The SEC witnessed eight running backs (and one quarterback, Nick Fitzgerald of Mississippi State) rush for more than 1,000 yards this season. Georgia running back Nick Chubb missed the 1,000-yard magic number by a mere 36 feet. You can do the math.
Chubb ranks No. 9 in this week’s SEC Country weekly breakdown of the top 10 running backs in the conference.
Here is the complete rundown:
10. KERRYON JOHNSON, Auburn
Last week: 39 yards, 8 ATT, 4.9 YPC
Season: 862 yards, 11 TDs, 173 ATT, 5.0 YPC, 78.4 YPG
Rank last week: No. 9
Why he’s here: Sorry, Leonard Fournette. We’re dropping you from the list. Sure, Johnson needed 4 more games to edge you for yards and touchdowns, but the sophomore has been a stable force out of the Auburn backfield all season.
9. NICK CHUBB, Georgia
Last week: 88 yards, TD, 22 ATT, 4.0 YPC
Season: 988 yards, 7 TDs, 207 ATT, 4.8 YPC, 82.3 YPG
Rank last week: No. 10
Why he’s here: It wasn’t quite the season that Chubb envisioned, but the junior has a chance to surpass 1,000 yards this season with 12 yards in Georgia’s bowl game. That’s nothing to sneeze at considering the devastating left knee injury Chubb suffered midway through last season. He finished with 297 yards in Georgia’s final 3 games. Chubb is sure to get plenty of looks should he opt for the NFL draft next spring.
8. TRAYVEON WILLIAMS, Texas A&M
Last week: 68 yards, TD, 10 ATT, 6.8 YPC
Season: 1,024 yards, 8 TDs, 147 ATT, 7.0 YPC, 85.3 YPG
Rank last week: N/R
Why he’s here: Williams didn’t reach 100 yards for the first time since rushing for 217 against Tennessee in Week 6. The Texas A&M freshman managed to top 1,000 yards in his final regular-season game. Williams is the first freshman in program history to achieve the feat.
7. DAMAREA CROCKETT, Missouri
Last week: DNP
Season: 1,062 yards, 10 TDs, 153 ATT, 6.9 YPC, 96.5 YPG
Rank last week: No. 3
Why he’s here: Crockett was suspended for the regular-season finale against Arkansas after being arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession. Crockett is the first Missouri running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards since Russell Hansbrough.
6. STANLEY “BOOM” WILLIAMS, Kentucky
Last week: 63 yards, TD, 14 ATT, 4.5 YPC
Season: 1,135 yards, 7 TDs, 160 ATT, 7.1 YPC, 94.6 YPG
Rank last week: No. 6
Why he’s here: Williams continues to pound out the yardage, rising to No. 7 on Kentucky’s all-time rushing leaderboard with 2,413 yards.
5. BENNY SNELL JR., Kentucky
Last week: 51 yards, TD, 11 ATT, 4.6 YPC
Season: 1,057 yards, 13 TDs, 179 ATT, 5.9 YPC, 88.1 YPG
Rank last week: No. 4
Why he’s here: Snell and teammate Williams didn’t churn out the rushing yards they’ve become synonymous for in Week 13 against Louisville, but the freshman padded his touchdown total. He is 1 score shy of the SEC lead.
4. RALPH WEBB, Vanderbilt
Last week: 114 yards, 2 TDs, 21 ATT, 5.4 YPC
Season: 1,172 yards, 12 TDs, 229 ATT, 5.1 YPC, 97.7 YPG
Rank last week: No. 8
Why he’s here: Webb is back where he belongs: among the top-5 running backs in the SEC. The junior running back is a major reason Vanderbilt was able to defeat Ole Miss and Tennessee to close the regular season and become bowl eligible for the first time with coach Derek Mason. Webb had 237 yards and 5 touchdowns in those games.
3. KAMRYN PETTWAY, Auburn
Last week: 17 yards, 12 ATT, 1.4 YPC
Season: 1,123 yards, 7 TDs, 185 ATT, 6.1 YPC, 124.8 YPG
Rank last week: No. 1
Why he’s here: Pettway appeared in only 9 games and faltered down the stretch. He sat out 2 contests with an injury and rushed for a season low against Alabama in Week 13.
2. RAWLEIGH WILLIAMS III, Arkansas
Last week: 117 yards, TD, 25 ATT, 4.7 YPC
Season: 1,326 yards, 12 TDs, 233 ATT, 5.7 YPC, 110.5 YPG
Rank last week: No. 2
Why he’s here: Williams finishes the regular season as the SEC’s top running back for total yards, despite a late push by LSU’s Derrius Guice. Rushing for 322 yards in his final 2 games helped the sophomore, who finished the regular season with 7 100-yard efforts. Williams was the SEC’s premier workhorse, leading the conference in carries.
1. DERRIUS GUICE, LSU
Last week: 285 yards, 4 TDs, 37 ATT, 7.7 YPC
Season: 1,249 yards, 14 TDs, 157 ATT, 8.0 YPC, 113.6 YPG
Rank last week: No. 5
Why he’s here: Guice has turned into a nightmare for opposing run defenses. The sophomore leads all SEC running backs in touchdowns, with half of his scores coming in LSU’s last 3 games. Guice is the 12th Tigers running back to reach 1,000 yards in a season.
DROPPED OFF THE LIST
- Leonard Fournette, LSU
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR (Next 10)
- Sony Michel, Georgia
