mostly because I'm not a "career" guy - you don't need to prove it to me over 4 seasons and 2,000 carries
I can determine a great back in one season or less
See, I could do this. It would require more work, and everyone would be placated because it would have Sanders at #1. We'd have multiple seasons from the same RB, which would be interesting, too.
.
And for those who don't understand my omission of G5 RBs....imagine if an SEC team only had to play 2 SEC games and one OOC game vs a middling P5, like Cal or someone, and the other 9 games were against a bell curve of G5 teams. You'd all scream from the mountain-top that they shouldn't be held in equal esteem with the other P5 programs...and you'd be correct.
.
Let's peek at 1999. Top rusher: Dayne. #2: Tomlinson (TCU, of the WAC)
Dayne's schedule:
Murray St, Ball St, Cincinnati, 4-Michigan, 12-Ohio St, 25-Minnesota, Indiana, 11-Michigan St, N'Western, 17-Purdue, Iowa, bowl
Tomlinson's schedule:
15-Arizona, N'Western, Arkansas St, Fresno St, San Jose St, Tulsa, Rice, Hawai'i, North Texas, UTEP, SMU, bowl
.
These aren't a little different...it's a whole other level. And it's not even about 5 ranked teams vs 1 or name recognition, forget the top level of the competition. Look at the middle. Iowa-Indiana-Cincinnati........hell, who was even the 'middle' level of TCU's schedule? They're all so random/anonymous, I don't even know. I don't know if Rice's or Tulsa's or SMU's run defense was decent, because they were probably all shit.