Top 10 Returning Running Backs in FCS for 2018

[LUHawker]

According to Athlon Sports: https://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-10-returning-running-backs-fcs-2018

I like the #2 pick a lot.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

According to Athlon Sports: https://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-10-returning-running-backs-fcs-2018

I like the #2 pick a lot.

Indeed! Brags is a beast!!

He was a prized recruit when he came in and has obviously lived up to the hype....

[FUBeAR]

He’s 2 years removed from a truly outstanding 2015 season, but was still able to garner 2nd Team All-SoCon honors in 2017, I’d put Mercer’s Tee Mitchell on my “Other RB’s to Watch” list for his Sr. Campaign.

Career All Purpose Statistics




GP
RUSH
RCV
RUSH TD
RCV TD
TOTAL TD
TOTAL YD
YPG


2014
11
403
234
2
2
4
637
57.9


2015
11
946
189
6
2
8
1135
103.2


2017
10
569
223
7
1
8
792
79.2


Total
32
1918
646
15
5
20
2564
80.1

[Professor Chaos]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37133659483_81b32b5ab4_c.jpg

Crazy thing is the most explosive RB on the Bison roster isn't one of the two guys on that list. It's this guy (#28 Ty Brooks): https://youtu.be/1_9aXkPz4bA?t=2m29s

[nodak651]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37133659483_81b32b5ab4_c.jpg

Crazy thing is the most explosive RB on the Bison roster isn't one of the two guys on that list. It's this guy (#28 Ty Brooks): https://youtu.be/1_9aXkPz4bA?t=2m29s

It's crazy how many good running backs there are between UND and NDSU. Probably 6 that could be the number one back for many teams. Wish UND had the O line to match.

[Tribe4SF]

After suffering an ACL tear in the 4th game of his freshman season, Albert Funderburke should finally be 100% this Fall. I'll take him as a top RB. 6' 205 with tremendous burst.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27706&stc=1

- - - Updated - - -

After suffering an ACL tear in the 4th game of his freshman season, Albert Funderburke should finally be 100% this Fall. I'll take him as a top RB. 6' 205 with tremendous burst.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27706&stc=1

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Any list without Elijah Ibitoken-Hanks from Albany isn't a list. One year removed from his torn ACL, he was All-American as a Sophomore.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Any list without Elijah Ibitoken-Hanks from Albany isn't a list. One year removed from his torn ACL, he was All-American as a Sophomore.



......UH........ER.......UMM.....xconfusedx....... .HE'S #7..........ON DIS ONE.........xsighx....AWK!

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Doh!

I blame my education.


......UH........ER.......UMM.....xconfusedx....... .HE'S #7..........ON DIS ONE.........xsighx....AWK!

[TheKingpin28]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37133659483_81b32b5ab4_c.jpg

Crazy thing is the most explosive RB on the Bison roster isn't one of the two guys on that list. It's this guy (#28 Ty Brooks): https://youtu.be/1_9aXkPz4bA?t=2m29s

Brooks and Dunn is a legit 1-2 and BRUUUUUUUUCE is a hell of a bruiser. Brooks is IMO, easily the next DJ, Crockett the Rocket, etc... in a list of 3 down do-it-all backs.

[BDKJMU]

No Cardon Johnson is a major oversight. Yeah, he’s got the injury history but still. Like I said on the CAA thread.
2015 2nd Team All CAA when Khalid Abdullah was banged up
2016 had 704 yards in the 1st 8+ games, while backing up/rotating with the All American Abdullah, before a season ending injury.
2017 has 374 yards (265 vs ECU) in the 1st 2+ games before season ending injury.

Listing the top 17 returning backs, but not mention a guy with 2088 career rushing in 22+ games out of the CAA is a major oversight IMHOP. Heck, JMU’s Marcus Marshall is mentioned, and I would probably list Johnson ahead of, or at least with, Marshall. Haley must not even know, or forgot Johnson got a 6th year granted.

[Redbird 4th & short]

Not sure if he is top 5 or top 10 right now, but he's up there somewhere .... ISUr RB James Robinson will likely put up monster numbers this years, despite splitting time with Markel Smith and Jordan Birch. A year ago our OL had lost 4.5 starters, and further had their top 2 OL guys injured early and returned at less than 100% (Himmelman and Helt). So we were well into our 3 deep from 2016 last season and moving people around to make things work.

This year, we flip the script 180 degrees and return 4.5 OL starters with only starter lost being Helt, who was injured much of season. Plus we got a U of I transfer (Gabe Megginson, 4 stars, part time starter for 2 seasons) who has impressed so far and earned starting spot. plus we swapped out our OC getting consensus favorite OC Beathard back after 2 year break to spend time with family. Run game showed very explosive potential at times last season despite the OL and OC issues. Those excuses are now gone for 2018.

Here are 2017 stats for Robinson (true SO)and Smith (RS SO), both as sophomores playing behind a banged all new OL and under an ineffective OC that has since been fired:

- ROBINSON,James 165 carries, 933 yards, 5.7 ypc 12 TDs 84.8 ypg

- SMITH,Markel 111 581 5.2 4 52.8

Plus we have another up and comer RB Jordan Birch who will be a SO next fall .. reportedly he dropped about 10 lbs to get back under 230 lbs. The competition for reps and touches is off the charts, but Robinson will get 60% of reps .. he is viewed as having highest ceiling and was still working on baby fat when he get here ... mainly because he played at small rural Illinois HS where he blew away nearly every HS record. Spack has been bringing him along nicely .. so IMO planets are aligning for him and our overall run game to have breakout season.

[KPSUL]

Doh!

I blame my education.

Ibitokun-Hanks should be higher than 7. probably why you didn't notice him.

[VandalBasher]

https://media.profootballfocus.com/2016/12/GettyImages-630443066.jpg?w=916&h=720

http://govandals.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1693

Isaiah Saunders will have a breakout year. He obviously isn't listed a returning FCS player, but he will make some noise in the Big Sky this year.

[cx500d]

Where did that rb from Maine transfer?


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[Schism55]

Where did that rb from Maine transfer?


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https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/former-maine-rb-mack-announces-transfer-to-liberty-040918

[clenz]

The best returning MVFC running back isn’t listed.

Marcus Weymiller led the MVFC in yards per game, touchdowns and points accounted for per game in conference games last year, and he missed 2 conference games and needed ankle surgery after week 2 but put it off until after the season. He was also 8th in the the MVFC in total offense yards per game in the conference

[BisonFan02]

The best returning MVFC running back isn’t listed.

Marcus Weymiller led the MVFC in yards per game, touchdowns and points accounted for per game in conference games last year, and he missed 2 conference games and needed ankle surgery after week 2 but put it off until after the season. He was also 8th in the the MVFC in total offense yards per game in the conference

4th string on NDSU.

[Kemo]

Not sure if he is top 5 or top 10 right now, but he's up there somewhere .... ISUr RB James Robinson will likely put up monster numbers this years, despite splitting time with Markel Smith and Jordan Birch. A year ago our OL had lost 4.5 starters, and further had their top 2 OL guys injured early and returned at less than 100% (Himmelman and Helt). So we were well into our 3 deep from 2016 last season and moving people around to make things work.

This year, we flip the script 180 degrees and return 4.5 OL starters with only starter lost being Helt, who was injured much of season. Plus we got a U of I transfer (Gabe Megginson, 4 stars, part time starter for 2 seasons) who has impressed so far and earned starting spot. plus we swapped out our OC getting consensus favorite OC Beathard back after 2 year break to spend time with family. Run game showed very explosive potential at times last season despite the OL and OC issues. Those excuses are now gone for 2018.

Here are 2017 stats for Robinson (true SO)and Smith (RS SO), both as sophomores playing behind a banged all new OL and under an ineffective OC that has since been fired:

- ROBINSON,James 165 carries, 933 yards, 5.7 ypc 12 TDs 84.8 ypg

- SMITH,Markel 111 581 5.2 4 52.8

Plus we have another up and comer RB Jordan Birch who will be a SO next fall .. reportedly he dropped about 10 lbs to get back under 230 lbs. The competition for reps and touches is off the charts, but Robinson will get 60% of reps .. he is viewed as having highest ceiling and was still working on baby fat when he get here ... mainly because he played at small rural Illinois HS where he blew away nearly every HS record. Spack has been bringing him along nicely .. so IMO planets are aligning for him and our overall run game to have breakout season.
I was of the opinion last year that James Robinson was the best running back in the MVFC. Toughest back in the league to tackle when he got to full speed.

[PaladinNation]

I wouldn't sleep on Andre Stoddard (5-10 230) of Wofford and Kealand Dirks (6-0 244) of Furman.
They play in multi-back offenses and they play fullback - so I doubt they will get much respect out of the SoCon.
Both will run you over and both have speed. Dirks was kinda a mystery until Clay Hendrix got him to buy-in to the program last season.

I expect both to have very good senior seasons, both could be 1,000 rushers at fullback in 2018.

[PaladinFan]

I wouldn't sleep on Andre Stoddard (5-10 230) of Wofford and Kealand Dirks (6-0 244) of Furman.
They play in multi-back offenses and they play fullback - so I doubt they will get much respect out of the SoCon.
Both will run you over and both have speed. Dirks was kinda a mystery until Clay Hendrix got him to buy-in to the program last season.

I expect both to have very good senior seasons, both could be 1,000 rushers at fullback in 2018.

It remains to be seen what Furman does with Dirks. Last year he and Wilcox largely split the load.

Just for comparison, in 2006, Jerome Felton had 162 carries for 711 yards and 23(!) touchdowns. Last year Dirks had 152 carries for 726 yards and 9 touchdowns.

With Wilcox graduating and a new offensive coordinator, I wonder if we may see Furman's offense look a bit more like it did in the mid-2000s, with the fullback as the feature back but splitting the load with the shiftier tailback instead of another fullback.

Furman rarely used Morehead between the tackles last year, but he's a similar physical build to Cedrick Gipson, who had 1,000 plus yards from scrimmage in 2006.

[Redbird 4th & short]

I was of the opinion last year that James Robinson was the best running back in the MVFC. Toughest back in the league to tackle when he got to full speed.
he doesn't have Coprich's burst, but he has everything else in terms of combining speed and power, and like you said .. he's just very hard to tackle.

[IBleedYellow]

The best returning MVFC running back isn’t listed.

Marcus Weymiller led the MVFC in yards per game, touchdowns and points accounted for per game in conference games last year, and he missed 2 conference games and needed ankle surgery after week 2 but put it off until after the season. He was also 8th in the the MVFC in total offense yards per game in the conference

Bench warmer, clearly.

[McNeese72]

I don't care how a good a runningback you are, if you don't have a good offensive line in front of you, you aren't going to look good.

That is one area that McNeese needs to improve on this season.


Doc

[Redbird 4th & short]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37133659483_81b32b5ab4_c.jpg

Crazy thing is the most explosive RB on the Bison roster isn't one of the two guys on that list. It's this guy (#28 Ty Brooks): https://youtu.be/1_9aXkPz4bA?t=2m29s

Professor .. I always thought Lance Dunn was better than Bruce, until he got injured and and Bruce hasd to take bigger role .. assuming both are 100% healthy, which one does Bison fans think is better in Bison offense ??

As for Ty Brooks, at 175 lbs compared to Dunn & Anderson at 210+, Brooks is obviously a nice change of pace guy to bring in behind Dunn and Anderson. But wonder how he would do if he were feature back, and teams scouted and prepared for him like they do Dunn & Anderson.

p.s. I do think 2018 ISUr will look a lot like typical NDSU offense with 2 feature backs, and ability to go 3 deep and grind teams into ground for 4 quarters. Our 3 deep goes from TRobinson 215 lbs to Smith 225 lbs to Birch 230 lbs .. and they can all move for their size, and love to punish tacklers, especially Robinson and Smith. It won't be as explosive with big plays like 2014-15 with QB Roberson keeping defenses honest with his read option and deep ball, opening things up for RB Coprich. But it might be just as productive this year .. grinding teams into ground.

[IBleedYellow]

Professor .. I always thought Lance Dunn was better than Bruce, until he got injured and and Bruce hasd to take bigger role .. assuming both are 100% healthy, which one does Bison fans think is better in Bison offense ??

As for Ty Brooks, at 175 lbs compared to Dunn & Anderson at 210+, Brooks is obviously a nice change of pace guy to bring in behind Dunn and Anderson. But wonder how he would do if he were feature back, and teams scouted and prepared for him like they do Dunn & Anderson.

p.s. I do think 2018 ISUr will look a lot like typical NDSU offense with 2 feature backs, and ability to go 3 deep and grind teams into ground for 4 quarters. Our 3 deep goes from TRobinson 215 lbs to Smith 225 lbs to Birch 230 lbs .. and they can all move for their size, and love to punish tacklers, especially Robinson and Smith. It won't be as explosive with big plays like 2014-15 with QB Roberson keeping defenses honest with his read option and deep ball, opening things up for RB Coprich. But it might be just as productive this year .. grinding teams into ground.

I don't think he'd do as well - but this is what's so nice about our depth @ RB. We're able to just keep plugging RBs into the system and during one game there seems to always be one guy who has a hell of a good game.

[VandalBasher]

I don't care how a good a runningback you are, if you don't have a good offensive line in front of you, you aren't going to look good.

That is one area that McNeese needs to improve on this season.


Doc

I was thinking the same as I read through these posts. Any RB worth his salt always acknowledges the hosses up front. This will include a TE and WRs that can also block. If you have a QB that has the capacity to throw a cut block, even better.

[Professor Chaos]

Professor .. I always thought Lance Dunn was better than Bruce, until he got injured and and Bruce hasd to take bigger role .. assuming both are 100% healthy, which one does Bison fans think is better in Bison offense ??

As for Ty Brooks, at 175 lbs compared to Dunn & Anderson at 210+, Brooks is obviously a nice change of pace guy to bring in behind Dunn and Anderson. But wonder how he would do if he were feature back, and teams scouted and prepared for him like they do Dunn & Anderson.

p.s. I do think 2018 ISUr will look a lot like typical NDSU offense with 2 feature backs, and ability to go 3 deep and grind teams into ground for 4 quarters. Our 3 deep goes from TRobinson 215 lbs to Smith 225 lbs to Birch 230 lbs .. and they can all move for their size, and love to punish tacklers, especially Robinson and Smith. It won't be as explosive with big plays like 2014-15 with QB Roberson keeping defenses honest with his read option and deep ball, opening things up for RB Coprich. But it might be just as productive this year .. grinding teams into ground.
I'd tend to agree that Dunn is a little better although I thought Bruce Anderson learned how to be a much more patient runner during the playoff run last year so he closed the gap considerably from what it was early in the season when he had the habit of running into the backs of his blockers instead of seeing his cutback lanes. FWIW I've heard that Bruce's pro prospects are better than Dunn's.

I think Brooks runs between the tackles better than most give him credit for, especially after seeing his measurables. That said, he has been injury prone so, like IBY said, he's probably not one to rely on as a feature back but he's just too electric not to try to get the ball to around 10 times a game if not more. Last year he had 772 yards on only 79 touches.

[ST_Lawson]

I don't care how a good a runningback you are, if you don't have a good offensive line in front of you, you aren't going to look good.

That is one area that McNeese needs to improve on this season.


Doc

That's my big question mark about Western Illinois this year as well. Lost a lot of experience and talent due to graduation on the O-Line. We've got a really good QB, solid RBs, decent WRs and TEs...but if the O-Line is weak...most of the rest of the offense isn't going to matter much.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

4th string on NDSU.


LOL

He wouldn't play a down at NDSU.

[Mike296]

None of our backs are all too special, I think JSU has an interesting one though in the pipeline?

[PaladinNation]

It remains to be seen what Furman does with Dirks. Last year he and Wilcox largely split the load.

Just for comparison, in 2006, Jerome Felton had 162 carries for 711 yards and 23(!) touchdowns. Last year Dirks had 152 carries for 726 yards and 9 touchdowns.

With Wilcox graduating and a new offensive coordinator, I wonder if we may see Furman's offense look a bit more like it did in the mid-2000s, with the fullback as the feature back but splitting the load with the shiftier tailback instead of another fullback.

Furman rarely used Morehead between the tackles last year, but he's a similar physical build to Cedrick Gipson, who had 1,000 plus yards from scrimmage in 2006.

Furman has a rich history of great running backs, but it's hard to get yards when you can't block. The future looks bright for Paladin running backs IMO due to the coaching in place at Furman now and honestly - better recruiting. Saying all that, I'm not sure 2018 will launch a Furman running back into the national conversation - we're still young.

[JSUSoutherner]

None of our backs are all too special, I think JSU has an interesting one though in the pipeline?

Shhhhhh.....

[clenz]

LOL

He wouldn't play a down at NDSU.

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[FUBeAR]

Furman has a rich history of great running backs, but it's hard to get yards when you can't block. The future looks bright for Paladin running backs IMO due to the coaching in place at Furman now and honestly - better recruiting. Saying all that, I'm not sure 2018 will launch a Furman running back into the national conversation - we're still young.Most of those great Furman RB’s of the past operated in a RUN-FIRST Tailback-centric Veer-out-of-the-I (highlighted by a TRUE triple-option game AND power sweeps) Offense with outstanding & very athletic OL’s; often 2 TE’s that were block-first athletes; bruising FB’s that loved to crush LB’s, but could also tote the rock; and WR’s that valued putting a DB’s heels in the air as much, or more than, catching a TD pass. There was always a ‘feature’ TB who, I would guess, averaged > 20 carries/game & 2 ‘change of pace’ TB’s that possessed a different style than the featured TB and/or were younger & gaining seasoning for when they would become the #1 guy. Those two averaged about 8-10 carries/game each. (Hmmmm....seems like I may have just described something similar, in many ways, to NDSU’s current Offense. Reckon why more Teams don’t run it? Seems to work pretty well...but I digress...)

Put Kealand Dirks in that Offense, with his head screwed on right, and he’s a STRONG Payton Award candidate. IMO, he’s that good.

While I LOVE Furman’s current Offense, it is not ‘that’ Offense.

That said, if Dirks remains properly motivated, as he was last year, and he gets enough touches (particularly in GL situations), I think he has a shot at being ‘in the conversation’ for national recognition. Using last year as a guide, if he gets 20 carries / game, he’s a 1,300 yard / 16 TD’s RB. Given his bulk & style, if he CAN get that many carries, I think we would actually see an increase in his YPC & TD/carry stats because of the ‘wearin’ ‘em down’ factor. In my experience, Defenses just don’t seem to be able to tackle a 6-0/250 RB on the 21st and subsequent carries as well as they did in the earlier ones.

[ysubigred]

4th string on NDSU.

Agree. YSU would covert him to a punter xsmiley_wix

[PaladinFan]

Most of those great Furman RB’s of the past operated in a RUN-FIRST Tailback-centric Veer-out-of-the-I (highlighted by a TRUE triple-option game AND power sweeps) Offense with outstanding & very athletic OL’s; often 2 TE’s that were block-first athletes; bruising FB’s that loved to crush LB’s, but could also tote the rock; and WR’s that valued putting a DB’s heels in the air as much, or more than, catching a TD pass. There was always a ‘feature’ TB who, I would guess, averaged > 20 carries/game & 2 ‘change of pace’ TB’s that possessed a different style than the featured TB and/or were younger & gaining seasoning for when they would become the #1 guy. Those two averaged about 8-10 carries/game each. (Hmmmm....seems like I may have just described something similar, in many ways, to NDSU’s current Offense. Reckon why more Teams don’t run it? Seems to work pretty well...but I digress...)

Put Dirks in that Offense, with his head screwed on right, and he’s a STRONG Payton Award candidate. IMO, he’s that good.

While I LOVE Furman’s current Offense, it is not ‘that’ Offense.

That said, if Dirks remains properly motivated, as he was last year, and he gets enough touches (particularly in GL situations), I think he has a shot at being ‘in the conversation’ for national recognition.

What I'm interested to see is how the offense uses Dirks.

It is hard not to see the comp with he and Jerome Felton. I pulled up the 2005 Furman/GSU game and there are some really good examples of how the offense operated with a talented big-bodied back like Felton in a balanced offense. I believe Clay Hendrix was still on the coaching staff at that time.

The 29:00 mark is a good example. Felton lines up as an H-Back behind the TE and is the lead blocker on a stretch play with Ced Gipson. The next play he is the FB and runs a counter up the middle for huge yards (forget the fumble). Furman would also use him as a pass catcher, single back, and out of the shotgun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm2m9YG1cxg

I do not think Furman is going to run the same type of offense from that era, though I can see where they may implement a lot of those elements with Dirks.

[ST_Lawson]

We've got a couple of decent guys, but not what I'd categorize as top 10 in the FCS.
Steve McShane is maybe top 10 in the MVFC, but there's just too damn many good RBs in the Valley.

I do think we'll see our run game pick up a bit with Acklin off to the NFL.
McShane and Max Norris each had over 600 yards on the ground last season and I wouldn't be surprised if they both increase over that total this season, but I don't see them really "blowing the doors off" of anyone.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

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http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27746&stc=1



xlolx


He might be 5th string at NDSU....xlolx

[Derby City Duke]

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They sometimes have a unique way of thinking...expect in that world, Charles Haley would never have seen the field on defense either.:D xthumbsupx