Greatest Running Back (American Football)

[KD5MDK]

I'm surprised no one has brought up Reggie Bush,

[bigdawg2121]

Not yet...next year, but not yet.

[D.O.A.R.]

Clinton is listed because of his potential.
He's played 4 years and accumulated 5,930 total rushing yards.
If he continues to produce at that average rate, at the end of 10 years he will be somewhere around 15,500 total yards, placing him within the top 3-4 players for career rushing yards--and he could potentially do much better than that.

That brings up the question of where is the bar currently set for running back statistics? In baseball 30 Hrs and 100 Rbi used to mark a high caliber offensive player. Not so uncommon anymore. What about for running backs?

[TrainingDummy]

I'm surprised no one has brought up Reggie Bush,

Ha, whenever I think of him I think of that crappy lateral he tried in the Rose Bowl. Unfair, I know, but look where I go to school!

[prototoast]

I'm surprised no one has brought up Reggie Bush,

Or Ron Dayne.

[glowstix]

great thread.. i'd have to say barry sanders. if he hadn't retired he' already have the all time rushing yrds record by far.

[lochinvar]

That brings up the question of where is the bar currently set for running back statistics? In baseball 30 Hrs and 100 Rbi used to mark a high caliber offensive player. Not so uncommon anymore. What about for running backs?

The benchmark criterion is still 1000 yds for the season, though that was established back when they played a 12 game season. An equivalent mark would be about 1300 yds/yr now since they expanded the season to 16 games. But no one has ever really advocated that, and 1000 is a nice round number and not that easily achieved anyway.

Another criterion is the yards per carry stat, which for a great back should be 4+ with a minimum of 250 carries/season.

I personally use yards/game average as a yardstick; anything above 80 is a power player in my book.