Corum/Edwards best NCAA RB duo since...?
August 30th, 2023 at 8:38 AM ^
Probably A-Train and Chris Perry
August 30th, 2023 at 8:38 AM ^
Thurman Thomas & Barry Sanders at OK State
August 30th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
I don’t think I knew they were on the same team at the same time. Wow! That’s an outrageous combination of RBs.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:21 AM ^
i was surprised to see that they had TWO seasons together.
in1986, thurman thomas had 173 carries, 741 yds, 4 tds (+ 18 catches for 150 yds). barry had 74 carries for 325 yds and 2 td. someone supposedly named "mitch nash" had more carries than barry - 82 carries for 291 yards, a stunning 3.5 ypc clip. they also had a nascent hart lee dykes, but their qb was the MAN, mike gundy, who scuffled. they went 6-5.
1987 was way better. thomas was a death laser, 251 carries for 1613 yards (6.4 ypc!) and 17 touchdowns, and barry got 105 carries for 603 yards (5.7 ypc). gundy was better, hart lee dykes was becoming a killer, and they went 10-2.
1988 was all barry, all the time, and MAN it's amazing to look at that stat line. 344 carries. 2628 yards. 7.6 yards per carry. THIRTY SEVEN RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS.
i still remember being skeptical when the lions drafted him. i distinctly recall saying the words, "he kinda looks like he might turn in to a butterball." yes, i said that. sometimes i'm right about stuff, but thank GOD i'm not usually as wrong as i was when those words left my mouth. a wronger thing you will not find. my only defense is that i was 23, and 23-year-olds are generally dumbasses. i know i was.
August 30th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Very good review of the 1986,'87 & '88 period. That's tough to beat in terms of Blake and Donovan. If they stay healthy and play in all 12 games so that they both have great stats and carry this team to another undefeated regular season and then playoff games, they could rank 2nd or 3rd all time best.
How does any RB and in today's college football beat the 1988 Barry Sanders stats?
August 30th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
At Michigan: Tyrone Wheatley and Tim Biakabatuka
Nationally: Barry sanders and Thurmon Thomas
August 30th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
EDIT: Already mentioned below.
Barry returned kicks and punts all three years too. His numbers in '87 were bonkers:
Year G KRet Yds Avg TD PRet Yds Avg TD
1986 8 7 166 23.7 0 9 43 4.8 0
1987 11 14 442 31.6 2 15 244 16.3 2
1988 11 21 421 20.0 1 10 94 9.4 1
Career 42 1029 24.5 3 34 381 11.2 3
August 30th, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^
oh right, i'd forgotten what a badass returner barry was...there was some discussion of whether he might do it in the pros, too, as i recall. and he did, if only five times, total, as a rookie.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:56 AM ^
This is the all time answer
August 30th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
Logged in to say Reggie Bush and LenDale White, but that is incorrect. EGD is correct.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
There is a rumor/legend (I have not confirmed if true) that opponents used to tell their players to be careful not to injure Thurman Thomas because they were that worried about Barry as an underclassman.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:34 PM ^
ironic, because Thurman fell to the 2nd round because of his knee injury
August 30th, 2023 at 9:25 AM ^
Well done! I check the box as old enough to remember that.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
No. Thomas and Sanders were on the same roster, but they were not a tandem. Thomas got the bulk of the carries and when he left Sanders was little known and the question was "can he replace Thomas?"
August 30th, 2023 at 1:07 PM ^
Sanders was not little known. He had already established himself as a star in the waiting. He was running a decent amount and doing returns. As a junior he averaged 31.6 yards a KO return, returning like 15% of his attempts for TDs. That same year he averaged over 16 yards a punt return and returning like 13% of them for TDs. Add in 5.7 yards an attempt rushing with 9TDs and 14.5 yards an attempt receiving with a TD, (a TD rushing, receiving, KO return and P return!!!) he was definitely known especially in his conference.
He may have been little known to a person who is glued to watching a different team in a different conference and thinking all their players are the best players and their team is the best team ever.
August 30th, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
He may have been little known to a person who is glued to watching a different team in a different conference and thinking all their players are the best players and their team is the best team ever.
Really? ...unnecessary. Nor true.
Sounds a lot like what I've been reading here about '23 Michigan.
August 30th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
I remember hearing that Barry Switzer, Oklahoma's coach at the time, told his defense to make sure not to hurt Thurman Thomas because he was more worried about Sanders coming into the game.
August 30th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
You are not going to beat two HOF's. I would suggest for just UM it would be Biakabutuka/Wheatley as they played together against Washington in a Rose Bowl win I watched recently.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
Agree on yours but... there are a few
2010 - Bama - Mark Ingram, Eddie Lacy, and Trent Richardson
2007 - Arkansas - Darren Mcfadden, Peyton Hillis, Felix Jones
2004 - Minny (we saw that first hand) - Maroney and Barber
What was the Tennessee backfield, I think, that had Jamal Lewis (the 2nd one) and 2 other studs. One transferred I think... but they were pretty awesome. Not 100% sure it was Tennessee, but i think it was..
August 30th, 2023 at 8:54 AM ^
came here to say Maroney and Barber. They were really really good.
I didn't really watch them in college, but Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley and Sony Michel were a pretty good duo for Georgia.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
"...Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley and Sony Michel were a pretty good duo for Georgia."
Want a do-over (aka, duo-ver) on that trio?
August 30th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Pretty solid take!
August 30th, 2023 at 9:23 AM ^
was trying to remember the arkansas guys' names. i'd forgotten that peyton hillis was in that group, too.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
what about Arkansas' Ron Brewer and Marvin Delph, Sidney Moncrief <s> ?
August 30th, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
oh, i definitely remember THEM. i had a weird teen fascination with all things razorback, for some reason, and sidney moncrief remains one of my all-time favorite players. that was one helluva team.
also possibly the greatest SI cover of all time.
i love the one "woohoo" guy in the crowd, plus everyone on the texas bench looking on like they're watching a soap opera in the dentist's waiting room.
August 30th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Darren McFadden and Felix Jones! They were awesome, but they didn't have much else if I recall correctly.
I believe McFadden was the Heisman runner up two years in a row.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:45 AM ^
Alabama has had some great running back duos in the past, starting with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. I'd take Corum and Edwards over any of them.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:35 AM ^
I love Corum and Edwards but I would take Barry and Thurman over them.
August 30th, 2023 at 10:07 AM ^
Me too. I meant over any of the 'Bama duos. Probably should've been clearer about that.
August 31st, 2023 at 10:01 AM ^
TJ Yeldon and Derrick Henry might’ve been even better. I don’t think OSU wins against Bama if Kiffin would’ve just kept feeding Henry the rock.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:47 AM ^
Bush/White would be my vote
August 30th, 2023 at 8:54 AM ^
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel for 2017 Georgia.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:08 AM ^
D'Andre Swift was also on that team. He was a freshman in 2017, so he had fewer carries but still rushed for over 600 yards and 3 TDs. Chubb had over 1300 rushing yards and15 TDs, Michel over 1200 yards and 16 TDs. Not a bad trio.....
August 30th, 2023 at 10:43 AM ^
I believe you mean duo...
August 30th, 2023 at 10:34 PM ^
that was a great georgia backfield.
plenty of impressive duos over the years.
scheme, usage, OL talent/cohesion, competition, etc all certainly play a role. for example oregon backs were tough to handle under chip kelly. bama had several nice backfields too.
in terms of college production and dominance by a recent duo, id go with ball/gordon at wisconsin.
theyre the most recent 1-2 that jumps to mind
August 30th, 2023 at 8:56 AM ^
Davis and Blanchard, Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside.
Old school.
August 30th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
greatest duo nickname ever, way better than the obligatory 'thunder and lighting' thing.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:59 AM ^
Holmes didn't do a ton in college but.. Priest Holmes and Ricky Williams!
Also, not as high flying but Wisky has had a run of RBs in recent years and some of those guys must have been on the same team... though not in their primes at the same time probably
August 30th, 2023 at 9:21 AM ^
Wisconsin was putting up video game numbers in the early 2010s. Yards from scrimmage and TDs from 2010-2014:
2010:
- John Clay 1021 yds, 14 TDs
- Montee Ball 1124 yds, 18 TDs
- James White 1140 yds, 14 TDs
2011:
- Montee Ball 2229 yds, 39 TDs
- James White 863 yds, 6 TDs
2012:
- Montee Ball 1902 yds, 22 TDs
- James White 938 yds, 13 TDs
- Melvin Gordon 686 yds, 4 TDs
2013:
- James White 1744 yds, 15 TDs
- Melvin Gordon 1619 yds, 12 TDs
2014:
- Melvin Gordon 2740 yds, 32 TDs
- Corey Clement 1068 yds, 11 TDs
August 30th, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
We lucked out that we were on our "Wisconsin Hiatus" from 2011-2015
August 30th, 2023 at 10:53 AM ^
2011 is the only season that would have really made a difference.
2010…avoiding one extra loss wasn’t saving RichRod
2012-2014 were rough years, and to be completely honest…what’s one more loss when we’re stuck in the quicksand of Hoke’s ineptitude?
2011 was the only year in the RichRod/Hoke era there where we accomplished something.
Edit: I’m very happy that we missed them in 2015 also
August 30th, 2023 at 10:45 AM ^
It's pretty crazy that Montee Ball was 4 yards away from giving Wisconsin three (3!!!!) 1,000-yard rushers in one season in 2010.
August 30th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Five straight years with over 3,000 yards from tailbacks. That's the ultimate in beefball.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:12 AM ^
Yeah, I remember being really surprised when Priest Holmes suddenly became a devastating NFL offensive weapon because he was just a guy at Texas. Strange how that can happen.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:03 AM ^
2001 Miami (ytm) had: Portis, Gore, McGahee, and Najeh Davenport.
August 30th, 2023 at 10:43 AM ^
That's an insane RB room
August 30th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
I think those Miami RBs averaged more torn ACLs than rushing TDs per game though.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
Any time I hear the name Najeh Davenport, I immediately think of the story of him taking a dump in his girlfriend's dorm laundry hamper.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
According to Miami police, Davenport allegedly broke into a dorm room at Barry University, a private school in Miami Shores, Fla., and used a laundry basket as his personal bathroom.
August 30th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
He should meet Amber Heard.