Top RB in the Pac-12?

[cougjunkie]

(This is not a troll once again it has been a topic on local Utah radio this week) Obviously the best way to determine it is base it on games inside the Pac-12. David Locke tweeted out a few stats last night:

Rush defense rankings:
Stanford 5th
Utah 9th
USC 16th
Cal 26th
ASU 49th
Washington 60th

In Pac 12 games only:

LMJ 960 yards, 7.3 per carry in only 6 games
Polk 879 yards 5.1 per carry in 8 games
White 882 yards 4.3 per carry in 8 games.
Sofele 927 yards, 5.5 per carry in 9 games

Now against the best rush defenses in the Pac-12

Vs Cal
LMJ 30-239
White 15-39
Polk 20-60
Sofele DNP

vs Stanford
LMJ 20-146
Polk 15-144
White DNP
Sofele 21-96

vs ASU
LMJ DNP
White 17-85
Polk 20-189
Sofele DNP

vs USC
LMJ 20-78
White 20-56
Polk 9-46
12-44

Vs WA
White 14-35
LMJ 25-156
Polk DNP
Sofele 17-98

vs Utah
White DNP
LMJ DNP
Polk 29-189
Sofele 26-84

First of all it is clear that nobody runs on SC. After that it seems that everyone has had moderate success against the top Pac rushing defenses. John White against the best defenses has clearly been the worst considering he did not have to face the top 2 defenses in Utah and Stanford. WIth that being said the games he has struggled he did not receive the same volume of carries he has in other games. He seems to be the type of player that can get bottled up over and over again and then break a big one.

I would rank them based on YPC, yards vs the top defenses and total yards as follows:

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Sofele
4. White

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Should be a short discussion to anyone that follows much college football.

[MarkGrace]

Should be a short discussion to anyone that follows much college football.

Pun intended!

[Hot Lunch]

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner (doesn't get the touches because of LMJ but is nasty)
4. White
5. Sofele

[SoCalCoug]

I just want you guys to know I really tried with Polk - my brother taught him in high school - when he decommitted from USC, we found out before the news hit, and we got Coach Weber out to visit him. Unfortunately, as his HS coach said, he likes the girls too much to commit to the BYU honor code.

Another honor code casualty. It would have been nice to have an RB like Polk.

[Tone Loc]

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner (doesn't get the touches because of LMJ but is nasty)
4. White
5. Sofele

If we are going with the best backs, or we actually had a draft to pick which we would have on our team I go with-

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner
4. Curtis McNeal (133 carries 881 yards, 6.6/carry)
5. Marc Tyler
6. Juan Blanco

[Hot Lunch]

If we are going with the best backs, or we actually had a draft to pick which we would have on our team I go with-

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner
4. Curtis McNeal (133 carries 881 yards, 6.6/carry)
5. Marc Tyler
6. Juan Blanco

I didn't realize that McNeal was averaging that much per carry. LMJ is averaging 7.4 ypc and Barner is averaging 6.8.

Franklin at Ucla is a good back as well. He is splitting carries which lowers his production with another good back and Ucla is not that good. He is averaging 6.1 ypc. There are some good backs in the Pac-12 right now.

[FN Phat]

If we are going with the best backs, or we actually had a draft to pick which we would have on our team I go with-

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner
4. Curtis McNeal (133 carries 881 yards, 6.6/carry)
5. Marc Tyler
6. Juan Blanco

I agree with the masses and give the nod to LMJ but if I am drafting a running back I would go with Polk. He just seems to be built better for the next level.

[Tone Loc]

I didn't realize that McNeal was averaging that much per carry. LMJ is averaging 7.4 ypc and Barner is averaging 6.8.

Franklin at Ucla is a good back as well. He is splitting carries which lowers his production with another good back and Ucla is not that good. He is averaging 6.1 ypc. There are some good backs in the Pac-12 right now.

I agree there are good backs, but I dont think they are any better than any other league. I actually think the PAC-12 is really a poor defensive conference. Statistically their best defense is utah at 20, and if utah would have played some of the better teams in their league, it wouldn't even look that good.

[Surfah]

I agree with the masses and give the nod to LMJ but if I am drafting a running back I would go with Polk. He just seems to be built better for the next level.

Agreed. As an NFL GM Polk, Barner, and Tyler are the only three backs I'd consider from the Pac. In that order.

[Hot Lunch]

Agreed. As an NFL GM Polk, Barner, and Tyler are the only three backs I'd consider from the Pac. In that order.

I would throw LMJ in there as well. I would go Polk first in regards to who I would take as an NFL GM but since the NFL has because such a situation type league, I think LMJ could play a key role for a team and have a big impact.

[TripletDaddy]

Tyler is too injury prone for the NFL. Dude could have been another LenDale at SC but he kept getting hurt. When he was healthy, he looked great, though.

[Flystripper]

I would throw LMJ in there as well. I would go Polk first in regards to who I would take as an NFL GM but since the NFL has because such a situation type league, I think LMJ could play a key role for a team and have a big impact.

I see LMJ (5'9 190) as somwhere between Johnson from Tennessee (5'11 190) and Best from Detroit (5/10 199) in the NFL. I would take that. I think LMJ can be a great NFL back.

[MartyFunkhouser]

1. LMJ
2. Polk
3. Barner (doesn't get the touches because of LMJ but is nasty)
4. White
5. Sofele

I agree completely with this ranking. Barner is underrated because he plays behind LMJ. White is in very good company behind LMJ, Polk, and Barner. I could see all 3 of those players behind NFL backs.

[Surfah]

I would throw LMJ in there as well. I would go Polk first in regards to who I would take as an NFL GM but since the NFL has because such a situation type league, I think LMJ could play a key role for a team and have a big impact.

Right. But I am not wasting a first round pick on a situational back.