In order to measure the SEC’s best running backs in 2016, SDS updates a fresh top 10 each Monday. The criteria involves a mix of talent, recent past performance, 2016 production and outlook.
Here’s how the Top 10 looks after Week 9.
10. Jordan Scarlett, Florida: Even without two of its four running backs, No. 14 Florida’s ground game was just fine in its 24-10 win against Georgia. That was mostly because of Scarlett, who was finally unshackled from the bonds of a running-back-by-committee system thanks to Mark Thompson and Jordan Cronkrite not traveling with the team. He shouldered the brunt of the load and almost hit the 100-yard mark against a stout Bulldogs front that entered the game ranked 17th nationally in rushing defense. Scarlett still ceded 15 carries to true freshman Lamical Perine, who fared much worse at just 2.2 yards per carry. The sophomore’s 2-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter was a game-changer, granting the Gators a 14-10 halftime lead and sparking a run of 17 unanswered points. It’s unlikely that coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier will deviate from their committee approach in the backfield, but Scarlett has given them good reason to consider doing so.
This week: 26 carries, 93 yards, 1 touchdown
Season: 93 carries, 468 yards, 6 touchdowns; 2 receptions, 9 yards
9. Rawleigh Williams III, Arkansas: Aside from a 180-yard performance against Ole Miss, Williams’ combined stat line against Arkansas’ three other SEC opponents reads as such: 42 carries, 147 yards, 2 touchdowns. If you’re wondering why I’m throwing out the Rebels, I consider a team that allowed more than 230 rushing yards to a single running back in consecutive games a statistical aberration. The point is Williams’ 3.5 yards per carry against the three other SEC teams has not gotten the job done in conference play, and it’s the impetus behind his drop in these rankings. Poor offensive line play has certainly contributed to the sophomore’s dip in production, but that’s a harsh reality many running backs have to overcome. With Florida and LSU waiting on the schedule, don’t expect Williams to turn things around in the next few weeks.
This week: Did not play (off week)
Season: 153 carries, 807 yards, 5 touchdowns; 10 receptions, 99 yards, 1 touchdown
8. Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky: If you think LSU and Auburn have the best running back tandem in the SEC, Snell would like to have a word with you. He set the program record for most single-game rushing yards by a freshman in Kentucky’s impressive 35-21 win at Missouri. Snell is the perfect complement for the shifty Stanley “Boom” Williams, and he has emerged as one of the toughest runners in the league after not receiving a carry in the first two weeks of the year. The 220-pound true freshman has bruised his way to a fitting 5.6 yards per carry and 8 touchdowns, which is the most for a freshman in Wildcats history and tied for the most among conference running backs. Kentucky is suddenly one of the SEC’s best rushing teams, having totaled 250 or more yards on the ground against three straight league foes. Make no mistake that Snell is a huge part of that success.
This week: 38 carries, 192 yards, 2 touchdowns
Season: 118 carries, 661 yards, 8 touchdowns
7. Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt: I’ve argued all season that Webb is the SEC’s most underappreciated running back. Despite playing on arguably the least-talented team in the league, the junior has posted the second-most rushing yards among his conference peers. He has the strength and toughness to pick up yards between the tackles but is also athletic enough to bust big runs and contribute in the passing game. Webb is the primary back in a one-dimensional offense, so he’ll continue to rack up carries and yards as the college football calendar turns to November.
This week: Did not play (off week)
Season: 164 carries, 855 yards, 6 touchdowns; 14 receptions, 123 yards
6. Derrius Guice, LSU: Guice absolutely deserves to keep a spot in the top 10 even after an open date. He’s undoubtedly the best backup running back in the country and could start at probably 100 other FBS schools. I honestly believe the sophomore has an edge on Leonard Fournette, who will see the majority of LSU’s workload as long as he’s healthy, when it comes to cutbacks and pure explosive ability. The proof of that is his 8.0 yards per carry and 7 touchdowns, which both rank in the top three among SEC running backs. Fournette’s return will likely keep Guice buried in the bottom half of these rankings, but there’s no debating he’s one of the 10 best SEC running backs based on talent alone.
This week: Did not play (off week)
Season: 78 carries, 621 yards, 7 touchdowns; 5 receptions, 66 yards
5. Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M: The No. 9 Aggies rested three defensive starters for precautionary health reasons last Saturday, so it’s not surprising that Williams received a small workload in a 52-10 beatdown of New Mexico State. He was one of eight Texas A&M players to record a carry, and little-used redshirt freshman Kendall Bussey was the team’s leading rusher with 10 attempts. Williams still managed a touchdown and 6.1 yards per carry, but it was far from the flashy outings he produced through the first half of the season. That makes two straight quiet games for the elusive true freshman, who was completely bottled up by top-ranked Alabama on Oct. 22. Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s commitment to getting the now-healthy Keith Ford more involved in the running game doesn’t bode well for Williams in these rankings, but his sheer explosiveness will probably keep him here throughout the final month of the year.
This week: 8 carries, 49 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 reception, 11 yards
Season: 99 carries, 776 yards, 6 touchdowns; 14 receptions, 82 yards
4. Stanley “Boom” Williams, Kentucky: The guy they call Boom took several booming hits but kept coming back in Kentucky’s win against Missouri. That toughness was just one of the many attributes he flashed while rushing for 9.6 yards per carry against a porous Tigers defense. He now has the third-most rushing yards in the SEC, while his 7.5 yards per carry ranks fourth in the league. The junior last Saturday also became the quickest Wildcats running back to reach 2,000 career yards, needing only 288 carries to reach that mark. Williams is the scat back to Benny Snell’s more physical running style, and they both work better when the other is gaining yards. Take, for instance, the Missouri game, which was the first time in school history that two players topped 175 rushing yards in an SEC game. Both players made the top 10 this week, but Williams gets the edge because of his instant big-play ability and skills as a receiver out of the backfield.
This week: 19 carries, 182 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 reception, 13 yards, 1 touchdown
Season: 109 caries, 821 yards, 3 touchdowns; 6 receptions, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
3. Damien Harris, Alabama: Like several other running backs in this week’s Top 10, Harris was off this week but didn’t slip much. Remember that these rankings are a mixture of several factors, and I tend to put a lot of weight on the entire year’s worth of production. Few SEC backs have been more consistent than Harris, whose 8.0 yards per carry is best in the conference. He has posted great numbers despite rushing fewer times than quarterback Jalen Hurts and splitting time with Bo Scarbrough and Josh Jacobs, both of whom have more than 50 carries. But Harris is the most complete back on Alabama’s roster, and his involvement in the passing game is a plus. His low touchdown total is merely a result of his role in the offense coupled with Scarbrough’s status as a goal-line back. The Crimson Tide’s commitment to spreading the football around limits Harris’ overall upside, but LSU’s eighth-ranked rushing defense will gauge how good he really is.
This week: Did not play (off week)
Season: 87 carries, 697 yards, 1 touchdown; 8 receptions, 74 yards, 1 touchdown
2. Leonard Fournette, LSU: Where do I even start with Fournette? If his superhuman blend of size, speed, strength and burst doesn’t do it for you, his numbers in four games played just might. Fournette’s 167.5 rushing yards per contest would lead the SEC by a wide margin, but he doesn’t officially qualify for the statistic because he hasn’t played in 75 percent of LSU’s games. Even if you count the games the junior didn’t play, he’s still averaging more than 95 yards an outing. His 284-yard performance against Ole Miss on Oct. 22 certainly skews those numbers, but I can’t fault Fournette for that. That game alone put his name back in the Heisman conversation, which speaks volumes about the level of nationwide respect his talent commands. We’ll see if Fournette is worthy of that company — and a continued spot near the top of these rankings — when No. 1 Alabama visits Baton Rouge on Saturday.
This week: Did not play (off week)
Season: 83 carries, 670 yards, 5 touchdowns; 12 receptions, 94 yards
1. Kamryn Pettway, Auburn: Pettway just keeps outdoing himself. A week after setting a career-high with 192 yards against Arkansas, the sophomore shattered that mark in No. 15 Auburn’s 40-29 win at Ole Miss. Pettway said in a postgame interview on the SEC Network that “nobody wanted to tackle” him, and who could blame the Rebels? He was more efficient than usual at 7.9 yards per carry yet was still every bit the bruising back that has begun to terrorize defenses as the season wears on. His touchdown total could have been greater if not for classmate Kerryon Johnson — who rushed 11 times for 42 yards in his return from an ankle injury — scoring two short-yardage touchdowns in situations where the 240-pound Pettway used to received the carries. But Johnson’s injury changed the running back dynamic, allowing Pettway to flourish when given the bulk of the carries. As a result, Pettway is the nation’s sixth-leading rusher (133.3 yards per game) heading into the final month of the season. He’s Auburn’s premier back, and he looked like the best one in the entire SEC last weekend.
This week: 30 carries, 236 yards, 1 touchdown
Season: 148 carries, 933 yards, 7 touchdowns; 2 receptions, 14 yards
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
