Sizing up Big 12 rosters, as the countdown to preseason winds down, something is clearly amiss. Where have all the great running backs gone?
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Plugging backfield slots in a preseason all-conference team is a chore — and not due to any logjam of talent. It's a chore because a search for proven performers yields few candidates, and even those carry question marks.
Anyone for an empty set, with four wide receivers and a stretch-the-field tight end in the slot?
Plenty of those guys to go around.
And plenty of spread offenses, featuring bionic-armed quarterbacks primed for spraying the air with passes.
But big-time running backs, built for 25 carries a game and providing toughness to an attack, are difficult to spot.
These days, football on the plains is just plain fancy. In case you've forgotten, that's a term we used to toss disparagingly on the Pac-10 and the WAC, but wouldn't think of dropping on our own favorite squads.
Now look at us, pitching the ball downfield instead of on the corner in the option. As interested in the tackle-eligible play as the off-tackle plunge. Maybe we've just adapted to the times. But there's a chance, too, we've gone soft.
Only one Big 12 runner, Nebraska's Marlon Lucky, returns as a 1,000-yard man. And running the ball may have been his secondary role. Lucky led the Cornhuskers with 75 receptions.
While seven Big 12 backs managed 1,000 rushing yards a year ago (most of them barely), none of the six who left the league charged off to sure NFL stardom. Only Texas' Jamaal Charles, a third-round pick of the Chiefs, created much buzz. Among the others, only Oklahoma's Allen Patrick was drafted – in the seventh round.
As for the rest – Oklahoma State's Dantrell Savage, Missouri's Tony Temple, Kansas' Brandon McAnderson, Kansas State's James Johnson and Colorado's Hugh Charles – there won't be much lasting impression beyond their campus area codes.
Now, there's hope for 2008, if you look and hope and cross your fingers really hard.
But there's no sure thing.
Not with all the capable quarterbacks. Not with so much uncertainty plaguing backfields.
Locally, there's as much optimism as anywhere.
The Sooners look to DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown, and there's highly touted youngsters on the rise. No league team is deeper with perceived talent. Still, Murray's battled injury issues and Brown seems best suited for a complimentary role.
The Cowboys bring back Kendall Hunter and brought in junior college stud Beau Johnson to revamp their balanced attack. Can either, however, handle a heavy load?
There are similar questions around the league. Platoon possibilities are prevalent, too.
Texas A&M returns a talented, yet inconsistent tandem in Michael Goodson and Javorskie Lane.
Even Lucky has company in the Husker backfield, with sophomores Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille bucking for playing time.
Texas was caught short when Charles bolted for the NFL early, leaving the rather uninspiring trio of Vondrell McGee, Chris Ogbonnaya and Fozzy Whitaker to fill the void.
At least some schools have clear candidates, which can't be said for some Big 12 locales.
Only at Texas Tech are there no worries about who's toting the ball, because, well, it doesn't matter who's toting the ball when the passing game's churning out 6,000-yard seasons.
Maybe that mentality is catching.
Maybe that's adapting to the times. Or maybe the Big 12 has gone soft.
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Sean, Seattle .....you punk. Wish i knew who your team was. beat they dont come close to oklahomas great great tradition. As for the running backs at OU....brown and murray will kick butt....as for calhoun, go to youtube and watch his high school films. he is one tough and fast running back. cant wait to watch all 3 of them........BOOMER SOONER.
I think I read that ESPN had Choke-Lahoma # 3in there preseason poll? Are you kidding me!?!? They cant win a game on the road!!!!! They will go down to Washington in there 3rd game and you might lose to the Bearcats the week before that.Oh,and lets not forget TCU....You know,the team that has kicked your butts all over your overated field the last 2 times we have been there...Go away Choke-Lahoma and quit embarassing your school and your conference by being in a BCS bowl game....lol
I think I read that ESPN had Choke-Lahoma # 3in there preseason poll? Are you kidding me!?!? They cant win a game on the road!!!!! They will go down to Washington in there 3rd game and you might lose to the Bearcats the week before that.Oh,and lets not forget TCU....You know,the team that has kicked your butts all over your overated field the last 2 times we have been there...Go away Choke-Lahoma and quit embarassing your school and your conference by being in a BCS bowl game....lol
I think I read that ESPN had Choke-Lahoma # 3in there preseason poll? Are you kidding me!?!? They cant win a game on the road!!!!! They will go down to Washington in there 3rd game and you might lose to the Bearcats the week before that.Oh and lets not forget TCU....You know,the team that has kicked your butts all over your overated field the last 2 times we have been there...Go away Choke-Lahoma and quit embarassing your school and your conference by being in a BCS bowl game....lol
I think I read that ESPN had Choke-Lahoma # 3in there preseason poll? Are you kidding me!?!? They cant win a game on the road!!!!! They will go down to Washington in there 3rd game and you might lose to the Bearcats the week before that.Oh and lets not forget TCU....You know,the team that has kicked your butts all over your overated feild the last 2 times we have been there...Go away Choke-Lahoma and quit embarassing your school and your confrence by being in a BCS bowl game....lol
Same could be said for just about every conference this year. With The OSU (Wells) and Georgia (Moreno) as the 2 exceptions, no other team in the top 10 has a "proven" back. This includes USC. McKnight has potential just like Murray, but neither are "proven".
He is simply reported that there are no "proven" backs. that simple and that's a fact. OU will be productive in the backfield as will some of these other Big XII schools.
Dork doesn't even come close for Danny...Dumb Dork that doesn't do his homework...Fact: DeMarco Murray, Las Vegas, Nevada...Chris Brown, Alexandria, Louisiana...Mossis Madu, Norman OKLAHOMA and if my old memory serves me right, Allen Patrick was from one of the Carolinas. And that's only the ones that come to recent memory. Sure we like the Texas runners and they seem to like OU also. I believe the folks at Lawton High, Glenpool and Jenks America might also have something to say about recent OU runners. Like I said Dumb Dork that doesn't do his homework before opening his stinkin' pie hole...and Bob at Signal Hill, everything right now is filler and some of us like it that way...just my opinion...
I think this article is June filler! They just want to start writing about football, with nothing really going on yet. I think he clearly is underestimating Murray and Brown at OU, and Hunter and Johnson at OSU, Hunter looks to me like a near clone of Savage. Don't know as much about the rest of the Big12, but suspect he's underestimating them, too. As far as going soft? I've heard that for 20 years about the Pac-10, and yet they keep beating teams from the midwest on a regular basis. At the very least, holding their own against the midwestern bullies. Just because a team passes more doesn't make them "soft"...check out USC, folks.
uh...danny old chap, i seem to remember a lydell carr
from enid who ran all over texas out of the wishbone.
and gotebo, too small for a football team. you should
do better esearch.
Danny, you're a dork!!!! Facts are facts you little girl!!! Just like some goat herder from Texas to not even understand the premise (you probably won't even understand that word - sorry) of his article. He's merely saying that it's gonna be a down year, at least at first glance, for big 12 backs!!!! And if you think for a minute that UT will replace Charles with one of those crap-boxes they're gonna trot out there, you're crazy. Just because UT can't even keep it's own best players from going to OU, doesn't mean you should jump off the ledge dude!!! Get back to work, the goats are getting restless!!!!
I won't go overboard about the article like Danny, but the Big 12 is gonna have a ton of talent. OU will have the deepest backfield by far. Our Big 12 teams could really make some serious noise on the national scene, especially if teams like CU and Kansas step up and win big non-conference games.
The only thing that's gone soft is your sports reporting, Helsley.
Since when does Texas have to worry about a running back? The state produces a bevy of talented RBs each year and the University signs about half of them.
Heck, if it wasn't for Texas talent, where would OU find it's best running backs? Not in Enid or Gotebo, but Palestine or Lampassas.
Check the stats, John. The Big 12 consistently has some nationally ranked RBs. They're unknown until they start playing.
I think this whole sloppy article is nothing more than a thinly disguised, wishful pining for an Adrian Petterson return.
Native Texan RB, AD, is gone, John. Deal with it.
The best of the Big 12 backfields 06/29/2008 •1. Oklahoma. DeMarco Murray has provided "wow” moments. He has to get past the "ouch” moments and run tougher inside to become an every-down back....
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from enid who ran all over texas out of the wishbone.
and gotebo, too small for a football team. you should
do better esearch.
Go Big 12
Since when does Texas have to worry about a running back? The state produces a bevy of talented RBs each year and the University signs about half of them.
Heck, if it wasn't for Texas talent, where would OU find it's best running backs? Not in Enid or Gotebo, but Palestine or Lampassas.
Check the stats, John. The Big 12 consistently has some nationally ranked RBs. They're unknown until they start playing.
I think this whole sloppy article is nothing more than a thinly disguised, wishful pining for an Adrian Petterson return.
Native Texan RB, AD, is gone, John. Deal with it.