poole had carried 32 times for 171 yards. He started all 13 games last season and finished with 1,034 yards and 11 TDs. He tied for the SEC lead with six 100-yard games.
6. DOUG MARTIN, BOISE STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/215, Sr.; Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary's
THE BUZZ: He has rushed for 27 touchdowns in the past two seasons and became the Broncos' feature back last season, when he had 201 carries and 1,260 yards. He should be an even more important part of the offense this season because Boise's wide receiver corps is in flux.
5. TRENT RICHARDSON, ALABAMA
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/224, Jr.; Pensacola Escambia
THE BUZZ: Richardson has been a productive backup, rushing for 1,451 yards and 14 TDs in his first two seasons, and he should be the focal point of the Tide's offense this season. He was a second-team All-SEC choice last season and should vie for All-America honors this fall.
4. CYRUS GRAY, TEXAS A&M
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/198, Sr.; DeSoto (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Gray is coming off an excellent junior campaign, one in which he rushed for 1,133 yards and 12 TDs despite sharing time for half the season with Christine Michael. After Michael was injured and lost for the season, the explosive Gray had seven consecutive 100-yard games.
3. MARCUS LATTIMORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/232, Soph.; Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
THE BUZZ: Lattimore was highly touted out of high school and lived up to the hype last season. He arrived in Columbia amid a ton of hype - and lived up to it. He ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he was a big reason South Carolina won its first SEC East title. He also had 29 receptions for 412 yards and two TDs. His rushing total was the third-best single-season mark in school history.
2. MONTEL HARRIS, BOSTON COLLEGE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/200, Sr.; Jacksonville Trinity Christian
THE BUZZ: Despite playing in an offense without much of a passing attack, Harris should end his career as the leading rusher in ACC history. Harris has 3,600 career yards, putting him 1,002 yards away from the record held by Ted Brown (4,602 yards for NC State from 1975-7
. Harris also has 21 career 100-yard games; Brown's ACC record is 27. Harris led the ACC with 103.6 rushing yards per game last season.
1. LaMICHAEL JAMES, OREGON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/195, Jr.; Texarkana (Texas) Liberty-Eylau
THE BUZZ: James is coming off a monster 2010 season, one in which he finished third in the Heisman voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. He ran for a school single-season record of 1,731 yards, which led the nation. He also scored 24 TDs (21 rushing, three receiving), which set a school record and led the nation. He has played in 25 career games and reached the 100-yard plateau in 18 of them.
August 16, 2011
Rivals.com Staff
How much can a dominant running back transform a program? Just ask Oregon and South Carolina fans.
LaMichael James led the nation with 1,731 rushing yards last season and carried Oregon to its best season in school history - a wild ride that took the Ducks all the way to the BCS championship game. Marcus Lattimore took the SEC by storm as a true freshman and led the Gamecocks to their first East Division championship.
James and Lattimore are back this season, but who ranks alongside them as the nation's top running backs? We begin our breakdown of the nation's best players at each position with a look at running backs. "Best" doesn't necessarily mean the most pro potential or even the most talent. Instead, it's a mix of what the player has accomplished and how we think the player will do this season. But production does trump potential.
We will look at a position a day until Aug. 29, when we rank all 120 of the nation's quarterbacks. Wednesday, we will look at wide receivers. Here are the running back rankings.
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| Virginia Tech's David Wilson won't spend a lot of time on the bench this season. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/208, Jr.; Mansfield (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: As good as QB Andrew Luck is, Stanford opponents cannot ignore Taylor. Last season, Taylor took over for '09 Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. He gained more than 100 yards in seven games. He's also a good receiver.
19. DAVID WILSON, VIRGINIA TECH
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Jr.; Danville (Va.) George Washington
THE BUZZ: Wilson has been an important reserve/return man for the Hokies the past two seasons, but he will start this fall in the team's rebuilt offensive backfield. He ran for 619 yards and five TDs last season and also was an effective receiver. He also averaged 26.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns last season, taking two back for scores.
18. MARCUS COKER, IOWA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/230, Soph.; Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
THE BUZZ: Primarily a backup in 2010, Coker will be a key starter for Iowa this season. He started four games last season and responded by rushing for 508 yards and three touchdowns. When pressed into starting duty in the Insight Bowl, Coker earned most valuable player honors by rushing for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in six games last season and had as many as 20 carries just three times. A lack of opportunity won't be an issue this season.
17. LANCE DUNBAR, NORTH TEXAS
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/203, Sr.; Haltom City (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Dunbar has posted the third-highest rushing total nationally - 2,931 yards - over the past two seasons. Only Oregon's LaMichael James and Nevada's Vai Taua gained more. Dunbar followed up a 1,378-yard output in 2009 with 1,553 yards last season. Last season, he exceeded 200 rushing yards three times, including a season-high 270 vs. Big 12 member Kansas State. He had eight 100-yard performances, including 117 vs. Clemson.
16. BOBBY RAINEY, WESTERN KENTUCKY
THE PARTICULARS: 5-8/205, Sr.; Griffin (Ga.) High
THE BUZZ: Although toiling on a team that has managed just four victories in three seasons, Rainey is among the most productive running backs in the nation. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Rainey rushed for 1,649 yards in 2010 and was third in the nation behind Oregon's LaMichael James and Connecticut's Jordan Todman with a 137.4-yard average. A workhorse who had at least 30 carries in five games, Rainey rushed for at least 100 yards in nine games. And lest anyone dismiss his production because it was primarily against Sun Belt opponents, it should be noted that he ran for 155 yards against Nebraska, which was 11th in the nation in total defense last season.
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| Wisconsin's James White ran for 1,052 yards and averaged 6.7 yard per carry. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/195, Soph.; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
THE BUZZ: The Big Ten freshman of the year in 2010, White aims to build on a tremendous debut season in which he rushed for 1,052 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. A big-play threat, four of White's 14 touchdown run covered at least 30 yards and two for more than 60. He received as many as 20 carries in just two games, but he figures to get more attempts this season.
14. RODNEY STEWART, COLORADO
THE PARTICULARS: 5-6/175, Sr. Westerville (Ohio) Brookhaven
THE BUZZ: The little guy has produced big results for the Buffaloes. Despite his stature, he proved his durability by carrying at least 27 times in five games last season. A three-year starter, Stewart enters his fourth season with 2,744 career rushing yards, including 1,318 last season. If he rushes for 1,197 this season, he'll set Colorado's career rushing record.
13. MICHAEL DYER, AUBURN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/210, Soph.; Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy
THE BUZZ: With QB Cam Newton gone, Dyer figures to become the focus of Auburn's offense, a responsibility he surely can handle. He runs with power and has breakaway speed. He ran for an Auburn-freshman record 1,093 yards despite getting fewer than 10 carries in six games. He had as many as 20 carries in just three games and gained 423 yards in those games, including 143 in the BCS national championship victory over Oregon.
12. MONTEE BALL, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/210, Jr.; Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
THE BUZZ: Ball is coming off a 996-yard performance in 2010, when he was the Badgers' No. 3 running back for much of the year. He did not receive as many as 20 carries until November, but then he rushed for at least 127 yards in five consecutive games, including 132 against TCU in the Rose Bowl. Ball, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry, will get more chances this season.
11. DAN HERRON, OHIO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Sr.; Warren (Ohio) Warren Harding
THE BUZZ: "Boom" is a blue-collar runner with a nose for the end zone. Equally adept at running between the tackles and around the end, Herron will be one of the Big Ten's top backs but must sit out the first five games for violating NCAA rules. Last season, he rushed for 1,155 yards and 16 TDs. He also caught 19 passes for 180 yards.
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| Ronnie Hillman ran for at least 150 yards in six of SDSU's 12 games in 2010. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/214, Jr.; Redlands (Calif.) East Valley
THE BUZZ: After missing most of 2008 because of injury, Polk has rushed for 2,528 yards and 14 TDs the past two seasons. He was most effective during the Huskies' four-game winning streak to end 2010, when he rushed for 685 yards and five TDs. Coaches will look to him for even more production because the Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback.
9. RONNIE HILLMAN, SAN DIEGO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/175, Soph.; La Habra (Calif.) High
THE BUZZ: Hillman ran for 1,532 yards and 17 TDs last season while leading the Mountain West and ranking 10th nationally with 117.9 rushing yards per game. He rushed for at least 150 yards in six of San Diego State's 12 games, including 228-yard efforts in a Poinsettia Bowl triumph over Navy and an early-season loss to Missouri.
8. EDWIN BAKER, MICHIGAN STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/208, Jr.; Oak Park (Mich.) High
THE BUZZ: Baker established himself last season, when he ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rushing at 92.4 yards per game (1,201 yards rushing for the season). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and figures to again have a big season for what should be a strong Michigan State offense.
7. TAUREN POOLE, TENNESSEE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/210, Sr.; Toccoa (Ga.) Stephens County
THE BUZZ: Poole didn't do much in his first two seasons, then emerged as a star last fall for new coach Derek Dooley. Going into last season, Poole had carried 32 times for 171 yards. He started all 13 games last season and finished with 1,034 yards and 11 TDs. He tied for the SEC lead with six 100-yard games.
6. DOUG MARTIN, BOISE STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/215, Sr.; Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary's
THE BUZZ: He has rushed for 27 touchdowns in the past two seasons and became the Broncos' feature back last season, when he had 201 carries and 1,260 yards. He should be an even more important part of the offense this season because Boise's wide receiver corps is in flux.
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| Trent Richardson should be the focal point of Alabama's offense this season. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/224, Jr.; Pensacola Escambia
THE BUZZ: Richardson has been a productive backup, rushing for 1,451 yards and 14 TDs in his first two seasons, and he should be the focal point of the Tide's offense this season. He was a second-team All-SEC choice last season and should vie for All-America honors this fall.
4. CYRUS GRAY, TEXAS A&M
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/198, Sr.; DeSoto (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Gray is coming off an excellent junior campaign, one in which he rushed for 1,133 yards and 12 TDs despite sharing time for half the season with Christine Michael. After Michael was injured and lost for the season, the explosive Gray had seven consecutive 100-yard games.
3. MARCUS LATTIMORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/232, Soph.; Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
THE BUZZ: Lattimore was highly touted out of high school and lived up to the hype last season. He arrived in Columbia amid a ton of hype - and lived up to it. He ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he was a big reason South Carolina won its first SEC East title. He also had 29 receptions for 412 yards and two TDs. His rushing total was the third-best single-season mark in school history.
2. MONTEL HARRIS, BOSTON COLLEGE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/200, Sr.; Jacksonville Trinity Christian
THE BUZZ: Despite playing in an offense without much of a passing attack, Harris should end his career as the leading rusher in ACC history. Harris has 3,600 career yards, putting him 1,002 yards away from the record held by Ted Brown (4,602 yards for NC State from 1975-7
. Harris also has 21 career 100-yard games; Brown's ACC record is 27. Harris led the ACC with 103.6 rushing yards per game last season.1. LaMICHAEL JAMES, OREGON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/195, Jr.; Texarkana (Texas) Liberty-Eylau
THE BUZZ: James is coming off a monster 2010 season, one in which he finished third in the Heisman voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. He ran for a school single-season record of 1,731 yards, which led the nation. He also scored 24 TDs (21 rushing, three receiving), which set a school record and led the nation. He has played in 25 career games and reached the 100-yard plateau in 18 of them.
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Preseason top 20: Running backs
August 16, 2011
Rivals.com Staff
How much can a dominant running back transform a program? Just ask Oregon and South Carolina fans.
LaMichael James led the nation with 1,731 rushing yards last season and carried Oregon to its best season in school history - a wild ride that took the Ducks all the way to the BCS championship game. Marcus Lattimore took the SEC by storm as a true freshman and led the Gamecocks to their first East Division championship.
James and Lattimore are back this season, but who ranks alongside them as the nation's top running backs? We begin our breakdown of the nation's best players at each position with a look at running backs. "Best" doesn't necessarily mean the most pro potential or even the most talent. Instead, it's a mix of what the player has accomplished and how we think the player will do this season. But production does trump potential.
We will look at a position a day until Aug. 29, when we rank all 120 of the nation's quarterbacks. Wednesday, we will look at wide receivers. Here are the running back rankings.
20. STEPFAN TAYLOR, STANFORD
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/208, Jr.; Mansfield (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: As good as QB Andrew Luck is, Stanford opponents cannot ignore Taylor. Last season, Taylor took over for '09 Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. He gained more than 100 yards in seven games. He's also a good receiver.
19. DAVID WILSON, VIRGINIA TECH
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Jr.; Danville (Va.) George Washington
THE BUZZ: Wilson has been an important reserve/return man for the Hokies the past two seasons, but he will start this fall in the team's rebuilt offensive backfield. He ran for 619 yards and five TDs last season and also was an effective receiver. He also averaged 26.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns last season, taking two back for scores.
18. MARCUS COKER, IOWA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/230, Soph.; Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
THE BUZZ: Primarily a backup in 2010, Coker will be a key starter for Iowa this season. He started four games last season and responded by rushing for 508 yards and three touchdowns. When pressed into starting duty in the Insight Bowl, Coker earned most valuable player honors by rushing for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in six games last season and had as many as 20 carries just three times. A lack of opportunity won't be an issue this season.
17. LANCE DUNBAR, NORTH TEXAS
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/203, Sr.; Haltom City (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Dunbar has posted the third-highest rushing total nationally - 2,931 yards - over the past two seasons. Only Oregon's LaMichael James and Nevada's Vai Taua gained more. Dunbar followed up a 1,378-yard output in 2009 with 1,553 yards last season. Last season, he exceeded 200 rushing yards three times, including a season-high 270 vs. Big 12 member Kansas State. He had eight 100-yard performances, including 117 vs. Clemson.
16. BOBBY RAINEY, WESTERN KENTUCKY
THE PARTICULARS: 5-8/205, Sr.; Griffin (Ga.) High
THE BUZZ: Although toiling on a team that has managed just four victories in three seasons, Rainey is among the most productive running backs in the nation. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Rainey rushed for 1,649 yards in 2010 and was third in the nation behind Oregon's LaMichael James and Connecticut's Jordan Todman with a 137.4-yard average. A workhorse who had at least 30 carries in five games, Rainey rushed for at least 100 yards in nine games. And lest anyone dismiss his production because it was primarily against Sun Belt opponents, it should be noted that he ran for 155 yards against Nebraska, which was 11th in the nation in total defense last season.
15. JAMES WHITE, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/195, Soph.; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
THE BUZZ: The Big Ten freshman of the year in 2010, White aims to build on a tremendous debut season in which he rushed for 1,052 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. A big-play threat, four of White's 14 touchdown run covered at least 30 yards and two for more than 60. He received as many as 20 carries in just two games, but he figures to get more attempts this season.
14. RODNEY STEWART, COLORADO
THE PARTICULARS: 5-6/175, Sr. Westerville (Ohio) Brookhaven
THE BUZZ: The little guy has produced big results for the Buffaloes. Despite his stature, he proved his durability by carrying at least 27 times in five games last season. A three-year starter, Stewart enters his fourth season with 2,744 career rushing yards, including 1,318 last season. If he rushes for 1,197 this season, he'll set Colorado's career rushing record.
13. MICHAEL DYER, AUBURN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/210, Soph.; Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy
THE BUZZ: With QB Cam Newton gone, Dyer figures to become the focus of Auburn's offense, a responsibility he surely can handle. He runs with power and has breakaway speed. He ran for an Auburn-freshman record 1,093 yards despite getting fewer than 10 carries in six games. He had as many as 20 carries in just three games and gained 423 yards in those games, including 143 in the BCS national championship victory over Oregon.
12. MONTEE BALL, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/210, Jr.; Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
THE BUZZ: Ball is coming off a 996-yard performance in 2010, when he was the Badgers' No. 3 running back for much of the year. He did not receive as many as 20 carries until November, but then he rushed for at least 127 yards in five consecutive games, including 132 against TCU in the Rose Bowl. Ball, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry, will get more chances this season.
11. DAN HERRON, OHIO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Sr.; Warren (Ohio) Warren Harding
THE BUZZ: "Boom" is a blue-collar runner with a nose for the end zone. Equally adept at running between the tackles and around the end, Herron will be one of the Big Ten's top backs but must sit out the first five games for violating NCAA rules. Last season, he rushed for 1,155 yards and 16 TDs. He also caught 19 passes for 180 yards.
10. CHRIS POLK, WASHINGTON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/214, Jr.; Redlands (Calif.) East Valley
THE BUZZ: After missing most of 2008 because of injury, Polk has rushed for 2,528 yards and 14 TDs the past two seasons. He was most effective during the Huskies' four-game winning streak to end 2010, when he rushed for 685 yards and five TDs. Coaches will look to him for even more production because the Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback.
9. RONNIE HILLMAN, SAN DIEGO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/175, Soph.; La Habra (Calif.) High
THE BUZZ: Hillman ran for 1,532 yards and 17 TDs last season while leading the Mountain West and ranking 10th nationally with 117.9 rushing yards per game. He rushed for at least 150 yards in six of San Diego State's 12 games, including 228-yard efforts in a Poinsettia Bowl triumph over Navy and an early-season loss to Missouri.
8. EDWIN BAKER, MICHIGAN STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/208, Jr.; Oak Park (Mich.) High
THE BUZZ: Baker established himself last season, when he ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rushing at 92.4 yards per game (1,201 yards rushing for the season). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and figures to again have a big season for what should be a strong Michigan State offense.
7. TAUREN POOLE, TENNESSEE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/210, Sr.; Toccoa (Ga.) Stephens County
THE BUZZ: Poole didn't do much in his first two seasons, then emerged as a star last fall for new coach Derek Dooley. Going into last season, Poole had carried 32 times for 171 yards. He started all 13 games last season and finished with 1,034 yards and 11 TDs. He tied for the SEC lead with six 100-yard games.
6. DOUG MARTIN, BOISE STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/215, Sr.; Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary's
THE BUZZ: He has rushed for 27 touchdowns in the past two seasons and became the Broncos' feature back last season, when he had 201 carries and 1,260 yards. He should be an even more important part of the offense this season because Boise's wide receiver corps is in flux.
5. TRENT RICHARDSON, ALABAMA
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/224, Jr.; Pensacola Escambia
THE BUZZ: Richardson has been a productive backup, rushing for 1,451 yards and 14 TDs in his first two seasons, and he should be the focal point of the Tide's offense this season. He was a second-team All-SEC choice last season and should vie for All-America honors this fall.
4. CYRUS GRAY, TEXAS A&M
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/198, Sr.; DeSoto (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Gray is coming off an excellent junior campaign, one in which he rushed for 1,133 yards and 12 TDs despite sharing time for half the season with Christine Michael. After Michael was injured and lost for the season, the explosive Gray had seven consecutive 100-yard games.
3. MARCUS LATTIMORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/232, Soph.; Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
THE BUZZ: Lattimore was highly touted out of high school and lived up to the hype last season. He arrived in Columbia amid a ton of hype - and lived up to it. He ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he was a big reason South Carolina won its first SEC East title. He also had 29 receptions for 412 yards and two TDs. His rushing total was the third-best single-season mark in school history.
2. MONTEL HARRIS, BOSTON COLLEGE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/200, Sr.; Jacksonville Trinity Christian
THE BUZZ: Despite playing in an offense without much of a passing attack, Harris should end his career as the leading rusher in ACC history. Harris has 3,600 career yards, putting him 1,002 yards away from the record held by Ted Brown (4,602 yards for NC State from 1975-7. Harris also has 21 career 100-yard games; Brown's ACC record is 27. Harris led the ACC with 103.6 rushing yards per game last season.
1. LaMICHAEL JAMES, OREGON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/195, Jr.; Texarkana (Texas) Liberty-Eylau
THE BUZZ: James is coming off a monster 2010 season, one in which he finished third in the Heisman voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. He ran for a school single-season record of 1,731 yards, which led the nation. He also scored 24 TDs (21 rushing, three receiving), which set a school record and led the nation. He has played in 25 career games and reached the 100-yard plateau in 18 of them.
August 16, 2011
Rivals.com Staff
How much can a dominant running back transform a program? Just ask Oregon and South Carolina fans.
LaMichael James led the nation with 1,731 rushing yards last season and carried Oregon to its best season in school history - a wild ride that took the Ducks all the way to the BCS championship game. Marcus Lattimore took the SEC by storm as a true freshman and led the Gamecocks to their first East Division championship.
James and Lattimore are back this season, but who ranks alongside them as the nation's top running backs? We begin our breakdown of the nation's best players at each position with a look at running backs. "Best" doesn't necessarily mean the most pro potential or even the most talent. Instead, it's a mix of what the player has accomplished and how we think the player will do this season. But production does trump potential.
We will look at a position a day until Aug. 29, when we rank all 120 of the nation's quarterbacks. Wednesday, we will look at wide receivers. Here are the running back rankings.
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| Virginia Tech's David Wilson won't spend a lot of time on the bench this season. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/208, Jr.; Mansfield (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: As good as QB Andrew Luck is, Stanford opponents cannot ignore Taylor. Last season, Taylor took over for '09 Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. He gained more than 100 yards in seven games. He's also a good receiver.
19. DAVID WILSON, VIRGINIA TECH
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Jr.; Danville (Va.) George Washington
THE BUZZ: Wilson has been an important reserve/return man for the Hokies the past two seasons, but he will start this fall in the team's rebuilt offensive backfield. He ran for 619 yards and five TDs last season and also was an effective receiver. He also averaged 26.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns last season, taking two back for scores.
18. MARCUS COKER, IOWA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/230, Soph.; Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
THE BUZZ: Primarily a backup in 2010, Coker will be a key starter for Iowa this season. He started four games last season and responded by rushing for 508 yards and three touchdowns. When pressed into starting duty in the Insight Bowl, Coker earned most valuable player honors by rushing for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in six games last season and had as many as 20 carries just three times. A lack of opportunity won't be an issue this season.
17. LANCE DUNBAR, NORTH TEXAS
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/203, Sr.; Haltom City (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Dunbar has posted the third-highest rushing total nationally - 2,931 yards - over the past two seasons. Only Oregon's LaMichael James and Nevada's Vai Taua gained more. Dunbar followed up a 1,378-yard output in 2009 with 1,553 yards last season. Last season, he exceeded 200 rushing yards three times, including a season-high 270 vs. Big 12 member Kansas State. He had eight 100-yard performances, including 117 vs. Clemson.
16. BOBBY RAINEY, WESTERN KENTUCKY
THE PARTICULARS: 5-8/205, Sr.; Griffin (Ga.) High
THE BUZZ: Although toiling on a team that has managed just four victories in three seasons, Rainey is among the most productive running backs in the nation. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Rainey rushed for 1,649 yards in 2010 and was third in the nation behind Oregon's LaMichael James and Connecticut's Jordan Todman with a 137.4-yard average. A workhorse who had at least 30 carries in five games, Rainey rushed for at least 100 yards in nine games. And lest anyone dismiss his production because it was primarily against Sun Belt opponents, it should be noted that he ran for 155 yards against Nebraska, which was 11th in the nation in total defense last season.
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| Wisconsin's James White ran for 1,052 yards and averaged 6.7 yard per carry. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/195, Soph.; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
THE BUZZ: The Big Ten freshman of the year in 2010, White aims to build on a tremendous debut season in which he rushed for 1,052 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. A big-play threat, four of White's 14 touchdown run covered at least 30 yards and two for more than 60. He received as many as 20 carries in just two games, but he figures to get more attempts this season.
14. RODNEY STEWART, COLORADO
THE PARTICULARS: 5-6/175, Sr. Westerville (Ohio) Brookhaven
THE BUZZ: The little guy has produced big results for the Buffaloes. Despite his stature, he proved his durability by carrying at least 27 times in five games last season. A three-year starter, Stewart enters his fourth season with 2,744 career rushing yards, including 1,318 last season. If he rushes for 1,197 this season, he'll set Colorado's career rushing record.
13. MICHAEL DYER, AUBURN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/210, Soph.; Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy
THE BUZZ: With QB Cam Newton gone, Dyer figures to become the focus of Auburn's offense, a responsibility he surely can handle. He runs with power and has breakaway speed. He ran for an Auburn-freshman record 1,093 yards despite getting fewer than 10 carries in six games. He had as many as 20 carries in just three games and gained 423 yards in those games, including 143 in the BCS national championship victory over Oregon.
12. MONTEE BALL, WISCONSIN
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/210, Jr.; Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
THE BUZZ: Ball is coming off a 996-yard performance in 2010, when he was the Badgers' No. 3 running back for much of the year. He did not receive as many as 20 carries until November, but then he rushed for at least 127 yards in five consecutive games, including 132 against TCU in the Rose Bowl. Ball, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry, will get more chances this season.
11. DAN HERRON, OHIO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/205, Sr.; Warren (Ohio) Warren Harding
THE BUZZ: "Boom" is a blue-collar runner with a nose for the end zone. Equally adept at running between the tackles and around the end, Herron will be one of the Big Ten's top backs but must sit out the first five games for violating NCAA rules. Last season, he rushed for 1,155 yards and 16 TDs. He also caught 19 passes for 180 yards.
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| Ronnie Hillman ran for at least 150 yards in six of SDSU's 12 games in 2010. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/214, Jr.; Redlands (Calif.) East Valley
THE BUZZ: After missing most of 2008 because of injury, Polk has rushed for 2,528 yards and 14 TDs the past two seasons. He was most effective during the Huskies' four-game winning streak to end 2010, when he rushed for 685 yards and five TDs. Coaches will look to him for even more production because the Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback.
9. RONNIE HILLMAN, SAN DIEGO STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/175, Soph.; La Habra (Calif.) High
THE BUZZ: Hillman ran for 1,532 yards and 17 TDs last season while leading the Mountain West and ranking 10th nationally with 117.9 rushing yards per game. He rushed for at least 150 yards in six of San Diego State's 12 games, including 228-yard efforts in a Poinsettia Bowl triumph over Navy and an early-season loss to Missouri.
8. EDWIN BAKER, MICHIGAN STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/208, Jr.; Oak Park (Mich.) High
THE BUZZ: Baker established himself last season, when he ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rushing at 92.4 yards per game (1,201 yards rushing for the season). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and figures to again have a big season for what should be a strong Michigan State offense.
7. TAUREN POOLE, TENNESSEE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/210, Sr.; Toccoa (Ga.) Stephens County
THE BUZZ: Poole didn't do much in his first two seasons, then emerged as a star last fall for new coach Derek Dooley. Going into last season, Poole had carried 32 times for 171 yards. He started all 13 games last season and finished with 1,034 yards and 11 TDs. He tied for the SEC lead with six 100-yard games.
6. DOUG MARTIN, BOISE STATE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/215, Sr.; Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary's
THE BUZZ: He has rushed for 27 touchdowns in the past two seasons and became the Broncos' feature back last season, when he had 201 carries and 1,260 yards. He should be an even more important part of the offense this season because Boise's wide receiver corps is in flux.
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| Trent Richardson should be the focal point of Alabama's offense this season. |
THE PARTICULARS: 5-11/224, Jr.; Pensacola Escambia
THE BUZZ: Richardson has been a productive backup, rushing for 1,451 yards and 14 TDs in his first two seasons, and he should be the focal point of the Tide's offense this season. He was a second-team All-SEC choice last season and should vie for All-America honors this fall.
4. CYRUS GRAY, TEXAS A&M
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/198, Sr.; DeSoto (Texas) High
THE BUZZ: Gray is coming off an excellent junior campaign, one in which he rushed for 1,133 yards and 12 TDs despite sharing time for half the season with Christine Michael. After Michael was injured and lost for the season, the explosive Gray had seven consecutive 100-yard games.
3. MARCUS LATTIMORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
THE PARTICULARS: 6-0/232, Soph.; Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
THE BUZZ: Lattimore was highly touted out of high school and lived up to the hype last season. He arrived in Columbia amid a ton of hype - and lived up to it. He ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he was a big reason South Carolina won its first SEC East title. He also had 29 receptions for 412 yards and two TDs. His rushing total was the third-best single-season mark in school history.
2. MONTEL HARRIS, BOSTON COLLEGE
THE PARTICULARS: 5-10/200, Sr.; Jacksonville Trinity Christian
THE BUZZ: Despite playing in an offense without much of a passing attack, Harris should end his career as the leading rusher in ACC history. Harris has 3,600 career yards, putting him 1,002 yards away from the record held by Ted Brown (4,602 yards for NC State from 1975-7
. Harris also has 21 career 100-yard games; Brown's ACC record is 27. Harris led the ACC with 103.6 rushing yards per game last season.1. LaMICHAEL JAMES, OREGON
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/195, Jr.; Texarkana (Texas) Liberty-Eylau
THE BUZZ: James is coming off a monster 2010 season, one in which he finished third in the Heisman voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. He ran for a school single-season record of 1,731 yards, which led the nation. He also scored 24 TDs (21 rushing, three receiving), which set a school record and led the nation. He has played in 25 career games and reached the 100-yard plateau in 18 of them.
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Havent heard from anybody on that. I would assume they will keep the lines open with him and keep recruiting him.
ND/Michigan game has a wedding during it for me. I will be leaving around 9PM est to catch up on the 1st hour and half I miss, will be blasted throough on DVR
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Havent heard from anybody on that. I would assume they will keep the lines open with him and keep recruiting him.
ND/Michigan game has a wedding during it for me. I will be leaving around 9PM est to catch up on the 1st hour and half I miss, will be blasted throough on DVR
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With kickoffs two weeks and some change away, what's y'all expectations for your squad this season?
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With kickoffs two weeks and some change away, what's y'all expectations for your squad this season?
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Fri Aug 12 02:54pm EDT
[h2]Debriefing: Aaron Murray points Georgia’s way out of No-Man’s Land[/h2]
By Matt Hinton
The least you should know about the 2011 Bulldogs. Part of SEC Week.
• Big Man On Campus. Most of the preseason hype has been reserved for All-Universe running back recruit Isaiah Crowell, and it's not hard to see why under the circumstances. Quarterback Aaron Murray got more airtime in 2010 as Nick Fairley's personal punching bag in a 49-31 loss to Auburn than as a breakout passer, a predictable fate for a redshirt freshman whose team opened 1-4 in a conference that also featured a) The eventual Heisman Trophy winner, b) A future second-round draft pick and c) A would-be Rhodes scholar with a BCS championship ring at the same position — all for teams that spent nearly the entire season in the top 15 of the national polls.
But Murray more than held his own statistically, completing upwards of 60 percent of his passes with three times as many touchdowns (24) as interceptions (
and the highest pass efficiency rating in the country for a freshman. And despite his non-NFL-friendly size (officially, Murray checks in at 6-foot-1, 211 pounds), he tied Ryan Mallett for the SEC lead and finished in the top 10 nationally with 35 completions covering at least 25 yards. He finished with the second-best yards-per-completion average in the conference, behind only Cam Newton.
If that seems like lofty company for a guy at the helm of Georgia's first losing season in 15 years, consider that Murray was generally pretty good even when the team was bad: He passed for at least 250 yards with an efficiency rating of at least 130 (a hair above the national average) in four of the Bulldogs' six regular season losses, and delivered three touchdown passes in each of the high-scoring defeats against Colorado, Florida and Auburn. Consider also that the UGA defense allowed 30.6 points per game in those six losses, while the offense scored at least 24 in four of them, and you can understand why Murray is a popular choice as the best returning passer in the SEC.
• A little help? Of course, it's no coincidence that Georgia's early misfortune changed with the return of spectacular receiver A.J. Green from a four-game suspension that cost him the entire month of September. Before his return, the Bulldogs averaged 14 points over the course of a three-game losing streak in their first three SEC games; after, they averaged slightly over 35 points in the process of going 5-3 over their last eight, including 40-point outbursts against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia Tech. That crutch is long gone now, and while junior Tavarres King and Orson Charles are athletic, reliable targets, they're not going to do anything like this to bring in a jump ball — that is, with Green, Murray could sometimes get away with balls thrown "in the vicinity," but the margin of error narrows considerably anytime a playmaker of Green's caliber (not to mention three starting offensive linemen) exits the premises. http://
The other blaring red siren on offense is the embarrassing, 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, which played out like a slow-motion, three-hour car crash. Murray hit the wall personally with two interceptions, zero touchdowns, only one completion covering more than 20 yards and a meager 88.5 efficiency rating — the first time all season he finished with a rating below 130. It was his only truly bad game, but coming as it did on the heels his best game — a 15-of-19, 272-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 42-34 win over Georgia Tech — it was a mystifying regression.
• Get back to where you once belonged. The Bulldogs finished in the top 15 nationally in both scoring and total defense three years in a row under coordinator Brian Van Gorder from 2002-04, and in the top 20 on both counts under successor Willie Martinez from 2005-07. Surprise: Those six seasons produced five outright or shared division titles, five top-10 finishes and two SEC championships.
The three seasons hence: With virtually identical numbers from the offense —scoring, yardage and pass efficiency averages over 2008-10 are slightly better than the averages from 2002-07 — the defense's steady descent into the middle of the pack has left head coach Mark Richt and the fan base alike grasping for a spark that even Green wasn't able to give them the last two years. Crowell's advance hype suggests he could be that guy, maybe right away. But even if he is, who is that guy on defense? With disruptive pass rusher Justin Houston gone a year early to the NFL, no Georgia defender showed up as a first-team pick on the coaches' preseason All-SEC team, and only two (defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson and cornerback Brandon Boykin) appeared on the second or third teams. Sophomore linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree and massive juco transfer John Jenkins bring first-rate talent to the front seven, but not much significant experience, and it's hard to argue talent has ever been an issue.
Right now, the status quo on offense is enough to win the division. But the first go-round under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was nearly identical to the effort that got Martinez fired a year earlier, and the record will only come around when the defense stops running in place.
• Match point. After three straight seasons of progressive disappointment, Richt brokered improbable optimism in February by signing a blockbuster recruiting class and vowed that he would approach his tenth season in Athens feeling "revived as a coach." That momentum could multiply or backfire quickly: Like last year, the Bulldogs' course will be largely set in the first six games, especially the season opener against Boise State in Atlanta and the SEC opener against South Carolina a week later. Georgia could conceivably come out of those game 2-0 and looking like a serious frontrunner in a wide-open division, or 0-2 and on the fast track to a December coaching search.
If the momentum goes south again in another early slide, there's no time to recover with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee right around the corner and Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech still waiting down the stretch. Those are going to be meaningful games one way or another, but whether that meaning is defined by opportunity or desperation will be clear very quickly.
- - -
[h2]Debriefing: Aaron Murray points Georgia’s way out of No-Man’s Land[/h2]
By Matt Hinton
The least you should know about the 2011 Bulldogs. Part of SEC Week.
But Murray more than held his own statistically, completing upwards of 60 percent of his passes with three times as many touchdowns (24) as interceptions (
• A little help? Of course, it's no coincidence that Georgia's early misfortune changed with the return of spectacular receiver A.J. Green from a four-game suspension that cost him the entire month of September. Before his return, the Bulldogs averaged 14 points over the course of a three-game losing streak in their first three SEC games; after, they averaged slightly over 35 points in the process of going 5-3 over their last eight, including 40-point outbursts against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia Tech. That crutch is long gone now, and while junior Tavarres King and Orson Charles are athletic, reliable targets, they're not going to do anything like this to bring in a jump ball — that is, with Green, Murray could sometimes get away with balls thrown "in the vicinity," but the margin of error narrows considerably anytime a playmaker of Green's caliber (not to mention three starting offensive linemen) exits the premises. http://
The other blaring red siren on offense is the embarrassing, 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, which played out like a slow-motion, three-hour car crash. Murray hit the wall personally with two interceptions, zero touchdowns, only one completion covering more than 20 yards and a meager 88.5 efficiency rating — the first time all season he finished with a rating below 130. It was his only truly bad game, but coming as it did on the heels his best game — a 15-of-19, 272-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 42-34 win over Georgia Tech — it was a mystifying regression.
• Get back to where you once belonged. The Bulldogs finished in the top 15 nationally in both scoring and total defense three years in a row under coordinator Brian Van Gorder from 2002-04, and in the top 20 on both counts under successor Willie Martinez from 2005-07. Surprise: Those six seasons produced five outright or shared division titles, five top-10 finishes and two SEC championships.
Right now, the status quo on offense is enough to win the division. But the first go-round under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was nearly identical to the effort that got Martinez fired a year earlier, and the record will only come around when the defense stops running in place.
• Match point. After three straight seasons of progressive disappointment, Richt brokered improbable optimism in February by signing a blockbuster recruiting class and vowed that he would approach his tenth season in Athens feeling "revived as a coach." That momentum could multiply or backfire quickly: Like last year, the Bulldogs' course will be largely set in the first six games, especially the season opener against Boise State in Atlanta and the SEC opener against South Carolina a week later. Georgia could conceivably come out of those game 2-0 and looking like a serious frontrunner in a wide-open division, or 0-2 and on the fast track to a December coaching search.
If the momentum goes south again in another early slide, there's no time to recover with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee right around the corner and Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech still waiting down the stretch. Those are going to be meaningful games one way or another, but whether that meaning is defined by opportunity or desperation will be clear very quickly.
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Fri Aug 12 02:54pm EDT
[h2]Debriefing: Aaron Murray points Georgia’s way out of No-Man’s Land[/h2]
By Matt Hinton
The least you should know about the 2011 Bulldogs. Part of SEC Week.
• Big Man On Campus. Most of the preseason hype has been reserved for All-Universe running back recruit Isaiah Crowell, and it's not hard to see why under the circumstances. Quarterback Aaron Murray got more airtime in 2010 as Nick Fairley's personal punching bag in a 49-31 loss to Auburn than as a breakout passer, a predictable fate for a redshirt freshman whose team opened 1-4 in a conference that also featured a) The eventual Heisman Trophy winner, b) A future second-round draft pick and c) A would-be Rhodes scholar with a BCS championship ring at the same position — all for teams that spent nearly the entire season in the top 15 of the national polls.
But Murray more than held his own statistically, completing upwards of 60 percent of his passes with three times as many touchdowns (24) as interceptions (
and the highest pass efficiency rating in the country for a freshman. And despite his non-NFL-friendly size (officially, Murray checks in at 6-foot-1, 211 pounds), he tied Ryan Mallett for the SEC lead and finished in the top 10 nationally with 35 completions covering at least 25 yards. He finished with the second-best yards-per-completion average in the conference, behind only Cam Newton.
If that seems like lofty company for a guy at the helm of Georgia's first losing season in 15 years, consider that Murray was generally pretty good even when the team was bad: He passed for at least 250 yards with an efficiency rating of at least 130 (a hair above the national average) in four of the Bulldogs' six regular season losses, and delivered three touchdown passes in each of the high-scoring defeats against Colorado, Florida and Auburn. Consider also that the UGA defense allowed 30.6 points per game in those six losses, while the offense scored at least 24 in four of them, and you can understand why Murray is a popular choice as the best returning passer in the SEC.
• A little help? Of course, it's no coincidence that Georgia's early misfortune changed with the return of spectacular receiver A.J. Green from a four-game suspension that cost him the entire month of September. Before his return, the Bulldogs averaged 14 points over the course of a three-game losing streak in their first three SEC games; after, they averaged slightly over 35 points in the process of going 5-3 over their last eight, including 40-point outbursts against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia Tech. That crutch is long gone now, and while junior Tavarres King and Orson Charles are athletic, reliable targets, they're not going to do anything like this to bring in a jump ball — that is, with Green, Murray could sometimes get away with balls thrown "in the vicinity," but the margin of error narrows considerably anytime a playmaker of Green's caliber (not to mention three starting offensive linemen) exits the premises. http://
The other blaring red siren on offense is the embarrassing, 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, which played out like a slow-motion, three-hour car crash. Murray hit the wall personally with two interceptions, zero touchdowns, only one completion covering more than 20 yards and a meager 88.5 efficiency rating — the first time all season he finished with a rating below 130. It was his only truly bad game, but coming as it did on the heels his best game — a 15-of-19, 272-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 42-34 win over Georgia Tech — it was a mystifying regression.
• Get back to where you once belonged. The Bulldogs finished in the top 15 nationally in both scoring and total defense three years in a row under coordinator Brian Van Gorder from 2002-04, and in the top 20 on both counts under successor Willie Martinez from 2005-07. Surprise: Those six seasons produced five outright or shared division titles, five top-10 finishes and two SEC championships.
The three seasons hence: With virtually identical numbers from the offense —scoring, yardage and pass efficiency averages over 2008-10 are slightly better than the averages from 2002-07 — the defense's steady descent into the middle of the pack has left head coach Mark Richt and the fan base alike grasping for a spark that even Green wasn't able to give them the last two years. Crowell's advance hype suggests he could be that guy, maybe right away. But even if he is, who is that guy on defense? With disruptive pass rusher Justin Houston gone a year early to the NFL, no Georgia defender showed up as a first-team pick on the coaches' preseason All-SEC team, and only two (defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson and cornerback Brandon Boykin) appeared on the second or third teams. Sophomore linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree and massive juco transfer John Jenkins bring first-rate talent to the front seven, but not much significant experience, and it's hard to argue talent has ever been an issue.
Right now, the status quo on offense is enough to win the division. But the first go-round under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was nearly identical to the effort that got Martinez fired a year earlier, and the record will only come around when the defense stops running in place.
• Match point. After three straight seasons of progressive disappointment, Richt brokered improbable optimism in February by signing a blockbuster recruiting class and vowed that he would approach his tenth season in Athens feeling "revived as a coach." That momentum could multiply or backfire quickly: Like last year, the Bulldogs' course will be largely set in the first six games, especially the season opener against Boise State in Atlanta and the SEC opener against South Carolina a week later. Georgia could conceivably come out of those game 2-0 and looking like a serious frontrunner in a wide-open division, or 0-2 and on the fast track to a December coaching search.
If the momentum goes south again in another early slide, there's no time to recover with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee right around the corner and Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech still waiting down the stretch. Those are going to be meaningful games one way or another, but whether that meaning is defined by opportunity or desperation will be clear very quickly.
- - -
[h2]Debriefing: Aaron Murray points Georgia’s way out of No-Man’s Land[/h2]
By Matt Hinton
The least you should know about the 2011 Bulldogs. Part of SEC Week.
But Murray more than held his own statistically, completing upwards of 60 percent of his passes with three times as many touchdowns (24) as interceptions (
• A little help? Of course, it's no coincidence that Georgia's early misfortune changed with the return of spectacular receiver A.J. Green from a four-game suspension that cost him the entire month of September. Before his return, the Bulldogs averaged 14 points over the course of a three-game losing streak in their first three SEC games; after, they averaged slightly over 35 points in the process of going 5-3 over their last eight, including 40-point outbursts against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia Tech. That crutch is long gone now, and while junior Tavarres King and Orson Charles are athletic, reliable targets, they're not going to do anything like this to bring in a jump ball — that is, with Green, Murray could sometimes get away with balls thrown "in the vicinity," but the margin of error narrows considerably anytime a playmaker of Green's caliber (not to mention three starting offensive linemen) exits the premises. http://
The other blaring red siren on offense is the embarrassing, 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, which played out like a slow-motion, three-hour car crash. Murray hit the wall personally with two interceptions, zero touchdowns, only one completion covering more than 20 yards and a meager 88.5 efficiency rating — the first time all season he finished with a rating below 130. It was his only truly bad game, but coming as it did on the heels his best game — a 15-of-19, 272-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 42-34 win over Georgia Tech — it was a mystifying regression.
• Get back to where you once belonged. The Bulldogs finished in the top 15 nationally in both scoring and total defense three years in a row under coordinator Brian Van Gorder from 2002-04, and in the top 20 on both counts under successor Willie Martinez from 2005-07. Surprise: Those six seasons produced five outright or shared division titles, five top-10 finishes and two SEC championships.
Right now, the status quo on offense is enough to win the division. But the first go-round under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was nearly identical to the effort that got Martinez fired a year earlier, and the record will only come around when the defense stops running in place.
• Match point. After three straight seasons of progressive disappointment, Richt brokered improbable optimism in February by signing a blockbuster recruiting class and vowed that he would approach his tenth season in Athens feeling "revived as a coach." That momentum could multiply or backfire quickly: Like last year, the Bulldogs' course will be largely set in the first six games, especially the season opener against Boise State in Atlanta and the SEC opener against South Carolina a week later. Georgia could conceivably come out of those game 2-0 and looking like a serious frontrunner in a wide-open division, or 0-2 and on the fast track to a December coaching search.
If the momentum goes south again in another early slide, there's no time to recover with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee right around the corner and Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech still waiting down the stretch. Those are going to be meaningful games one way or another, but whether that meaning is defined by opportunity or desperation will be clear very quickly.
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I might be alone in this, but I think with that schedule & the fact that Thomas is a first-time starter, David Wilson will be in the Heisman talk. Not going to say he wins it or even gets an invite to New York, but things are on his side.Originally Posted by dreClark
@ an ACC back (not named Montel Harris) making it on that list over CJ 2K Jr.
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I might be alone in this, but I think with that schedule & the fact that Thomas is a first-time starter, David Wilson will be in the Heisman talk. Not going to say he wins it or even gets an invite to New York, but things are on his side.Originally Posted by dreClark
@ an ACC back (not named Montel Harris) making it on that list over CJ 2K Jr.
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Looking at that SI cover...isn't that old pictures? Because Luck has a hobo type beard now...just wondering
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Looking at that SI cover...isn't that old pictures? Because Luck has a hobo type beard now...just wondering
- 30,498
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BOOOOOOM
. Can't wait to see him @ Lincoln...
Good stuff on Murray... Hopefully he leads the Dawgs back to the promise land.
Good stuff on Murray... Hopefully he leads the Dawgs back to the promise land.
- 30,498
- 5,958
BOOOOOOM
. Can't wait to see him @ Lincoln...
Good stuff on Murray... Hopefully he leads the Dawgs back to the promise land.
Good stuff on Murray... Hopefully he leads the Dawgs back to the promise land.
- 43,659
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Dunno how old the Luck picture is, but the Jersey Alshon is wearing looks like the new joint. And the leaked picks from a couple weeks ago of Alshon in the new home jerseys is what started all the ruckus. Certainly the SI people could've just photoshopped the new jerseys, but idk.
- 43,659
- 8,662
Dunno how old the Luck picture is, but the Jersey Alshon is wearing looks like the new joint. And the leaked picks from a couple weeks ago of Alshon in the new home jerseys is what started all the ruckus. Certainly the SI people could've just photoshopped the new jerseys, but idk.
- 7,307
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Best case: 11-1 with a Fiesta Bowl appearance
Worst case: 8-4 with an Alamo or Insight Bowl appearance
Most likely: 10-2 (I'm having a hard time deciding between 10-2 or 9-3) with a Cotton Bowl appearance
- 7,307
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Best case: 11-1 with a Fiesta Bowl appearance
Worst case: 8-4 with an Alamo or Insight Bowl appearance
Most likely: 10-2 (I'm having a hard time deciding between 10-2 or 9-3) with a Cotton Bowl appearance
