Some poster said we haven't been able to get an outstanding RB in the last

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

several years. I wonder why? It seems to me a good running back who has a great chance to be the featured back for an SEC team would be fairly easy to recruit. I'm not talking necessarily about a Marcus Lattimore or George Rogers but a very good RB.

Surely, there are good RBs available that would want to be the star of an SEC team.

 

[GamecockinHouston]

M

several years. I wonder why? It seems to me a good running back who has a great chance to be the featured back for an SEC team would be fairly easy to recruit. I'm not talking necessarily about a Marcus Lattimore or George Rogers but a very good RB.

Surely, there are good RBs available that would want to be the star of an SEC team.

Mike Davis was pretty and good highly sought after. We have had some other good ones, but we also had some missed, Giles comes to mind. I think there is a Tank coming.

 

[Jpcooper]

several years. I wonder why? It seems to me a good running back who has a great chance to be the featured back for an SEC team would be fairly easy to recruit. I'm not talking necessarily about a Marcus Lattimore or George Rogers but a very good RB.

Surely, there are good RBs available that would want to be the star of an SEC team.

Are you selling the SEC team or USC. A rb or any player will come to USC because of the school, not because Carolina is SEC. The SEC certainly brings more money into Carolina, but I don’t think any player comes to Carolina because they want to play SEC. if they did would they not chose an SEC school with more SEC prestige

 

[Johnnie Cockran]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

 

[gville898]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

I have to disagree. There's no reason we can't sign a Chubb, Lattimore, Gurley, etc ONCE every four years.

There's something statistically wrong with our RB recruiting. The writing was on the wall as Mike Davis was finishing up his career here.

 

[jimnasium]

Don't sell our RB short we've had some good ones.

 

[DeepfriedCock]

If your a good RB in the SEC your going to get drafted. We don't have a RB on our roster that will be drafted.

 

[uscalumni]

Don't sell our RB short we've had some good ones.

NCAA Rushing stats of the Muschamp era:

2018 - RANK 91 South Carolina (SEC) 13 7-6 444 1,986 4.47 15 152.8
2017 - RANK 110 South Carolina (SEC) 13 9-4 405 1,588 3.92 16 122.2
2016 - RANK 108 South Carolina (SEC) 13 6-7 475 1,747 3.68 20 134.4

We may have had a good one before Muschamp, but a good one has not shown up under his watch.

USCALUMNI

 

[jimnasium]

NCAA Rushing stats of the Muschamp era:

2018 - RANK 91 South Carolina (SEC) 13 7-6 444 1,986 4.47 15 152.8
2017 - RANK 110 South Carolina (SEC) 13 9-4 405 1,588 3.92 16 122.2
2016 - RANK 108 South Carolina (SEC) 13 6-7 475 1,747 3.68 20 134.4

We may have had a good one before Muschamp, but a good one has not shown up under his watch.

USCALUMNI

He's watch ain't over.

 

[psmith5532]

This begs the question...is your RB as good as your OL? Seems to me that the OL will dictate how good the RB is to some extent. Look at all the schools with good OL and they probably have a good RB.

 

[psmith5532]

NCAA Rushing stats of the Muschamp era:

2018 - RANK 91 South Carolina (SEC) 13 7-6 444 1,986 4.47 15 152.8
2017 - RANK 110 South Carolina (SEC) 13 9-4 405 1,588 3.92 16 122.2
2016 - RANK 108 South Carolina (SEC) 13 6-7 475 1,747 3.68 20 134.4

We may have had a good one before Muschamp, but a good one has not shown up under his watch.

USCALUMNI

But at least we are seeing some improvement from year to year.

 

[jimnasium]

This begs the question...is your RB as good as your OL? Seems to me that the OL will dictate how good the RB is to some extent. Look at all the schools with good OL and they probably have a good RB.

A good OL would make most RB look better than what they are.

 

[lowcountry_cock13]

This begs the question...is your RB as good as your OL? Seems to me that the OL will dictate how good the RB is to some extent. Look at all the schools with good OL and they probably have a good RB.

Lattimore did things a very poor Oline.

 

[lowcountry_cock13]

Our OL historically have been bad, until really last year and we have also had a QB coach coaching the RB. We have no have some good RB on roster but no great ones. Williams last year was the best talent wise in my opinion. Dowdle doesn’t like contact, Mon is not fast, and Fenwick hasn’t played much. Valentine is still doing track and AJ is too small for every down back.

We will pick up an elite one this year I believe.

 

[gr8spur]

NCAA Rushing stats of the Muschamp era:

2018 - RANK 91 South Carolina (SEC) 13 7-6 444 1,986 4.47 15 152.8
2017 - RANK 110 South Carolina (SEC) 13 9-4 405 1,588 3.92 16 122.2
2016 - RANK 108 South Carolina (SEC) 13 6-7 475 1,747 3.68 20 134.4

We may have had a good one before Muschamp, but a good one has not shown up under his watch.

USCALUMNI

Ah...what's your point?

 

[SCexpat38]

I think Georgia gets the backs they do because they're a run-first team built around the ground game. They just also happen to get great skill players every else.

 

[Thigh Man]

NCAA Rushing stats of the Muschamp era:
2018 - RANK 91 South Carolina (SEC) 13 7-6 444 1,986 4.47 15 152.8
2017 - RANK 110 South Carolina (SEC) 13 9-4 405 1,588 3.92 16 122.2
2016 - RANK 108 South Carolina (SEC) 13 6-7 475 1,747 3.68 20 134.4

WONDERFUL ... Now we're going to have to listen to the Sunshine Pumpers boast about the vast improvement in the running game over the last 3 years. Just had to feed the trolls didntcha!

 

[funktavious]

Our OL historically have been bad, until really last year and we have also had a QB coach coaching the RB. We have no have some good RB on roster but no great ones. Williams last year was the best talent wise in my opinion. Dowdle doesn’t like contact, Mon is not fast, and Fenwick hasn’t played much. Valentine is still doing track and AJ is too small for every down back.

We will pick up an elite one this year I believe.

I thought Dowdle showed promise his freshman year and expected him to have a good career. Since then he hasn't been able to stay healthy. I thought Williams had the physical tools but lacked vision. It seemed like each back on our roster possessed a tool that the others lacked. If we could have just rolled them all into one we might have had 1 really good back.

 

[Legendary Cock]

I don't see how anyone can look at our running game and think we have a solid group of RBs. They all have shown flashes every here and there. But there's not a single one that would be considered great, much less elite. That our unprecedented success in the Spurrier years occurred when we had Lattimore and Davis on staff (as well as a stout D) is not coincidence.

 

[psmith5532]

Lattimore did things a very poor Oline.

There are exceptions to the rule...and Lattimore was that exception. Besides, how many 5 star running backs have we had?

 

[jimnasium]

Our RB at the juncture are on a scale of 1-10 about a 7.0. I don't watch spring games to see the 80 TD runs all the time I look to see who can get that needed 3 or 4 yards something we have been missing.

 

[Jon Snow]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

I'll respectfully disagree...in a strong, pointed, disrespectful manner. Seriously, our RBs could at best be described as "serviceable." I agree that Clemson hasn't really signed the "elite" running back, but they have seemed to have backs who are good and at least get a short stay in the NFL.

 

[jimnasium]

I'll respectfully disagree...in a strong, pointed, disrespectful manner. Seriously, our RBs could at best be described as "serviceable." I agree that Clemson hasn't really signed the "elite" running back, but they have seemed to have backs who are good and at least get a short stay in the NFL.

We all know we need great backs that's one reason we changed RB coaches. I agree with the serviceable.

 

[Carolina4]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

Wayne Gallman is in the NFL and had a great college career. He rushed for over 1,500 yards his soph. season and for over 1,100 yards his junior season before turning pro. That’s 2 one thousand yard seasons. All of that with a QB that ran well and often, stealing carries. Since Harold Green was our RB, do you know how many Carolina RBs have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season? Duce Staley had 1,116 in ‘96, Derek Watson had 1,066 in 2000, Marcus Lattimore had 1,197 in 2010, and Mike Davis had 1,183 in 2013. Four...in almost 30 years. Gallman had 2 himself.

Their current 1st string RB, Travis Etienne, had just under 1,700 yards rushing last season, was named ACC Player of the Year, and was an All-American. If that’s not elite, then we’ll never get an elite back. They have a 5* RB playing as a backup...

We consider our RB’s to probably be better than they are because we know them and see them often. I doubt anyone on our schedule sees our backs and fears them. If they were on other teams, we wouldn’t know their names. We’ve had worse at SC, but have definitely had better. We don’t play anyone consistent enough either. But part of that is that we don’t have a Marcus Lattimore or Mike Davis.

You may have gotten OJ off for murder...but you aren’t going to convince many our backfield is good, and Clemson’s isn’t elite.

 

[jimnasium]

Gallman is in the NFL and had a great college career. Etienne had just under 1,700 yards rushing last season, ACC Player of the Year, and All-American. If that’s not elite, then we’ll never get an elite back.

We consider our RB’s to probably be better than they are. I doubt anyone on our schedule sees our backs and fears them. We’ve had worse at SC, but have definitely had better as well. We don’t play anyone consistent enough either. But part of that is that we don’t have a Marcus Lattimore or Mike Davis.

Clemson has a history good great RB and are still loaded.

 

[_NOVA_]

Our backs have been terrible under Muschamp. Which is a shame, because the offensive line, particularly the left side, was fantastic last year. What you're really looking for is that back who can break or evade tackles at the second level, and take a 3 yard gain that would have been stopped by the LB/DB and turn it into a 10 yard gain... or more. If they can block and catch, so much the better.

Seems to me that last cycle they burned a lot of energy with Eric Gray and Crouch; couldn't close either. Previous cycle, made a long-shot bid for White and then worked hard for Master Teague. Didn't even take an RB in 2017, and didn't seem to be in it with anyone of note. Not sure what happened there. 2016 was kind of a wash for Muschamp, picking up what the other staff was working. Rico's profiled improved late his senior year and was a no brainier take for a staff that didn't have other options. And Muschamp didn't inherit any RBs of note from the previous staff.

 

[Garnetskies]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

Well Tracis Etienne is getting heisman push along with Goldilocks and though he wasn't a 5 star recruit he was a high 4.

 

[Garnetskies]

Travis sorry

 

[bladecock]

We also throw the ball in stupid situations. We simply don't give the ball to RB's a lot of times we should.

 

[lowcountry_cock13]

I thought Dowdle showed promise his freshman year and expected him to have a good career. Since then he hasn't been able to stay healthy. I thought Williams had the physical tools but lacked vision. It seemed like each back on our roster possessed a tool that the others lacked. If we could have just rolled them all into one we might have had 1 really good back.

That the trick I guess.

 

[bbad95]

Well Tracis Etienne is getting heisman push along with Goldilocks and though he wasn't a 5 star recruit he was a high 4.

Etienne was a somewhat high 3* (5.7) - 26th overall RB

 

[lowcountry_cock13]

I think Georgia gets the backs they do because they're a run-first team built around the ground game. They just also happen to get great skill players every else.

Also I read where there's a trend that elite backs want to go to a school where they are not the total workhorse. The days of 30 carries of game are over, because of the wear and tear on their bodies, plus the very short shelf life in the NFL. So thats why places like UGA, Clemson, Bama get multiple great RB. It's just an opinion I read but sounds logical.

 

[uscalumni]

He's watch ain't over.

As I said, has not shown up yet

USCALUMNI

 

[uscalumni]

Ah...what's your point?

I thought it was self explanatory in the comment I made.

USCALUMNI

 

[uscalumni]

But at least we are seeing some improvement from year to year.

108 to 110 = no improvement
110 to 91 = improvement but not so much

USCALUMNI

 

[bayrooster]

You may have gotten OJ off for murder...but you aren’t going to convince many our backfield is good, and Clemson’s isn’t elite.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Chewbacca. Chewbacca is a Wookie from the planet Kashyyyk, but he lives on the planet Endor. Now think about that, that does not make sense... Why would an 8-foot tall Wookie want to live with 2-foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense!"

 

[DeepfriedCock]

Our OL historically have been bad, until really last year and we have also had a QB coach coaching the RB. We have no have some good RB on roster but no great ones. Williams last year was the best talent wise in my opinion. Dowdle doesn’t like contact, Mon is not fast, and Fenwick hasn’t played much. Valentine is still doing track and AJ is too small for every down back.

We will pick up an elite one this year I believe.

I disagree our offensive line wasn't bad 2013. The 2013 offensive line is best we"ve had since joining the SEC.

 

[Jon Snow]

I'm too lazy to research multiple sources, but I did go through the ESPN 150 for the past several years to view our RB signings.
In 2012 we signed Mike Davis, #62. He was a high quality back. If we could have a guy like him at RB every year, I think the fans and coaches would jump all over that.
In 2013 we signed David Williams, #131. I'll be nice and say maybe he was rated too high because of excellent measurables.
In 2014 we signed no RB in the ESPN 150. In 2015 we signed no RB in the ESPN 150. In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 we signed no RB in the ESPN 150. There is a reason we have struggled to run the ball in recent years.
Yeah, yeah, I know....recruiting rankings, stars, blah blah blah...etc.

 

[midline]

I would count the running backs as one of our strengths over the last several years. We had 4 that could (and did) play. Dowdle, Denson, Turner, Williams...pretty stout group if you ask me. There are only so many Chubbs, Lattimores, Gurleys, etc., and they usually don't come here. Even Clemson, for all of their recent success, has not had an elite running back recently.

I'm not sure what Clemson team you have been watching the last few years. Wayne Gallman is putting together a pretty nice NFL career. Travis Etienne is a lock to play in the league. So not really sure where you think Clemson hasn't had any good backs. Their second string back, Feaster, would easily be the #1 back if he were at USC

 

[Jaybird1010]

Our RBs are fragile. We don’t need one good RB in this class we need two.