Pac-12 Football: 3 running backs to watch in 2020

Pac-12 football was shut out of the College Football Playoff last year. Will the resurgence of the running backs help a team make it in 2020?

The Pac-12 football conference was loaded with talented skill players in 2019. Just go take a look at all the running backs selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the players who left early and signed with a team.

The Pac-12 had 31 players selected in the draft this year, many of whom were on the offensive side of the ball. This lineup of talented NFL type players included five offensive players selected in the first two rounds.

With running backs doing so well for themselves in recent years and seeing big success in conference play, the tide feels like it is turning back to the running game in the Pac-12. This will be aided by the departure of head coach Mike Leach to Mississippi State from Washington State as well. Even with the run-and-shoot offense that Nick Rolovich will implement we will see a lot more downhill running from the Cougars in 2020.

Running backs have rendered ever so important for some teams and their Pac-12 title hopes. Seeing Zack Moss carry the Utes to a Pac-12 title game and eventually lose to the Oregon Ducks emphasized the need for a strong balanced offense. USC is a great example of that having three quarterbacks start in 2019 and having a stable of backs able to nail down the offensive side of the ball.

So what should we expect in 2020? With the absence of many upperclassman high-caliber running backs leaving for the NFL, who is left to watch for in 2020?

Here are three running backs to watch in 2020.