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September 16, 2009
It's early in the college football season, but this weekend will produce one of the most anticipated games in the Big 12 when Texas Tech visits Texas.
The ESPN GameDay crew will be in Austin for a rivalry that was taken to a historic level last year when Texas Tech won one of the most memorable games in conference history. Graham Harrell's game-winning touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree knocked Texas out of the Big 12 Championship game and also out of the BCS title picture.
Texas-Texas Tech headlines a slew of interesting games this weekend. Nebraska at Virginia Tech will be the other big one. The Huskers won their first two home games convincingly, but are they a legitimate power again?
I predicted each Big 12 game for the third week in the latest episode of ConferenceChatterTV. I must improve on my 16-6 record. Check it out below:
Final topic of conversation for today: How insanely good is Adrian Peterson?
The Big 12 product out of Oklahoma went nuts in the first weekend of the NFL season, destroying the Cleveland defense for 180 yards and three touchdowns in Minnesota's 34-20 victory.
I had a discussion with some co-workers the other night and Tom Keegan brought up an interesting question: Will Peterson be remembered as this era's great Big 12 running back?
He's only entering his third year in the league, but he's already considered the best running back in football. Peterson piled up 1,341 yards and 12 scores his rookie year in 2007, then went crazy for 1,760 yards and 10 TDs last season.
But can he sustain it?
Critics argue that Peterson raises questions of durability with his upright running style, which makes him a target for opposing defenders. He also welcomes contact on just about every play.
Nowadays, NFL teams are employing two running backs in their offenses. Chester Taylor, the Vikings' backup running back, doesn't see that much playing time, though.
When I think of the NFL careers of great Big 12 running backs, a few names immediately come to mind:
Gale Sayers, Kansas/Chicago Bears
NFL span was 1965-1971. Could do it all. Run, catch, run back kicks, run back punts. Had it not been for injury, who knows what sort of numbers he would have put up? He had 4,956 rushing yards and 47 total touchdowns in essentially five healthy NFL seasons.
John Riggins, Kansas/New York Jets/Washington Redskins
NFL span was 1971-1985. Touchdown machine. Scored 24 times in 1983. Five different 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Totaled 11,352 career rushing yards (15th all-time) and 116 total touchdowns (12th all-time).
Earl Campbell, Texas/Houston Oilers
NFL span was 1978-1985. Accumulated 9,407 rushing yards and 74 career TDs.
Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State/Buffalo Bills
NFL span was 1988-2000. His 12,074 career rushing yards ranks 13th all-time. Prolific pass catcher as well, with 472 career catches.
Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State/Detroit Lions
NFL span was 1989-1998. Ranks third all-time with 15,269 rushing yards. Rushed for at least 1,100 yards every season he played. His 109 total touchdowns is 15th all-time.
Will Peterson have a long enough career to be remembered in the same light as these guys?
As always, discuss.
Comments
KU62 (anonymous) says...
So far, Peterson has proven more durable as a pro than he was in college. His career has to last at least six or eight years for him to enter the list you give.
As I was reading all the NFL stats, I had to wonder -- is the question "greatest Big 8/12 running back" or is it "greatest NFL running back from the Big 8/12" ?
September 16, 2009 at 8:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jhawk613 (anonymous) says...
If we're talking about being remembered strictly for college play, wouldn't you have to add in the following names?
Ricky Williams, Texas
Lawrence Phillips, Nebraska
Rashaan Salaam, Colorado
Troy Davis, Iowa State
Cedric Benson, Texas
I didn't go back past 1990, but those are the only others I could think of.
September 16, 2009 at 11:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esorrentino (Eric Sorrentino) says...
Hey fellas, I was just talking about greatest Big 8/12 running backs in the NFL game only. Jhawk's list is spot on for the college game, but I'm stickin to their pro careers. Good list.
September 17, 2009 at 12:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rccoleon (anonymous) says...
Esor, right now it has to be Barry Sanders 1, Riggo 2 (Go Skins!). Peterson may get to their level if he stays healthy, but right now Sanders is by far the number one choice.
September 17, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AzHawk97 (anonymous) says...
Billy Sims and Mike Rozier won Heismans, but they never had that kind of success in the NFL. Sims was on pace for a pretty good career before he was stopped by a knee injury. I don't know what happened to Rozier. Maybe he never recovered from the USFL.
The NFLPA last stated that a NFL running back's career averaged 2.6 years, so Peterson should be tempting fate about midway through this season.
September 17, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OmaHawk88 (anonymous) says...
Good list Eric, but you may have overlooked Roger Craig (Nebraska/49ers). He didn't have the stellar college career as others on your list, but great pro: 11 seasons, over 8,000 yards rushing, nearly 5,000 receiving yards, 73 career touchdowns.
September 17, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
this era's Yes.... definetely... already.... i can't think of a big 12 running back since the creation of the big 12 that could be better......
September 17, 2009 at 3:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esorrentino (Eric Sorrentino) says...
Omahawk, that is a great call. I totally forgot Craig went to Nebraska. He has the stats as you referenced, plus three Super Bowl rings. Probably the most effective back on the list in catching the ball, too. Had I known, I would have put him on there. Next time I play Tecmo Bowl, I will score all of my TD's with Roger Craig so I don't forget again.
September 17, 2009 at 5:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bayareajhawk (anonymous) says...
Sorrentino, you can have the 49ers with Craig and Montana and Rice. I'll take the other Bay Area team and unleash Bo Jackson on you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PBvOx... I love Tecmo Bowl.
I am also a big fan of Adrian Peterson. I thought he was a great player after watching him play on tv during his freshman season. Then I saw him play in person at the Rose Bowl against UCLA four years ago and realized he was a special talent.
It was Bomar's freshman season (pre-"employment" issues) and he was struggling. In fact, I think he fumbled four times that day. The OU passing game was non-existent. Everybody in the stadium knew Peterson was going to get the ball on nearly every play. And by the way, he was hobbled by a badly twisted ankle he had suffered a week or two before. As soon as Bomar handed him the ball he would get drilled three yards deep in the backfield, often by multiple defenders, and he would just drag those two or three guys for five yards. Gain of three. Any other running back would have been losing two or three yards per carry, but the half-injured Adrian Peterson just wouldn't go down. He ran 23 times that day for a total of 58 yards (long of 11) and a touchdown. Pretty unexciting numbers. But those 58 yards were some of the most impressive I've ever seen.
The only thing I can compare it to is Barry Sanders back in his prime, single-handedly keeping the Lions competitive -- except Sanders made guys miss with quickness and ridiculous jukes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvNdTS...
Peterson made some nice moves here and there, but mostly he was just dragging large men on his back across the field for four or five yards at a time. I don't make Barry Sanders comparisons lightly, but those 58 yards reminded me of him. Not too many running backs consistently turn impossible situations into positive yardage.
Sometimes you see special athletes in person and they just jump off the field at you in a way that they don't on tv. Peterson was one of those guys that day. I really hope he doesn't get hurt like Gale Sayers.
September 19, 2009 at 1:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )