All-time M RB draft for CFP
Seeing all the praise Corum has rightfully earned this year got me wondering:
if you could draft any M running back of all time, who would be your top two specifically to take into battle in a CFP game? (assume you get them at the height of their abilities, e.g., pre injury Wheatley or Boles)
what say you?
October 16th, 2022 at 10:07 AM ^
The o line is key to the success as well. Our online is great.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:08 AM ^
Tyrone Wheatley (best combo of speed and power - I refer you to his Rose Bowl performance)
Rob Lytle (best all around combo of speed, power, blocking) RIP Rob.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:14 AM ^
Butch Woolfolk, Tim Biakabutuka. Woolfolk was 6'4" 220 and ran a 4.4 40. Don't need to say anything about TB (not THAT TB).
October 16th, 2022 at 10:15 AM ^
I'll take Tshimanga “Tim” Biakabatuka
October 16th, 2022 at 10:24 AM ^
Wheatley and Tom Harmon
October 16th, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
Rob Lytle and Butch Woolfolk
October 16th, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
Tyrone Wheatley and Denard Robinson
October 16th, 2022 at 10:47 AM ^
If you look at the Michigan record books, DRob is all over them in the QB sections. He was a QB - despite whatever half the Michigan fanbase want to think about that! Honestly, I don't think he would have been nearly as effective as he was if he had been a RB.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Ok, for the other half of the fan base who doesn't like loopholes, like the one where Denard was the starting RB against Wisconsin (2009) & Iowa (2012). Plus played RB against Ohio State, and South Carolina in his SR year. He was also an All-American RB in 2010. I'll go with Mike Hart.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
Loophole? Because he played RB in the last three games of his career because he literally could not throw the ball due to injury? Loopholes are why he's in the QB record books? LOL!!! Okay...
October 16th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
Glad you finally got a laugh out of it, life is too damn short to be serious all the time.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:30 AM ^
Hard not to pick Wheatley, though offenses didn't pass to RB back then like they do now. Biakabatuka was amazing too. I don't want to forget Jamie Morris either - he was fantastic in a similar way to Blake.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^
Kelly Baraka and Sam McGuffie
October 16th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Justin Feagin.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:38 AM ^
Hassan Haskins and Tyrone Wheatley
October 16th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
Butch Woolfolk and Tyrone Wheatley.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:49 AM ^
Chris Perry and Mike Hart
October 16th, 2022 at 10:59 AM ^
We currently have Mike Hart....but fast...
October 16th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
Sorry, but can't agree with Chris Perry. He had a good season and was one of the hardest running guys we have had, but he was more of a work horse than dynamic. Same story with A-Train. Reliable, good, strong, great fit....but not explosive.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:55 AM ^
Wheatley and A Train
October 16th, 2022 at 10:55 AM ^
I was born in '78, so take that for whatever it's worth as far as recency bias.
To me it's a clear #1: Wheatley.
No. 2 is close, but I'd go Mike Hart with a slight edge over Chris Perry. Perry carrying the ball 51 times against MSU in the rain in East Lansing was one of the best performances I've ever seen in person. But Hart did it for 4 years and was so damn reliable.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:56 AM ^
Someone ask Fred Jackson please.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:59 AM ^
My All Time CFP UofM RB names:
Harlan Huckleby
Tim Biakabutuka
October 16th, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
I’m going to say Tim Biakabutuka and Tyrone Wheatley. Crazy that they played together. Tim ran a 4.43 - 40 yard dash. Tim was also ahead of his time as a very good pass catcher. Think Donovan Edwards type of running back. If Tim had played a few years later than Wheatley he might hold the career rushing record.
October 16th, 2022 at 2:04 PM ^
Agreed
I also think Tim B’s NFL career would have looked very different if the Panthers had competent doctors at the time of his injuries, and if he had someone other than George Seifert running the show post-Capers.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:11 AM ^
Kevin Grady
October 16th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
Leroy Hoard
October 16th, 2022 at 12:52 PM ^
The horde approves
October 16th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
Tom Harmon and Willie Heston. Record books can't even calculate their dominance.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:29 AM ^
Honestly any of the above mentioned RBs would do fine with this OL and JJ. I'd even take HH and be fine.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
Biakabatuka, circa November 1995.
I’d also consider Denard. Yes, I know he technically wasn’t a RB, but he played as one for a few games at the end of the 2012 season, and you could not deny his elite speed and athletic ability. Home run threat every time the ball was in his hands.
If he and Gardner were paired with a good OC and good OL, THAT would’ve been something to see.
October 16th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
Within the spirit of the question but alternative answer:
I would choose the OL first if possible. If not, then:
Best two RBs were Wheatley then Biakabatuka
But if I'm choosing two to be on the same team, I'm probably taking Wheatley and Hassan Haskins. Wheatley and Biakabatuka are similar, but Hassan's force of will, punishing style, and leadership would be such a good combo to add to Wheatley
October 16th, 2022 at 12:07 PM ^
Alternative to my alternative answer:
Donavan Edwards. 2023 version when he wins the Heisman
October 16th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
The running backs we've been blessed with in my lifetime is just astounding:
Wheatly
Biakabutuka
Chris Perry
A-Train
Hassan Haskins
Leroy Hoard
Mike Hart
Corum
Edwards
Jamie Morris
Chris Howard
Butch Woolfolk
Ricky Powers
Fitzgerald
Carlos Brown
Billy Taylor
October 16th, 2022 at 12:23 PM ^
1a. Wheatley. Just watch his highlight reels.
1b. Timmy B
October 16th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
I'll add one to the long list of great M backs: Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch. Not only did he have a great career at Michigan (taken in the top 5 of the first round of the NFL draft), he lettered for M in football, baseball, basketball and track.
It's hard to compare him to today's pure running backs; halfbacks back then did multiple things on the field, including pass (where he was very good with lots of TDs). He returned punts and kicks, and also starred in the defensive backfield.
The dude was a straight up, pure athlete of the highest caliber, and shouldn't be forgotten on anyone's list of great Michigan backs, though he was far more than a running back (as was Tom Harmon).
As a small child I got to see him play for the Rams vs the Lions at the end of his career; at the time, the Lions were winning championships. I was too young to remember much, except the crowd on its feet yelling "Crazylegs" when he touched the ball, which I thought was the coolest name ever, and my father being tremendously excited over what a great player he was. Detroit fans obviously remembered and appreciated his career at Michigan.
October 16th, 2022 at 1:12 PM ^
Tyrone Wheatley and Jon Vaughn
October 16th, 2022 at 2:16 PM ^
Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum. They were such a great combo last year. I think people sometimes forget Corum was dominating prior to injury.
October 16th, 2022 at 4:22 PM ^
This is exactly why I framed the question the way I did.
Both are great players. Neither was special in the CFP last year. (No, I’m not laying it all at their feet. But nor did either of them lift us up with their singular greatness.)
FWIW I would side with the two most popular picks so far in this thread: Wheatley and Biakabutuka. Transcendent talents. But I do think Corum may be closing in on that level. The career 6 ypc club is elite indeed.
October 16th, 2022 at 2:36 PM ^
Minor is major!
October 17th, 2022 at 12:33 AM ^
2011 Fitzgerald Toussiant and Blake