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Since 1956, 26 FBS running backs have rushed for at least 2,000 yards in a season. In 2015, Alabama’s Derrick Henry became the first player in SEC history to exceed that plateau, and his 2,219 yards this past season are the fifth-most in the past 60 years.
Considering the storied history of the SEC, it’s surprising that Henry is the first conference player to rush for more than two grand, but now that the College Football Playoff exists, there’s an excellent chance that he won’t be the last.
LSU’s Leonard Fournette had 1,953 rushing yards in 2015 to finish second behind Henry in the SEC, but the Tigers’ star gained his total in just 12 games — three fewer than his Crimson Tide counterpart. Fournette led the FBS in rushing yards per game (162.8), nearly 15 more than Henry, the runner-up. So had LSU’s 2015 opener against McNeese State not been canceled, it’s likely that Fournette would have joined Henry in the 2,000 club.
The only other FBS player with more than 2,000 rushing yards in 2015 was Christian McCaffrey, who finished with a Stanford-record 2,019. The rising junior has at least another shot at a 2,000-yard season before potentially heading to the NFL.
Thanks to two rounds of the College Football Playoff, Henry and Alabama played 15 games in 20015. With teams such as Alabama playing conference championship games in addition to playoff games, 14- and 15-game seasons are becoming more common, giving running teams more opportunities for 2,000-yard campaigns.
Of the 26 2,000-yard rushing seasons since 1956, half have come since 2000. With longer college football schedules these days, count on those seasons to increase.
Barry Sanders remains the record-holder. He rushed for 2,628 at Oklahoma State in 1988. Henry, as mentioned, is fifth. Fournette’s total ranks 32nd. Herschel Walker, who held the SEC record by rushing for 1,891 yards in 1981, ranks 44th on the list. So other SEC back is in the top 50.
You can see the full list here.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
