Published September 29, 2011 - 6:50am
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One record many are not talking about right now – and I know it’s only week five – is the most rushing yards in a season that is still held by Georgia-great, and probably the best running back to ever play in the SEC, Herschel Walker. There is only one running back who can hit those type of numbers this year, and it is no doubt South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore.
Right now, Lattimore is on schedule to break that rushing record in what is only his sophomore season. At the end of the year, his rushing attempts will be there, and the yardage should come with it. Now, obviously, he will have to stay healthy throughout this season in order to get to the below projected numbers.
Each week here on SDS, we will be updating you on Marcus Lattimore’s quest to reach Walker’s numbers.
ACTUAL NUMBERS ENTERING WEEK 5:
| Name | Year | Games | Attempts | Yards | Average | TD | Avg / Game |
| Marcus Lattimore | 2011 | 4 | 107 | 611 | 5.7 | 8 | 152.8 |
| Herschel Walker | 1981 | 11 | 385 | 1,891 | 4.9 | 18 | 171.9 |
PROJECTED NUMBERS BASED ON CURRENT AVERAGES:
| Name | Year | Games | Attempts | Yards | Average | TD | Avg / Game |
| Marcus Lattimore | 2011 | 13 | 348 | 1,986 | 5.7 | 26 | 152.8 |
I estimated Lattimore playing in 13 games – as I assume South Carolina will make a bowl game – and he is projected to finish with more yards than Herschel Walker based on current averages through four games.
Now, Walker only played 11 games (which makes his numbers even more impressive), and Lattimore will likely play 13 if he can stay healthy.
LATTIMORE’S NUMBERS GAME-BY-GAME:
| Week | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | TD |
| 1 | ECU | 23 | 112 | 4.9 | 3 |
| 2 | UGA | 27 | 176 | 6.5 | 1 |
| 3 | Navy | 37 | 246 | 6.6 | 3 |
| 4 | Vandy | 20 | 77 | 3.9 | 1 |
| Totals | 4 | 107 | 611 | 5.7 | 8 |
The next two weeks, South Carolina and Marcus Lattimore will go against the two worst rushing defenses in the SEC in Auburn and Kentucky, and both are giving up an average of over 200 yards on the ground this season. So, a couple big weeks are to be expected.
Here’s a look at the remaining schedule for the Gamecocks:
- October 1 @ Auburn
- October 8 Kentucky
- October 15 @ Mississippi State
- October 22 Bye
- October 29 @ Tennessee
- November 5 @ Arkansas
- November 12 Florida
- November 19 The Citadel
- November 26 Clemson
Of course the remaining schedule does not include a bowl game – or even the SEC Championship Game – which will likely add to Lattimore’s season totals.
This watch also discounts Lattimore’s receiving numbers, which are very good. But here we are specifically watching Lattimore’s rushing numbers compared to Walker’s.
I wish the young man good luck but I’m afraid if USC relies on him as much as they have in the past, he will not stay healthy playing in today’s SEC. Herschel could run the ball a million times a game but he is obviously, not human. By the way, does anyone know what happened to the “Pick ‘Em” link?
Herschel was and is still a machine.
I would like to see Georgia recuit Herschel as their Strength and Conditioning and/or Running Backs coach!
Pickem: http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/pickem/
Thank you!
I think he’ll have 14 games since they will play in the SEC Championship this year as well.
If he plays 14 games and can escape injury, he will run way past Walker’s numbers.
schedule is incorrect…Clemson is a home game, and will be the game where He breaks the record, he will not need the extra championship and bowl games!
I hope he breaks it against Clemson as well.
first of all their is no way lattimore is going to keep up his current pace in the sec. look at his last game against vandy. second of all if he gets lucky enough to break the record by the clemson game, that’s still 12 games which is one more than herschel played. more than likely he won’t break it until y’all play in the outback bowl which will be two more games than herschel played. i won’t be impressed unless he breaks it in that 11th game against the citadel. there has never been and there will never be a more impressive, dominating for, certainly in the sec, but I say in the nation, like herschel, including tebow or lattimore
I did not say Herschel was not great and watching him run all over us I give him all the credit in the world, but, records are made to be broken, and if I recall, people used to say that there was no way Herschel was going to hold up also. To say there will never be anyone as good or better ignores a whole lot of history.
Vandy was able to hold him down because they stacked the box with defenders knowing that our passing game is laughable…if, and I grant you, it is a BIG if, we can just get some passing offense threats, stacking the box will not be an every down occurrence, things will open up, and I believe he will be able to maintain or even increase his current average. This week and next will tell us a lot as these are two of the worst run defenses in the SEC.