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Will Auburn have two 1,000-yard running backs in 2017? Kerryon Johnson says ‘yes’
By Clint Lamb
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Auburn hasn’t managed to field dual 1,000-yard rushers since Tre Mason and Nick Marshall combined for 2,884 yards and 35 touchdowns back in 2013. Junior RB Kerryon Johnson believes that’s going to change this season.
“This is the year to do it,” Johnson said Wednesday. “As long as everything goes to plan. We just have to stay down-to-earth and go out there and get it done.”
That could prove to be a difficult task considering that Kamryn Pettway is aiming to break Auburn’s single-season rushing record as well, but it’s not impossible. The two combined for 2,119 rushing yards last season — with 1,224 of that coming from Pettway.
Another potential obstacle is going to be health. Both players have struggled at times to stay healthy. If the thunder and lightning duo want to achieve the rare feature of having two 1,000-yard running backs in the same backfield, they need to both maintain their health this season.
Auburn did lead the SEC in rushing yards per game last season with 271.3 — leading the second place team Alabama by over 25 yards (245). They did this by running the ball 69.1 percent of the time, an astonishing amount when you think about it. If the Tigers continue to run the ball that much, two 1,000-yard rushers isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
The likelihood of them continuing that trend are slim, however. With the addition of Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham, Auburn is in a much better position to create balance on offense.
Don’t try to limit the possibilities in Johnson’s mind, though.
Clint helps cover the SEC West for Saturday Down South. His work can also be found on USA TODAY Sports, The 'Bama Beat podcast and The Bullpen with TonyMac and The Lamb. Previous stops include SEC Country, 247Sports and Touchdown Alabama Magazine.
