AU's Next 1000 yd Rusher

[TigerWar 82]

I'd love one runningback to emerge as the bell cow where Loeffler gives him the rock 20-25 times a game, but I have a feeling that the running game very well might be by committee, thus no 1000yd rusher for the first time in Chizik's tenure at Auburn. Who knows. What says you?

[AUFanfromSnellvegas 0]

Tre Mason was my vote, but I think I may be mistaken by saying that. It's possible that Mason, Grant, Blakely, and OMac all rush for 500+ yards depending on who has the hot hand in specific games and how much we are able to run it down teams like NM State throats in the 2nd half of blowouts. Who knows?!? Exciting season on the horizon regardless. 

[SuperNova 0]

Nice thread, I voted MB just because of his A-day game preformance. But I could see anyone of them going for 1K this year to be honest. Just have to see which one is going to break it out. Would like to see 2 guys with 1K plus yards but I don't know if that would be possible.

[TigerWar 82]

Nice thread, I voted MB just because of his A-day game preformance. But I could see anyone of them going for 1K this year to be honest. Just have to see which one is going to break it out. Would like to see 2 guys with 1K plus yards but I don't know if that would be possible.

He was the one guy that I would vote for, but I think we have so much talented depth that no one player will have a ton of carries, which is good for all of their future.

[AUSWEN 0]

I think that two or three of them will get over 1000 honestly, but Mason will do it first.

[Rednilla 5,449]

I voted that we wouldn't have a 1,000 yard rusher due to depth, but I could see it from any except OMac. Onterio just isn't big enough to withstand the amount of carries it takes to get there.

[Tiger n Miami AU83 25]

Have to go with no one this year. OMAC will be OMAC and get a fair amount of carries and probably be in the 600-700 yard range. Mason will likely get a lot of the between the tackles and off tackle carries, but Blakely and Grant will likely get some of those carries as well. I think we rush for somewhere in the 1800+ yard range as a team this year, but more by committee than anything else with OMAC and Mason getting the most carries, but Frazier, Blakely, and Grant all contributing.

[gAUlf 1]

I voted that we wouldn't have a 1,000 yard rusher due to depth, but I could see it from any except OMac. Onterio just isn't big enough to withstand the amount of carries it takes to get there.

OMac is who I voted for the get 1000. Not sure he will do it, but he's the one I believe has the best shot at it. Until another running back proves he can step up and take the bulk of carries OM will still be the leading rusher. 1000 shouldn't be all that farfetched for him. He averaged 6.5 YPC. If he keeps around that and rushes 13x a game that 84.5 yards. 84.5 X 13 = 1098.5 for the season.

[AUQBDad 0]

I'd love one runningback to emerge as the bell cow where Loeffler gives him the rock 20-25 times a game, but I have a feeling that the running game very well might be by committee, thus no 1000yd rusher for the first time in Chizik's tenure at Auburn. Who knows. What says you?

I get what you're saying but I hope that's not the case.

Running back's who have to carry that kind of workload, are VERY prone to injury...i.e. Marcus Lattimore...

I voted no one, due to lack of depth, but i honestly would like to see us average around the 200 yard mark per game as a team. 

[bwillaub 0]

I truly believe we average 250 ypg on the ground this season.  Our running game is going to be AUsome!

[Rednilla 5,449]

I voted that we wouldn't have a 1,000 yard rusher due to depth, but I could see it from any except OMac. Onterio just isn't big enough to withstand the amount of carries it takes to get there.

OMac is who I voted for the get 1000. Not sure he will do it, but he's the one I believe has the best shot at it. Until another running back proves he can step up and take the bulk of carries OM will still be the leading rusher. 1000 shouldn't be all that farfetched for him. He averaged 6.5 YPC. If he keeps around that and rushes 13x a game that 84.5 yards. 84.5 X 13 = 1098.5 for the season.

Two points. First off, his yards per carry is higher partially because he carries the ball so infrequently. The more times he touches it, the more the defense is going to key on him.

But more than that, even if his ypc remained constant, 13 carries a game translates to 169 carries, if you include the bowl, which is 57 more than his total in any other season. Put another way, it increases his workload by just over 50%. He's just not built to withstand that kind of beating, not in the SEC.

This is why I expect him to remain in the role he's been performing exceptionally well: the change of pace.

[Rednilla 5,449]

I'd love one runningback to emerge as the bell cow where Loeffler gives him the rock 20-25 times a game, but I have a feeling that the running game very well might be by committee, thus no 1000yd rusher for the first time in Chizik's tenure at Auburn. Who knows. What says you?

I get what you're saying but I hope that's not the case.

Running back's who have to carry that kind of workload, are VERY prone to injury...i.e. Marcus Lattimore...

I voted no one, due to lack of depth, but i honestly would like to see us average around the 200 yard mark per game as a team. 

Gosh, you know, here I was thinking we had all kinds of talent in the backfield, and now I find out that we really aren't that deep? How disheartening!

[CMPluvAU04 0]

I really think all our backs have the potential to be 1000yd rushers, but if i had to choose im gonna have to say Mike Blakely. just a guess though...

[AU64 10,122]

As someone noted, we will probably get about 3000 yards on the ground this season which means plenty of room for two backs to have 1000 yards each.   The year Cam got all his yards, MD also had a 1000 yard season and Omac did well too.    

The carries can still be spread around but likely if a player gets "hot' in a game, the coaches will keep giving him the ball.   I can also see some 200 yard games by individual ball carriers too with the speed and potential for long runs by any of our guys.

Also, I would be surprised if KF got more than 3-400 yards.   Using him as a ball carrier will generally not be a first option of the offense under Lefty.  I see Blakely and Mason as the most likely.

[caleb1633 1,421]

I really think all our backs have the potential to be 1000yd rushers, but if i had to choose im gonna have to say Mike Blakely. just a guess though...

There should be an option of "Anyone but OMAC or Jovon Robinson" because that'd be the most accurate pick. Omac's a great back, but not a thousand yard rusher and JR won't get enough touches with all the other backs we have to reach a thousand. I think we'll have a thousand yard rusher or close to it. Ben Tate had 990 or something back in 07 and we had Fannin and Lester back there running the ball with him. That was a bad offense too so in a good productive offense I see no reason we don't have a thousand yard guy. It could be any of the three though between Mason, Blakely, and Grant. Too early to tell after seeing only the A-Day game. And no way we run KF enough for him to get 1,000 yards either. If he has to run that much it's a bad thing.

[bigbird 60,941]

I pick Pike. 

[Rednilla 5,449]

As someone noted, we will probably get about 3000 yards on the ground this season which means plenty of room for two backs to have 1000 yards each.   The year Cam got all his yards, MD also had a 1000 yard season and Omac did well too.    

The carries can still be spread around but likely if a player gets "hot' in a game, the coaches will keep giving him the ball.   I can also see some 200 yard games by individual ball carriers too with the speed and potential for long runs by any of our guys.

Also, I would be surprised if KF got more than 3-400 yards.   Using him as a ball carrier will generally not be a first option of the offense under Lefty.  I see Blakely and Mason as the most likely.

OMac didn't run for 1,000 in 2010. He was somewhere in the 800 range. Also, you've got to consider how much the defenses had to be aware of Cam; the potential for him to keep it froze defenders just long enough for McCalebb to fly by them. Now, we'll have something like that with Kiehl this year, but we can't expect it to be the same.

[ronniebrownfan 1]

I think McCalleb is going to surprise alot of people.

[WarEagleAU 0]

Great poll! I can see three of them to get 1,000 rush yards. Tough to predict.

[around4ever 4,139]

Clint Moseley

[touchdownAU 6]

I picked Tre just because I think in the beginning of the year we will run the ball A LOT to protect our QB. I think he gets 100+ in the first three games then gets his 1000 in bowl game.

[gAUlf 1]

I really think all our backs have the potential to be 1000yd rushers, but if i had to choose im gonna have to say Mike Blakely. just a guess though...

There should be an option of "Anyone but OMAC or Jovon Robinson" because that'd be the most accurate pick. Omac's a great back, but not a thousand yard rusher and JR won't get enough touches with all the other backs we have to reach a thousand. I think we'll have a thousand yard rusher or close to it. Ben Tate had 990 or something back in 07 and we had Fannin and Lester back there running the ball with him. That was a bad offense too so in a good productive offense I see no reason we don't have a thousand yard guy. It could be any of the three though between Mason, Blakely, and Grant. Too early to tell after seeing only the A-Day game. And no way we run KF enough for him to get 1,000 yards either. If he has to run that much it's a bad thing.

That would be a great option because every other back on the roster has proven themselves in this league 

[Ouchyfish 67]

Tre all the way!

[Guest jrljr]

Go ahead and write Jovon off if you want. I'm not saying he'll get a 1,000 this year but I can def see him being the "Bellcow". Either way we are gonna be scary on the ground which is gonna help kiehl and the recvrs get things going.

[TigerWar 82]

Go ahead and write Jovon off if you want. I'm not saying he'll get a 1,000 this year but I can def see him being the "Bellcow". Either way we are gonna be scary on the ground which is gonna help kiehl and the recvrs get things going.

Typically, a guy like Jovon would be destined for a redshirt year due to the overwhelming depth that we have at the position, but the one thing that is definitely in his favor is the fact that no one runningback currently on the roster possesses the prototypical size of Robinson and that fact alone might allow him to garner some carries as a change of pace back for Loeffler compared to OMac, Mason, Blakely, and Grant.

Still, that being said, I think the percentages are in favor of Robinson being redshirted.