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What happened to dominant running backs in the SEC?
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:30 am
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:30 am
Watching last night and how pathetic both games were, I noticed that neither could break one tackle and get to the second level. It was once rare to see a running back in the SEC with one safety or even most lb’s isolated one on one get taken down with an arm tackle like they got sniped.
This conference used to be full of backs like Kewon Lacy. Maybe the Georgia back. But it seems like a whole lot of D2 level running backs in this league that was once spitting out dudes left and right. Even the South Carolinas and Kentuckys and Mississippi States had killers at RB that would take over a game.
Just a down year or result of NIL?
This conference used to be full of backs like Kewon Lacy. Maybe the Georgia back. But it seems like a whole lot of D2 level running backs in this league that was once spitting out dudes left and right. Even the South Carolinas and Kentuckys and Mississippi States had killers at RB that would take over a game.
Just a down year or result of NIL?
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Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:32 am to Mohican
Some of us still know how to run the ball.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:33 am to Mohican
Frazier with Georgia
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:34 am to Mohican
Ours can't stay healthy enough to stay on the field.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:38 am to Mohican
Alabama hasn't had a dominant bruiser at the tailback spot since Brian Robinson in 2021. Jahmyr Gibbs was a scat back who could finesse his way down the field either catching or running it, but it's been sometime since Alabama legitimately had one of those backs who could wear you down in the second half. I think a big part of that has been our offensive line play. We haven't been able to run block effectively in a long time.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:39 am to Mohican
I think it's just a sign of the times. There used to be a lot of kids coming up who wanted to hurt somebody. Nowdays it seems like they all just want to make a one-handed catch for a highlight reel. There's still plenty of speed, they're just not hard to tackle.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:40 am to Mohican
Mizzou has an All-American running back in Ahmad Hardy
Drink must be good at finding/developing them, since Kewan Lacey came from Mizzou
Drink must be good at finding/developing them, since Kewan Lacey came from Mizzou
This post was edited on 12/20/25 at 7:42 am
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:41 am to Mohican
Ole Miss and Mizzou don’t know what the rest of you slackers are talking about
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:43 am to Mohican
quote:
What happened to dominant running backs in the SEC?
Scheme. Not many SEC teams want to break rocks for 4 quarters. If they did, you would see 12 and 13 personnel on the field and the convictions of an F-5 tornado. Who even recruits tight ends and H-Backs that create mismatches anymore? Did I mention scheme?
Posted on 12/20/25 at 7:47 am to bamameister
quote:
Not many SEC teams want to break rocks for 4 quarters.
We love it. That's how we build up our NEZ.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:05 am to bamameister
quote:
Not many SEC teams want to break rocks for 4 quarters. If they did, you would see 12 and 13 personnel on the field and the convictions of an F-5 tornado.
It’s a shame because at one time the real advantage the SEC had was the ability to run the ball and stop the run, and that was largely due to really talented running backs and Dlinemen coming out of the conference. I’m sure NIL and the portal has diluted it, but it seems that scheme does play a role.
Big oversight with Mizzou. And you can have a running game without being in 12/13 personnel as theyve shown. It’s more of an attitude and having a running back that will not go down one on one. The conference once grew them on trees. Seeing Bama backs go down with shoestring tackles is crazy. LSU lost it as well a while back.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:05 am to MizzouTrue
Well why couldn’t yall keep him?
That’s pretty sad to be a stepping stone for a stepping stone
That’s pretty sad to be a stepping stone for a stepping stone
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:06 am to EV
quote:
Frazier and Bowens with Georgia
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:10 am to Jack Daniel
quote:
What happened to dominant running backs in the SEC?
They also have a great 2nd back in Jamal Robert's who is also a number 1. Amazed Both Robert's and Hardy are coming back.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:12 am to Jack Daniel
Looks like we replaced him with an All-American, so the tears were few.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:16 am to Mohican
quote:
It was once rare to see a running back in the SEC with one safety or even most lb’s isolated one on one get taken down with an arm tackle like they got sniped
Seeing two 10 win SEC teams be that incapable running the ball was definitely weird. It was the same for LSU this year. Seems like half the conference had trouble getting anything going on the ground this year.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:18 am to Mohican
Used to be a running backs league, all that changed around the 2013ish mark. Cfb became a qb league. The sec has acted accordingly.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:18 am to bamabaseballsec
quote:
Cfb became a qb league. The sec has acted accordingly.
QB play in the conference wasn’t great this year either
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:21 am to Mohican
We started playing Big12 football.
Posted on 12/20/25 at 8:24 am to GeauxBurrow312
quote:
QB play in the conference wasn’t great this year either
Correct but I see a lot of good QBs spend the entire game with somebody in their face. The pass rush in the SEC is much more dominant than I have seen in other leagues.
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