Breaking down the Big Ten: Running Backs

Today we commence breaking down the Big Ten football conference unit by unit, grading and ranking each team in respect to returning players and new additions who are expected to make an impact during the 2009 football season. We begin by looking at the top running back units, where the Penn State Nittany Lions are expected to field the most feared rushing attack in the conference.

Big Ten Running Back Rankings

1.    Penn State
2.    Wisconsin
3.    Ohio State
4.    Iowa
5.    Illinois

 
Penn State (Grade: A)

With Evan Royster returning to the Penn State backfield after a dazzling 2008 season, the Nittany Lions are the obvious choice to field the best running back unit. Royster’s quick and elusive running style propelled him to 1,236 yards and 12 TDs on 191 carries a year ago, and those numbers should increase in 2009 as he takes on a more featured role in the Penn State offense. Defenses will likely key in on Royster because of his big play potential, yet his sheer athleticism will enable him to stockpile yards even with 7 and 8 defenders in the box.

Sophomore Stephfon Green enters the season as the premier backup running back in the conference, after his freshman campaign consisted of 578 yards and 4 TDs on 105 carries. Green is also a threat in the passing game, as he snagged 15 passes for 268 yards (17.9 YPC) and a touchdown last season. With Penn State’s top receivers gone to graduation, expect the Nittany Lions to rely on Royster and Green to fill the void.

Wisconsin (Grade: A-)

The backfield situation in Madison is this: The Badgers lose a three-time 1,000 yard rusher to the NFL, but could actually be better without him. After eclipsing the 1,500 yard mark in his freshman season, it appeared PJ Hill was destined for sustained greatness and a place in the record books right next to former Wisconsin backfield great, Ron Dayne. But Hill’s numbers steadily declined, and freshman John Clay grew into the role of new fan favorite by season’s end.

Clay enters his sophomore season as one of the most feared runners in the conference. At 6-2, 237 pounds, his immense build and swift feet strike fear in the hearts of would-be tacklers. In his first full season as Wisconsin’s feature back, Clay is poised to put up numbers that compete with any running back in the conference, if not the entire nation, as he went for 884 yards and 9 TDs on just 155 carries during the 2008 season.

Junior Zach Brown is a capable running back who will spell Clay this season. In his first two seasons with the Badgers, the 5-11, 207-pound back compiled 873 yards and 8 TDs on 174 attempts.

Ohio State (Grade: B+)

Replacing running back Chris “Beanie” Wells would be a daunting task for most teams, but most teams don’t have the regular inflow of talent Ohio State does. The Buckeyes are the Big Ten gold standard for replacing players who leave early for the NFL. Sophomore Daniel Herron performed admirably last season when Wells was lost to a foot injury, and enters the season as the favored candidate to win the starting job. Herron tallied 439 yards and 6 TDs on 89 carries in 2008, which was good for an average of 4.9 yards per carry.

Backing him up will be a cadre of young and talented runners with the necessary size, speed and athleticism to make Ohio State’s running game an intimidating force. Junior Brandon Saine has run for 332 yards and 3 TDs in his first two seasons at Ohio State, giving the team a reliable backup. The fate of the Buckeyes backfield could hinge on the legal status of incoming freshman Jaamal Berry, who at 5-11, 193 pounds, runs a 4.3 40-yard dash and could be an instant star in Columbus.

Iowa (Grade: B+)

Any decent football analyst will tell you that Iowa’s running game will suffer greatly from the loss of Doak Walker Award winner, Shonn Greene. Any football analyst who ends the conversation about Iowa’s running game in 2009 with Greene’s departure is also being shamefully simplistic. Although no single Iowa runner will come within 500 yards of the 1,850 Greene put up last season, the Hawkeyes ground attack as a whole should still be just as capable.

Iowa returns three starters to an offensive line that should be the class of the conference this season, as well as sophomore running back Jewel Hampton (5-9, 200 pounds), who ran for 463 yards and 7 TDs during his freshman season. Hampton is an explosive back who runs with an anger and intensity that will have Iowa fans looking forward from the 2009 opening kickoff. The development of starting quarterback Rick Stanzi should allow Iowa to pursue a more comprehensive passing game this season, which will naturally relieve pressure from the running game.

Redshirt freshman Jeff Brinson will challenge Hampton for carries, and the two could prove to be one of the better one-two punches in the conference. At 5-11, 220 pounds, Brinson is a bigger back who is capable of either punishing defenders or running right passed them.

Illinois (Grade: B+)

If we included quarterback Juice Williams into the running backs conversation, the Fighting Illini could very well rank higher on this list, possibly even garnering consideration as the top backfield in the conference. Junior Daniel Dufrene has an ideal frame for a Big Ten running back (5-11, 202 pounds), and has displayed ample quickness during his first two seasons. Although he ran for a commendable 663 yards on 117 carries (5.7 YPC) in 2008, he failed to reach the endzone and watched his weekly productivity decline. He exceeded the century mark in only one game last year, while failing to amass even 40 yards on 5 occasions.

The reason for optimism in Champaign stems from the emergence of Jason Ford, who tallied 8 TDs during his freshman season. After shedding nearly 15 pounds in the offseason, reports indicate that Ford is playing with heightened speed and agility right now, which should bode well for the Illini rushing attack. If Dufrene gets off to a slow start, or if there is any indication that his rushing numbers are tailing off, expect Ford to assume the featured back role.
 

Note: This is the first of a two-part series on the Big Ten running backs. Tune in tomorrow for numbers 6-11.