2010 College Football Predictions: Top Five Running Back Duos in the Nation

There is always a lot of talk, conjecture, and debate when it comes to individually ranking the top running backs in the nation.

But what about the top running back duos—that is, the best backs who are teammates.

Here are my top five. I encourage everyone to post your comments on which of my rankings you agree or disagree with.


Duo Number Five

Brandon Saine and Dan Herron - Ohio State

In 2008, Herron replaced the injured Beanie Wells and impressed the coaches so much that he entered 2009 as the starter.

Saine came back healthy in 2009 and led the Buckeyes in rushing yards by a running back with 739. He also had 224 receiving yards and scored six total touchdowns.

Herron added 600 yards on the ground and seven touchdown runs.

Entering 2010, it appears that Saine is the No. 1 back with Herron a very close second.

With the O-line expected to be one of the best in the country, another huge year from the Buckeye backfield should be on tap.


Duo Number Four

Adam Robinson and Jewell Hampton or Adam Wegher - Iowa

With Hampton out for the season due to injury, Robinson led the Hawkeyes rushing attack in 2009 with 834 yards and five touchdowns, and Wegher added another 641 yards and eight scores.

Before being injured, Hampton was considered to be the guy who would take over for NFL-departed Shonn Greene.

In 2008, Hampton rushed for 463 yards and scored seven times as Greene's backup.

I'm sure Robinson did enough in 2009 to be Iowa's No. 1 or No. 2 in 2010, so the only question is who will be his main sidekick, Hampton or Wegher?

I'm still leaning towards Hampton, but no matter who it ends up being, expect plenty of production behind their big line and the reduction of pressure on turnover-prone quarterback Ricky Stanzi.


Duo Number Three

Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray - Texas A & M

A year ago, Michael just edged Gray to lead the Aggies in rushing with 844 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gray added 757 rushing yards, 226 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving).

QB Jerrod Johnson, who is also a pretty decent ball carrier himself, is one of the best passers in the Big 12 and is expected to pass more than scramble this season.

That should allow Michael and Gray even more running room in 2010.

1,000 yards seasons could be possible for both.


Duo Number Two

Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson - Alabama

Everyone knows about Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winner. He gained 1658 yards on the ground and had 334 receiving yards. In total, he scored 20 touchdowns (17 rushing, three receiving).

Not everyone knows about Ricahrdson, but they soon will. He is considered by many experts and fans alike as one of the best non-starters in college football.

Last season, he averaged nearly 5.2 yards per carry, as he rushed for 751 yards and scored eight touchdowns.

Only a sophomore in 2010, he's tough,fast, and just might someday be Alabama's second Heisman winner.

He was twice named the SEC freshman of the week in 2009 and was also tabbed as a member of the SEC All-Freshmen team.

QB Greg McElroy seems more of a game manager type to me, so it's not hard to imagine another huge year rushing for the Tide with both Ingram and Richardson carrying the rock.


Duo Number One

Ryan Williams and Darren Evans - Virginia Tech

Coach Frank Beamer has a huge problem on his hands heading into 2010.

However, it's not a problem he minds having.

How will he decide which one of his star running backs will be 1A and 1B?

In 2008, freshman Darren Evans rushed for 1,265 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Prior to the 2009 season, Evans tore the ACL in his left knee and was lost for the entire season.

Hokie fans were at a loss and many thought the season would be a disaster.

But for the second straight season, a freshman, this time Ryan Williams, ran wild.

Williams unexpectedly had one of the best statistical seasons of any back in the nation, gaining 1,655 yards and finding the end zone 21 times.

Expectations are sky high for the 2010 Hokies, and Williams and Evans are two of the biggest reasons, justifiably so.


That's it. That's the list. Now let's hear from my fans and haters alike.

Let the debating begin.


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College Football's Top 10 Running Backs For 2010, Unbiased Edition

I usually only write about Ohio State football, but occasionally I like "talking shop" about college football in general.

As fall camps and the start of the 2010 college football season nears, I made a few changes to an article I had previously posted here on B/R, and this is the end result. I figured, where's the harm in getting a bit more mileage out of this topic, eh?

These, in my opinion, are the top 10 running backs in the country heading into the 2010 college football season, along with a few thoughts on why each of them made my list.


Honorable Mention—Brandon Saine—Ohio State Buckeyes

It has truly been a long time coming, but Saine, who is in his final season at Ohio State, should get his chance to be the No. 1 back for the 2010 Buckeyes, although Dan Herron will also see the field plenty as option 1-B for the Bucks.

If not for the fact that I am unsure of just how much Herron (possibly along with Jaamal Berry and Jordan Hall) might be used in place of Saine throughout the season, I'd probably have him in my top 10.

He possesses a nice combination of speed and power, which allows him to run inside or out on the edges, and he's also dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield or in the slot.

If he can avoid the injury big that has plagued his career at Ohio State, I fully expect Saine to have the breakout year every Buckeye fan has been expecting from him since he first arrived on campus in 2006, and ultimately for him to ascend into the top 10 by seasons' end.


No. 10—Roy Helu Jr—Nebraska Cornhuskers

Helu will be a senior in 2010, and will look to build on a solid 2009 campaign in which he rushed for 1,147 yards and scored nine touchdowns.

The Big 12 could be down in 2010, but many believe Coach Bo Pelini has Nebraska on the threshold of a return to the top 10. If they get there or not, Helu's production will be a big part of why they do or don't met those expectations.


No. 9—Lance Dunbar—North Texas Mean Green

Sometimes, depsite the team or the conference a player is on or in, you can't help but notice them and give them the recognition they deserve.

As bad as the Mean Green have been, junior-to-be tailback Lance Dunbar has been conversely outstanding.

In 2009, he gained 1,378 yards and scored 17 rushing touchdowns. He also added 300 yards receiving and caught three TD passes. You can bet Dunbar will be the catalyst if North Texas exceeds their 2009 win total of two in 2010.


No. 8—Montel Harris—Boston College Eagles

Last season, Harris quietly rushed for over 100 yards in eight of BC's 13 games, totaling 1,457 yards and 14 touchdowns.

In week seven against NC State, he had a career day, amassing 264 rushing yards and finding the endzone five times.

For much of 2009, the talk surrounding BC was about Mark Herzlich's battle with cancer, but in 2010, with Herzlich set to return after treatment, Harris is good enough that he might end up being the No. 1 topic of discussion pertaining to the Eagles. He could even find himself in the discussion as a darkhorse for the 2010 Heisman.


No. 7—Ricky Dobbs—Navy Midshipmen

Technically, Dobbs is a QB, but at Navy, the QB is a glorified running back.

He passed for over 1,000 yards and tossed six TD passes in 2009, so why is he on this list you ask? Because, it was the damage he did carrying the ball out of the Navy triple-option where he truly excelled and made his mark in '09.

Dobbs rushed for 1,192 yards and scored 27 rushing touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. Here's some perspective on just how good Dobbs was/is.

He missed two games last year or he might have had closer to 1,500 yards rushing and over 30 rushing touchdowns, numbers certainly attainable for him in 2010 if he remains injury-free.


No. 6—Noel Devine—West Virginia Mountaineers

Devine decided to return to Morgantown for his senior season and the Mountaineers and their fans are glad to once again have his services.

Last season, his first without star-QB Pat White next to him in the backfield, he rushed for 1,465 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

In 2010, he could once again be asked to shoulder the bulk of the workload as outgoing QB Jarrett Brown must be replaced. Another 1,400+ yards and 15-plus touchdowns certainly is a likely possibility for Devine. That is, if WVU doesn't become too one-dimensional with a new, under-experienced signal caller.


No. 5—JacQuizz Rodgers—Oregon State Beavers

In two seasons, Rodgers has rushed for over 2,700 yards and scored 32 touchdowns.

With USC's dominance now in question, and Oregon having a Miami-Florida type offseason so far, Oregon State could finally be the team to beat in the Pac-10.

Rodgers, who has been mentioned as a possible early Heisman candidate, has done his part up to this point, and I expect nothing less than more of the same from him in 2010.


No. 4—John Clay—Wisconsin Badgers

Clay led the Big Ten in rushing as a sophomore in 2010 with 1,517 yards and he added 18 touchdowns.

He was voted the Big Ten Offensive POY, and should be on track for another big year with the progression of the Badger's passing game under QB Scott Tolzien. The passing game and running game should compliment each other very well in 2010, allowing Clay to post another huge year statistically.

He ran wild on practically every opponent but one last season. Ohio State held him scoreless and to only 59 yards on 20 carries in 2009. At least he only has to face them once in 2010, and it will be at home in Madison, witihin the friendly confines of Camp Randall Stadium.


No. 3—Ryan Williams—Virginia Tech Hokies

It's funny how things work out sometimes.

In 2008, freshman tailback Darren Evans was a beast for the Hokies. He gained 1,265 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, so when he tore his ACL prior to the 2009 season, Hokie Nation held it's collective breath, unsure of who, if anyone, could fill the void left by Evans.

Enter freshman Ryan Williams.

Not only did Williams fill the void, but he practically made Va Tech fans forget about Evans, as he gained 1,655 yards and hit pay dirt 21 times. With Evans returning, it's hard to say who will be Coach Frank Beamer's No. 1 guy, but that's a great problem to have.


No. 2—Mark Ingram—Alabama Crimson Tide

Despite not having the best overall numbers for a tailback last year, Ingram became the first-ever Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy. Don't get me wrong—Ingram is a great tailback, but I can't help but think Stanford's Toby Gerhart was the more deserving of the two, but I digress.

Ingram had 1,658 yards and he scored 17 touchdowns for the Tide over the course of the season, including 113 yards and three scores, and 116 yards and two scores, against Florida in the SEC title game, and against Texas in the BCS title game respectively.

If Ingram can keep his "backup" Trent Richardson off the field (which may prove to be an impossible task) and if the Tide's O-line can fill a couple spots and open holes for Ingram in 2010 like they did in 2009, he might have a shot at etching his name in the record books next to Archie Griffin as the only two time Heisman winners in college football history.


No. 1—Dion Lewis—Pitt Panthers

If a true freshman has ever stated his case for legit Heisman consideration, Lewis was that guy in 2009.

When LeSean McCoy decided to skip his senior season at Pitt, I'm not sure anyone saw Lewis coming. After all, Lewis was only offered a scholarship from three schools—Pitt, Miami-OH, and Tulane. Regardless, he rushed for 1,799 yards (third best in the nation), crossing the goal line 17 times.

Did I mention, he was a true freshman who was barely recruited?

With QB Bill Stull graduating, Lewis may see even more carries and he could have an amazing season. Of course, the Panthers will have to hope they can replace Stull and be able to pass the ball down the field effectively enough to prevent defenses from stacking the box and keying on Lewis.

If they can succeed at that task, I believe Lewis could approach, if not top 2,000 yards and 20-plus touchdowns in 2010. There are a few "ifs" to overcome, but should Lewis puts up similar stats to those he posted in 2009, he very well could become the fourth straight sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.

Whether or not he ultimately wins the Heisman, I believe that Lewis deserves this ranking as my No.1 running back in the nation.

That's it, that's the list.

So what do you think?

Who'd I miss?

Who should I have not included?

MAKE SOME NOISE PEOPLE!


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My New, Improved Top 25 Running Backs For 2010: Well, According To SEC Logic Anyway...

Please SEC fans, I implore you—please forgive my transgressions against the elite, unmatched running backs from your sacred, mighty, and impeccable conference.

I have seen the light!

I have been baptized in SEC holy water, and I now repent my sins (my previous top 10 running backs for 2010 article linked above) as I present to you my new and improved, and SEC approved, top 25 running backs in the nation ranking—which by the way, also inadvertently doubles as the Top 25 Heisman Contenders for 2010, of course...


25—David Oku—Tennessee (94 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns in 2009)

24—Rodney Scott—Ole Miss (138 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns in 2009)

23—Stevan Ridley—LSU (180 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009)

22—Robert Elliott—Mississippi State (221 rushing yards, 1 touchdown in 2009)

21—Mario Fannin—Auburn (285 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns in 2009)

20—Christian Ducre—Mississippi State (263 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns in 2009)

19—Dennis Johnson—Arkansas (342 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns in 2009)

18—Roy Upchurch—Alabama (299 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns in 2009)

17—Brian Maddox—South Carolina (307 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns in 2009)

16—Bryce Brown—Tennessee (460 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009)

15—Randall Cobb—Kentucky (447 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns in 2009)

14—Kenny Miles—South Carolina (626 rushing yards, 1 touchdown in 2009)

13—Zac Stacy—Vanderbilt (478 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009)

12—Charles Scott—LSU (542 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns in 2009)

11—Ontario McCalebb—Auburn (565 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns in 2009)

10—Chris Rainey—Florida (575 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns in 2009)

9—Caleb King—Georgia (594 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns in 2009)

8—Broderick Green—Arkansas (442 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns in 2009)

7—Brandon Bolden—Ole Miss (614 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns in 2009)

6—Washaun Ealey—Georgia (717 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009)

5—Warren Norman—Vanderbilt (783 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009)

4—Jeffrey Demps—Florida (745 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns in 2009)

3—Derrick Locke—Kentucky (907 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns in 2009)

2—Trent Richardson—Alabama (751 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns in 2009)

1—Mark Ingram—Alabama (1658 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns in 2009)


That's it, that's the SEC friendly, and real (wink) top 25 tailbacks in the nation for 2010.

By the way, can I interest you in the tropical island in the middle of Lake Erie that I own?

Hopefully if you're a fan of an SEC team and someone read this to you since you dropped out of school in Kindergarten, you were able to detect and identify the satire and sarcasm located within the article above, as it was chock full of each!

Yours sincerely,
HD


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Heisman Quandry: If Tim Tebow is a Heisman Contender, So is Terrelle Pryor

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation


Can someone please tell me how Tim Tebow is a legitimate Heisman contender?

I could care less that his team is 9-0, or that his team is ranked No. 1, or that he's the best player on his team.

The only explanation is the ESPN lovefest with Tebow, and the SEC in general.

Three billion dollar TV contract deals with the SEC aside, ESPN has got to stop pushing the Tebow Heisman campaign nonsense. He is not even top three, yet ESPN is constantly hyping him as the Heisman front-runner.

Yes Tebow IS a great player, but Heisman worthy this year?

No, he's far from it, and as my title suggests, if he's a top contender, then so is Terrelle Pryor, and here's why.

Florida's schedule is easily one of the weakest schedules in the country, especially out of conference, but within the SEC as well. It's not the popular thing to say, but the SEC is overrated once you get past Florida, Alabama, and LSU.

Even with all these middle of the road opponents, Tebow's stats are far from impressive, and therein lies my problem with the whole Tebow for Heisman bologna.

Let's compare the numbers, shall we?

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Tim Tebow

1531 passing yards, 65.9 completion percent, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions, 578 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 156.6 quarterback rating.

Terrelle Pryor

1668 passing yards, 54.0 completion percent, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 604 rushing yards, 5.3 ypc, seven rushing touchdowns, 130.6 quarterback rating.

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Before you say anything, yes, some Buckeye fans (myself included) entertained the idea in the preseason that Terrelle Pryor might be a potential Heisman candidate, but we have come back to reality. TP is NOT a Heisman contender this season, nor should he be.

That's not a knock on Pryor. He's had a pretty good year, but the bottom line here is that there are others more note-worthy, so we'll wait for next year when Pryor will very likely be in the running.

Is it really too much to expect the preseason Heisman hype and ESPN propaganda machine for Tebow to simmer down now that we see his production this year is not even as good as Pryor's, let alone deserving candidates like Houston's Case Keenum, Alabama's Mark Ingram, or Texas's Colt McCoy?

Florida is a very good team, perhaps even great, and they could absolutely win another BCS title this year—but the Heisman is an individual award meant for college football's most outstanding player.

So let's not let team accomplishments or BCS rankings cloud our judgment in awarding the 2009 Heisman Trophy to the most meritorious player.

I hope you're listening Heisman voters!

UPDATE

I was trying to make my point by comparing Tebow to a QB not in the Heisman race that has better stats, but I can also do it this way to make the point stick even more since some people are just not getting it:

Tim Tebow

1,531 passing yards, 65.9 completion percent, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions, 578 rushing yards, 3.7 yards-per-carry, nine rushing touchdowns, 156.6 quarterback rating.

Case Keenum

3.815 passing yards, 71.0 completion percent, 28 touchdowns, five interceptions, 95 rushing yards, 2.3 yards-per-carry, three rushing touchdowns, 158.9 quarterback rating.

Now if anyone can seriously look at that comparison, and still believe that Tebow is a Heisman contender more-so than Keenum, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you may not have a brain...


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Stating His Case: Keenum On Top of Heisman Leaderboard?

Case Keenum is having a monster year for the No. 18 Houston Cougars, but if you use the Worldwide Leader in Sports (ESPN) to get your college football info, you may not even have a clue who Case Keenum is, let alone how good he is.

I am growing so tired of hearing week after week that the preseason usual suspects like Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy are still the top contenders for the 2009 Heisman Trophy...

I mainly blame ESPN, especially for the Tebow hype.

I guess when you have a three billion dollar television deal with the SEC, it's in your own best interest to do whatever you can to keep players from said conference in the mix, even when they don't belong.

Conflict of interest anyone? I digress.

Don't get me wrong—Tebow has been a great player over his four years at Florida, but this year, he has been anything but a Heisman Trophy front-runner—yet, last I knew, ESPN had him listed as one of the top two players for the award.

Although he is having a much better year than Tebow, the same thing can be said for McCoy. If the Heisman were awarded right now, Keenum would be my winner, and here's why.

First of all, it is an individual award for the best player in the country—Not the best known player who happens to play on one of the highest ranked teams.

Houston (7-1) has played three teams from the consensus top two BCS conferences—Oklahoma State and Texas Tech from the Big 12, and Mississippi State from the SEC—and they have defeated them all.

Their only loss was a conference road game at UTEP and while it was a bad loss, Houston's poor defensive effort was solely to blame. Keenum went 51/76 for 536 yards and tossed five touchdown passes.

It makes no sense to me that team wins and losses are somehow part of the equation that determines who could or should win an award meant for the best individual player in college football.

Now if Keenum had only thrown for 80 yards and had thrown five interceptions in the UTEP loss, then it would make more sense to hold that against him, but as I noted above, he had a huge game statistically.

As far as strength of schedule, to this point in the season, I don't believe that Florida or Texas have played a schedule much better than Houston's, so that isn't a factor at all for me.

So basically, it comes down to the individual stats and that is where, right now, Keenum rises to the top over Tebow, McCoy, and everyone else.

The only player who is close to Keenum statistically is Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen, but even his overall numbers aren't as good, and like the others, Notre Dame hasn't exactly played tough schedule either.


Stats through week nine:


As you can see above, Keenum clearly has been the best quarterback in the nation. To be fair, I must also mention Alabama's Mark Ingram and Oregon State's JacQuizz Rodgers as contenders for this years Heisman, as they both are in the running.

Unfortunately for them, they are running backs, and the Heisman has almost exclusively become an award for quarterbacks, so I'm not sure either of them have a real shot, but they are definitely worth noting.

I don't know if Case Keenum will ultimately win because I don't have a say in that matter, and ESPN sure seems to have their agenda and propaganda machine running on all cylinders for Tebow...

But if I did have a say, Keenum would be in New York this December, and depending on how he plays in the final four games, he could end up as Houston's second Heisman Trophy winner.

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