Top 10 Big Ten Running Backs Entering the 2015 College Football Season
Sep 7, 2013; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Corey Clement (6) during the game against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 48-0. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Times are changing, but the Big Ten is still a rush-heavy conference. Here are the top 10 Big Ten running backs entering the 2015 college football season.
Urban Meyer may have brought a brand new style of football to the Big Ten, and it can’t be denied that Jim Harbaugh and James Franklin will play a major role in reshaping the conference as well.
Even Tim Beckman’s pass-heavy offense at Illinois is playing a role in this, as will Mike Riley at Nebraska and Randy Edsall and Kyle Flood at Maryland and Rutgers.
But the Big Ten remains a run-oriented conference, and when the weather gets cold, the game demands physical play, and coaches are limited on what they could do up in that midwest weather, that fact will not change.
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As a result, running backs still run the show in the conference.
And with Paul Chryst returning home to Madison to coach the Wisconsin Badgers, Jerry Kill at Minnesota, and Kevin Wilson and Kirk Ferentz still at Indiana and Iowa respectively, a power-running game in Big Ten football is not going anywhere any time soon.
Even all those other guys mentioned still would use running backs when they can, so this remains a crucial position in the conference.
Going into this year, though, there will be a bit of new blood dominating the conference with the top two rushers gone from last year, four of the top five from last year gone, and seven of the top 10 running backs in terms of rushing yardage gone.
So this year’s crop of Big Ten running backs will feature a few new guys bursting on the scene.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 Big Ten running backs entering the 2015 college football season.
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