How Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown became the SEC's greatest RB duo of all-time

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RANKING THE TOP 5 RUNNING BACK DUOS IN SEC HISTORY

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5. Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon, Alabama

They were sort of a 1-year wonder as a true duo, but the 2014 season was impressive enough to earn a spot on this list. They combined for 366 carries, 1,969 rushing yards and 22 rushing scores. They were separated by just 22 rushes and 11 rushing yards while finishing with the same amount of rushing touchdowns. An average of 169.4 scrimmage yards per game for the SEC champs and Playoff participants was impressive, though not quite as impressive as the duos who ranked ahead of them.

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4. Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, Alabama

In 2009 and 2010, there wasn’t a better running back duo in college football. Ingram won the 2009 Heisman Trophy while Richardson ran for 751 yards and 8 touchdowns as a freshman. They combined for 204.9 yards from scrimmage per contest en route to leading Alabama to a perfect season.

So why didn’t they top this list? Well, part of it was that Ingram was clearly RB1 that year (he finished with almost double the carries) and the 2010 season was the year that Alabama fans try to forget. Ingram had early-season knee surgery and returned, but he only finished with 875 rushing yards (a little more than half his 2009 total) in 11 games while Richardson also only appeared in 11 games and finished with 700 rushing yards. And obviously, that was part of Alabama’s unfathomable 5-3 mark in conference play (10-3 overall). Still, 2 seasons with a combined 4,992 yards from scrimmage ain’t too shabby

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3. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, Arkansas

One could make an argument that McFadden and Jones deserved to top this list. They had 3 seasons together in Fayetteville, where they combined for 8,294 yards from scrimmage and 66 touchdowns. That doesn’t include Jones’ exploits as one of the best returners in SEC history. The Wildhog formation allowed for versatility out of the backfield that few teams have ever had. In their final seasons, they combined for an insane 256.3 yards from scrimmage per game and they finished their careers with the second most career rushing yards by a duo before they became first-round picks in the 2008 NFL Draft.

But I have a couple of reasons why I didn’t put them at No. 1. To me, a duo means a relatively shared workload. McFadden had 192 more carries than Jones in that prolific junior year (which still only yielded a 4-4 SEC record, by the way). As efficient as Jones was, he only averaged roughly 12 touches from scrimmage per game in his final 2 seasons. That’s not a knock on Jones. He was extraordinary. But we’re talking about true duos here, and the usage numbers don’t quite reflect that. Don’t get it twisted, though. I’d take McFadden and Jones in my backfield all day, any day.

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2. Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, Georgia

I know what you’re thinking. How can the most prolific duo in FBS history not even be considered the No. 1 duo in the SEC? They combined for 9,364 yards from scrimmage and 87 touchdowns. Originally, it was Chubb’s injury that opened the door for Michel to shine in 2015. They then operated as a true duo in their final 2 seasons with a combined 4,903 yards from scrimmage. Even the running back factory that is Georgia might not produce a duo that prolific ever again.

So here’s why they didn’t get the No. 1 spot. I’d argue that at their peak — the 2017 season — they weren’t quite as dominant as the No. 1 duo. They averaged 186.2 yards from scrimmage per contest, which is still remarkable, but not as productive as some of the other duos on this list. Part of that could’ve been because of how many blowouts they played in as seniors — that opened the door for D’Andre Swift to rack up 618 yards as the team’s No. 3 — and that they weren’t regularly involved in the passing game (I know Michel was capable, but they combined for just 13 catches and 126 yards in 15 games in 2017).

Chubb and Michel were the heart and soul of Georgia’s incredible runner-up season. In my opinion, they were the closest thing to my No. 1 selection, though they didn’t quite check all the boxes that they did.

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1. Ronnie Brown and Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, Auburn

Yes, the G.O.A.T. of SEC running back duos was Auburn’s incredible 1-2 punch back in 2000-04. They had somewhat similar career arcs as Chubb and Michel with Williams suffering the serious injury that allowed for Brown to emerge (Brown ran for 831 yards and 11 touchdowns in the final 6 games of the 2002 season after Williams broke his leg against Florida). They didn’t really become a true duo until they both surprisingly returned for their senior seasons, which was in part because of new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s desire to use a 2-back system.

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Yeah, that 2004 season was something else. As a true backfield duo, Brown and Williams put that offense on their backs. Besides rushing for a combined 2,078 yards with 20 touchdowns, they also had a combined 55 catches for 465 yards (203.5 yards from scrimmage per game). Brown was actually second on the team in catches. And just in case that wasn’t enough, Williams was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year. They truly shared the workload — go back and look at how even it was in late-game situations — for a team that went 13-0 and was robbed of playing for a national title.

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If there’s a trump card, it’s that they became the first running back duo ever to go off the board in the top 5 of the same NFL draft (Nick Saban actually had the No. 2 overall pick in his first year with the Dolphins and called Tommy Tuberville to ask him which back he should take; he took Brown). Brown and Williams paved the way for other SEC running back duos. Without a doubt, they earned the right to be called “the G.O.A.T.”

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Arkansas also had Peyton Hillis in their backfield. Give me that over Ronnie and Cadillac

Give me this perfectly articulated article over your BS takes

Williams/Brown were a great RB duo.

It's been nearly 15 yrs since since AU's had a duo equivalent to the those top 5 though, and they've not lacked in RB talent in that time period.

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Arkansas also had Peyton Hillis in their backfield. Give me that over Ronnie and Cadillac

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Auburn also had Courtney Taylor, Anthony Mix and Ben Obomanu on that same team. LSU fans no doubt remember Courtney Taylor.

Was a huge fan of Williams in college. He is a month older than me so we kinda went off to school at the same time. Crazy how time flies.

Still one of the best nicknames ever thanks to Mike Raita.

Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley and Sony Michel were in the same backfield as well

Anyone else getting sick and tired of the term G.O.A.T?

And also SDS blows.

Tailback U, baby. #suckithaters