Southern Conference Football 2015: Ranking The Running Backs

[FUBeAR]

Link to full article - https://medium.com/@SoConJohn22/sout...s-36e9c1ae4cfe

I sure like his pick at #1...

1. Alex Lakes (Mercer) — Bobby Lamb has seen some great running backs heading into his 12th year as a head coach at both Mercer and before that a nine-year stint at Furman, however, he might be coaching the most talented running back he’s had right now, in rising redshirt sophomore Alex Lakes.

Lakes was the SoCon’s rushing champion last season in what was Mercer’s first as a Southern Conference member, and the feature runner in the Bears’ offense, which ranked fourth in the league in rushing yards per game last season (203.1 YPG).

The native of Newnan, GA comes off a 2014 season, which saw him rush for 1,107 yards and and 17 TDs on 200 rush attempts, which converts to an average of 5.5 YPC. In Lamb’s tenure as a head coach, no running back he’s coached has ever been more productive.

While Lakes’ rushing was no doubt impressive, it’s important to note that he was running behind one of the most talented, yet underrated offensive lines in the league, which is headed up by 2015 preseason All-American left guard Wilson Heres. Still, Lakes is no doubt talented and apart of the first Mercer team in Southern Conference history, as well as becoming part of the program’s history by putting his name among the league’s elite, garnering coaches and media First-Team All-SoCon accolades in 2015.

Lakes enjoyed six 100-yard rushing efforts during the 2014 season, with his best coming against Stetson in a lopsided non-conference win, rushing for a career-best 151 yards and three scores. In league action, Lakes produced his best performance against title contender Western Carolina, rushing for 128 yards and a TD on 34 carries.

[The Cats]

You forgot to post SoCon John's Ranking the SoCon Quarterbacks

[FUBeAR]

You forgot to post SoCon John's Ranking the SoCon Quarterbacks

Missed that one - thanks for posting it!

No doubt about #1 IMO. I would say #2 thru #6 are debatable, but certainly reasonable. I'm clearly not going to 'argue' with the man who studies and writes about the SoCon in more depth than any human on the planet.

I bet the Sammy fans will though.

[Smitty]

The article was really difficult to read...

[The Cats]

Another SoCon article by SoCon John you might enjoy - Western Carolina Looking Toward Title Run in 2015

[FUBeAR]

Another SoCon article by SoCon John you might enjoy - Western Carolina Looking Toward Title Run in 2015

Thanks - I did like this part, "Western Carolina has never won a Southern Conference football title"

I honestly didn't know that.

[chattanoogamocs]

Thanks - I did like this part, "Western Carolina has never won a Southern Conference football title"

I honestly didn't know that.

Ironically...they have never won a SoCon title...but they have played in a National Championship game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_NC...ootball_season

[The Cats]

Ironically...they have never won a SoCon title...but they have played in a National Championship game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_NC...ootball_season

The interesting thing about that season, while the SoCon consisted of 9 members at that time, due to scheduling by the conference, Western Carolina only played 6 conference games, and finished the season 5-0-1.

Furman won the championship that year, by playing 7 conference games and finished with a 6-0-1 record.

During the regular season, Furman and Western played to a tie, 17-17.

For some reason, Western did not play either Davidson or VMI in 1983. Davidson only played 5 conference games that season and went 0-5, while VMI only played 6 conference games and went 1-5 in conference play.





Western did however, play Furman for a second time that season (in the NCAA playoffs) and beat the Paladins, 14-7.

[FUBeAR]

The interesting thing about that season, while the SoCon consisted of 9 members at that time, due to scheduling by the conference, Western Carolina only played 6 conference games, and finished the season 5-0-1.

Furman won the championship that year, by playing 7 conference games and finished with a 6-0-1 record.

During the regular season, Furman and Western played to a tie, 17-17.

For some reason, Western did not play either Davidson or VMI in 1983. Davidson only played 5 conference games that season and went 0-5, while VMI only played 6 conference games and went 1-5 in conference play.





Western did however, play Furman for a second time that season (in the NCAA playoffs) and beat the Paladins, 14-7.

Those were 2 excellent football teams. I guess Southern Illinois must have been pretty good that year also.