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Topic: 100 RBs who had lots of carries and didn't stink

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OrangeAfroMan

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100 RBs who had lots of carries and didn't stink
« on: March 09, 2020, 01:02:28 AM »
Off-season fun.
Bill James' big Historical Abstract (baseball) began with he and a friend debating if a decent/random catcher on the Royals was one of the best 100 catchers of all time.
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So I was wondering the same, thinking about the 10 best RBs of a certain school - is that 10th-ranked guy one of the top 100 ever?  Probably not, right?  The 10th best at Iowa surely wasn't among the top 100 ever, but what about the 10th-best at USC? 
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This is for fun - it'll begin with RBs ranked by career yardage, then tweaked and altered bit-by-bit to get a set list of 100. 
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I'm not going to include RBs who played at G5 programs.  It's not that they weren't among the best ever, it has to do with competition.  Those schools' schedules are simply not on the same level...not nearly.  It's a lesser bell curve, of course - they played some strong teams, mostly average (compared to their own teams), and some weak.  But their relatively average opponents are, by P5-standards, weak and their weak opponents are disqualifying. 
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Hey, I'm just a level-of-competition snob.  Big deal.  Anyways, here's the initial list we're going to chop up, roll over, fold and cut, and re-administer over and over until it's pretty and nice and good.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2020, 09:13:15 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2020, 01:05:30 AM »
1. Ron Dayne, Wisconsin
2. Tony Dorsett, Pitt
3. Ricky Williams, Texas
4. Charles White, USC
5. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
6. Royce Freeman, Oregon
7. Archie Griffin, Ohio St
8. Cedric Benson, Texas
9. Justin Jackson, Northwestern
10. Myles Gaskin, Washington
11. Anthony Thompson, Indiana
12. Herschel Walker, Georgia
13. Montee Ball, Wisconsin
14. George Rogers, South Carolina
15. LaMichael James, Oregon
16. Ken Simonton, Oregon St
17. Michael Hart, Michigan
18. Avon Cobourne, West Virginia
19. Darren Lewis, Texas A&M
20. Darren Sproles, Kansas St.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:52:54 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2020, 01:17:58 AM »
21. Trevor Cobb, Rice (Rice was in the SWC, which was P5, during his career)
22. Ray Rice, Rutgers
23. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
24. Paul Palmer, Temple
25. Lorenzo White, Michigan St
26. Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma St
27. Marcus Allen, USC
28. Mike Rozier, Nebraska
29. Nick Chubb, Georgia
30. Terry Miller, Oklahoma St
31. Anthony Davis, Wisconsin
32. Ted Brown, NC State
33. Darren McFadden, Arkansas
34. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
35. Kevin Faulk, LSU
36. Darrell Thompson, Minnesota
37. Damien Anderson, Northwestern
38. Dalvin Cook, FSU
39. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio St
40. Eric Dickerson, SMU
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:50:22 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2020, 01:21:38 AM »
41. Earl Campbell, Texas
42. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
43. Javon Ringer, Michigan St
44. Jamie Morris, Michigan
45. Amos Lawrence, North Carolina
46. Troy Davis, Iowa St
47. A.J. Dillon, Boston College
48. Autry Denson, ND
49. David Thompson, Oklahoma St
50. Noel Devine, West Virginia
51. Bo Jackson, Auburn
52. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
53. Joe Morris, Syracuse
54. Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona
55. Shock Linwood, Baylor
56. Tico Duckett, Michigan St
57. Zach Line, SMU
58. Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma St
59. Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt
60. Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:52:15 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2020, 01:25:09 AM »
61. Errict Rhett, Florida
62. Lamont Jordan, Maryland
63. Byron Hanspard, Texas Tech
64. Allen Pinkett, ND
65. Rodney Smith, Minnesota
66. Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
67. Robert Holcombe, Illinois
68. Anthony Thomas, Michigan
69. Amos Zereoue, West Virginia
70. Zack Moss, Utah
71. James Gray, Texas Tech
72. Robert Lavette, Georgia Tech
73. Mike Voight, North Carolina
74. Dalton Hilliard, LSU
75. Chris Polk, Washington
76. Napoleon Kaufman, Washington
77. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
78. Travis Etienne, Clemson
79. Charles Alexander, LSU
80. Darrin Nelson, Stanford
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:53:11 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2020, 01:28:11 AM »
81. Chris Barclay, Wake Forest
82. James White, Wisconsin
83. Thomas Jones, Virginia
84. Joe Washington, Oklahoma
85. Anthony Dixon, Miss State
86. Raymond Priester, Clemson
87. Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio St
88. Warrick Dunn, FSU
89. P.J. Hill, Wisconsin
90. Eric Bieniemy, Colorado
91. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
92. Evan Royster, Penn St
93. Steve Owens, Oklahoma
94. Emmitt Smith, Florida
95. Steve Slaton, West Virginia
96. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
97. Sedrick Shaw, Iowa
98. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern
99. James Davis, Clemson
100. Ahman Green, Nebraska
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:53:58 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2020, 01:34:47 AM »
So we'll start there.  This is turning into a fun activity, as I've thought, "I remember him!" a few times already...guys I hadn't thought of in years getting their name typed out.
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Anywho, here's the next 20, for some names we'll want to plug in:
101. Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon St
102. Benny Snell Jr, Kentucky
103. BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Ole Miss
104. Bryce Love, Stanford
105. Yvenson Bernard, Oregon St
106. Butch Woolfork, Michigan
107. Saquon Barkley, Penn St
108. June Henley, Kansas
109. Sonny Collins, Kentucky
110. Cadillac Williams, Auburn
111. Leonard Fournette, LSU
112. Billy Sims, Oklahoma
113. James McDonald, Wake Forest
114. Thomas Hamner, Minnesota
115. Donald Brown, UConn
116. Quentin Griffin, Oklahoma
117. Darnell Autry, Northwestern
118. Tony Sands, Kansas
119. Phillip Lindsay, Colorado
120. Reggine Dupard, SMU
Other notables....Greg Allen, FSU...Eddie George, Ohio St....Craig James, SMU...Anthony Davis, USC...Ricky Bell, USC....Demarco Murray, Oklahoma....Chris Perry, Michigan....Mike Alstott, Purdue....Trung Candidate, Arizona...Steven Jackson, Oregon St
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 01:48:41 AM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2020, 01:38:51 AM »
The list so far lacks some things.  So I'll go through now, and BOLD the players who averaged 6 yards per carry or better.  This puts  them in the top 100 or so of the (P5) all-time rankings per carry.
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Players on the list and bold have a very strong resume to be on the list - and high on it.
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“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2020, 02:11:50 AM »
Next, we'll look at receiving yardages...after we decide how many spots those high yards-per-carry guys should move up.
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iahawk15

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2020, 08:07:18 AM »
Quick question, are G5 running backs excluded from consideration or just from the initial list?

If they're excluded from consideration, that feels like a non-starter for the thread. For example, seeing Ray Rice, who played in a gutted Big East, on the list and excluding LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk feels icky.
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Brutus Buckeye

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2020, 09:47:21 AM »
Hell, I'm surprised that he is allowing anyone outside of the SEC to be considered.
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fezzador

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2020, 10:33:21 AM »
Wow, no mention of Barry Sanders?  I know he basically played one full season as RB, but what he did in that one season was incredible.  Not his fault that his teammate was a criminally-underrated Thurman Thomas.
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FearlessF

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2020, 11:10:47 AM »
yup, guys that only played one or two seasons don't make the initial list, but the afro is just getting started

I'm more a fan of yards per carry of most yards in a single season, not a career
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MaximumSam

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Re: Top 100 RBs of All-Time
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2020, 11:16:31 AM »
How do we define "best?"  Who had the best career?  Who would you rather have starting a game?  Versatility is also something to consider - who would thrive in multiple systems.

I also think it makes no sense to limit it to P5 programs.  That's the best P5 running back, not the best running back.  
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