How does having a mobile QB help the SEC’s top running backs?
By Jason Hall
Published:
The Southeastern Conference has always had great running backs. For decades, SEC backs ranked among the nation’s best in rushing yards. But a specific formula may be the key to some team’s success in 2014.
SEC teams with mobile quarterbacks have seen strong production from rushing totals from running backs. Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne leads the SEC in rushing yards with 1,276. Quarterback Nick Marshall is fourteenth with 739 yards.
Mississippi State’s Josh Robinson is third in the conference with 1,021 yards. Teammate Dak Prescott leads all quarterbacks with 861 rushing yards.
Here’s a look at the SEC’s top rushers:
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | ATT | YDS | YDS/A | LONG | TD |
| 1 | Cameron Artis-Payne, RB | AUB | 228 | 1276 | 5.6 | 37 | 10 |
| 2 | Nick Chubb, RB | UGA | 152 | 1039 | 6.8 | 55 | 9 |
| 3 | Josh Robinson, RB | MSST | 158 | 1021 | 6.5 | 73 | 11 |
| 4 | Jonathan Williams, RB | ARK | 155 | 932 | 6.0 | 90 | 11 |
| 5 | Todd Gurley, RB | UGA | 123 | 911 | 7.4 | 51 | 9 |
| 6 | Alex Collins, RB | ARK | 150 | 886 | 5.9 | 84 | 11 |
| 7 | Mike Davis, RB | SC | 173 | 875 | 5.1 | 40 | 9 |
| 8 | Dak Prescott, QB | MSST | 165 | 861 | 5.2 | 56 | 11 |
| 9 | Ralph Webb, RB | VAN | 185 | 838 | 4.5 | 28 | 3 |
| 10 | Russell Hansbrough, RB | MIZZ | 142 | 790 | 5.6 | 68 | 9 |
| 11 | Matt Jones, RB | FLA | 148 | 761 | 5.1 | 44 | 6 |
| 12 | T.J. Yeldon, RB | ALA | 151 | 758 | 5.0 | 31 | 6 |
| 13 | Leonard Fournette, RB | LSU | 157 | 745 | 4.7 | 40 | 7 |
| 14 | Nick Marshall, QB | AUB | 122 | 739 | 6.1 | 50 | 11 |
| 15 | Jalen Hurd, RB | TENN | 158 | 716 | 4.5 | 43 | 3 |
| 16 | Marcus Murphy, RB | MIZZ | 128 | 607 | 4.7 | 29 | 1 |
| 17 | Derrick Henry, RB | ALA | 122 | 590 | 4.8 | 28 | 5 |
| 18 | Kelvin Taylor, RB | FLA | 91 | 499 | 5.5 | 65 | 5 |
| 19 | Brandon Wilds, RB | SC | 83 | 479 | 5.8 | 70 | 4 |
| 20 | Terrence Magee, RB | LSU | 88 | 471 | 5.4 | 38 | 3 |
Of the SEC’s top 20 rushers, 14 are members of teams with a mobile quarterback. The exceptions, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina all have multiple players listed.
Switching to dual-threat quarterbacks has helped the production of two freshmen running backs from the Volunteer state. Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd saw back-to-back 100-yard games with Joshua Dobbs starting at quarterback, including a season-best 125 yards against South Carolina.
Vanderbilt’s Ralph Webb recorded a career-best 166 yards against Old Dominion during Johnny McCrary’s second start. Webb’s previous best came in a Week 3 win over Massachusetts, when former starter Patton Robinette provided a mobile option before missing a month of action due to a concussion the following week.
It’s no surprise that a dual-threat quarterback opens up the running game. Having two solid options in the backfield presents a problem for opposing defenses and a team can attack from multiple angles.
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky
