|
|
|
|
Latest News |
| 5/16/2013 | Clifton Richardson, RB, UVA |
UVA RB Richardson Leaves ProgramNews: Clifton Richardson has decided to transfer, the school announced on Thursday. Analysis: Clifton Richardson was plagued by injury as a sophomore, but this is a blow to the Cavaliers' backfield. He represented the only big, power back the team had. Kevin Parks value gets a nice bump as he'll likely get as many carries as he can handle. At least until top recruit Taquan Mizzell gets up to speed. |
| 5/1/2013 | Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU |
LSU’s Hill Suspended IndefinitelyNews: Jeremy Hill was suspended indefinitely from the LSU football program on Monday after battery charges he incurred Saturday morning outside of a Baton Rouge bar, The Times-Picayune reports. Analysis: This is Jeremy Hill's second arrest and suspension while being a member of the LSU football program. It remains to be seen if Hill, who is the team's leading rusher with 755 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, will get another shot with the program. |
| 4/21/2013 | Michael Holmes, RB, VATECH |
Virginia Tech's Holmes ArrestedNews: Michael Holmes was arrested on two counts of simple assault and one count of malicious wounding for his role in a fight near the Virginia Tech campus, the Washington Post reports. Analysis: Malicious wounding is a class 3 felony, so he risks getting automatically kicked off the football team if convicted. He was set to compete for the starting running back job before this incident. |
| 4/19/2013 | Orville Reynolds, RB, WAKE |
Wake RB Reynolds Now a FlankerNews: Orville Reynolds has spent the spring learning the role of a wide receiver, notes the Winston-Salem Journal. Analysis: With leading receiver Michael Campanaro missing spring due to ankle surgery, Orville Reynolds has turned some heads. Wake needs to replace their second leading receiver from a year ago (Terence Davis,) and Reynolds looks like he's got a shot to slide into Davis' role. |
| 4/19/2013 | Rolandan Finch, RB, BC |
BC RB Finch Leaves TeamNews: Citing personal reasons, Rolandan Finch has left the Eagles', according to BC Interruption. Analysis: Rolandan Finch spent most of 2012 in former coach Frank Spaziani's doghouse, but remained the Eagles' best bet. No word on whether or not Finch plans to continue his career elsewhere. Andre Williams is in line for a major role in this offense as a result. |
| 4/15/2013 | Desmond Brown, RB, PITT |
Pitt RB Brown Not Going Down Without a FightNews: Desmond Brown ran 18 times for 90 yards in Saturday's spring game. Analysis: With Russel Shell's decision to transfer, Pitt is looking for it's 2013 starter. Though Isaac Bennett is your clubhouse leader, Desmond Brown is at least worth monitoring into August. |
| 4/15/2013 | Isaac Bennett, RB, PITT |
Pitt RB Bennett Looks Ready to ShineNews: Isaac Bennett ran 20 times for 114 yards and a touchdown to lead Panthers running backs in Saturday's spring game. Analysis: Malcolm Crockett managed 45 yards on 11 carries, while Desmond Brown had 90 yards on 18 totes. Isaac Bennett is the best bet to lead this backfield, at least early in 2013, and it's a unit that consistently produces useful rushers. |
| 4/15/2013 | Romar Morris, RB, UNC |
UNC RB Morris Ready for SeasonNews: Romar Morris ran 15 times for 80 yards and a touchdown, while adding 25 yards receiving in Saturday's spring game. Analysis: Romar Morris appears to be more of the explosive threat than the bruising A.J. Blue, making him a nice option to replace Gio Bernard in the Heels' backfield. The completion remains open heading in to August, and both Blue and Morris are already looking over their shoulders after an impressive spring by early enrollee Khris Francis. |
| 4/15/2013 | Duke Johnson, RB, MIAMI |
Miami RB Johnson Ready to Carry LoadNews: Duke Johnson ran 10 times for 120 yards in Saturday's spring game. Analysis: Duke Johnson is being counted on to carry the ball 18-20 times this fall, and will likely catch a few passes to boot. It's highly unlikely he's in for a sophomore slump. |
| 4/15/2013 | Dallas Crawford, RB, MIAMI |
Miami RB Crawford Earns Backup RoleNews: Dallas Crawford ran nine times for 19 yards, and caught three passes for 33 yards in the 'Canes spring game on Saturday, and will open fall as the primary backup to Duke Johnson, notes the Miami Herald. Analysis: Dallas Crawford is a versatile threat who the coaches love, ensuring he'll get some touches come September. He even through a few passes in 2012, and Johnson is unlikely to carry more than 20 times per game, giving Crawford a shot at carrying some value this fall. |
| 4/12/2013 | Braylon Heard, RB, NEB |
Nebraska's Heard Headed to KentuckyNews: Braylon Heard will transfer to Kentucky, ESPN's Joe Schad reports. Analysis: Braylon Heard was buried on Nebraska's depth chart, but the undersized runner was productive in 2012, running for 348 yards and three scores on 52 carries. Whether he finds success in Kentucky probably depends on whether Kentucky continues to fail miserably as a program. |
| 4/2/2013 | Rushel Shell, RB, PITT |
Pitt RB Shell Set to TransferNews: Rushel Shell has decided to leave Pittsburgh and will seek a transfer, likely to a Pac-12 school, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Analysis: Rushel Shell had been excused from spring practice to think his decision through, and has decided to leave school. Isaac Bennett and Malcolm Crockett are next on the Panthers' depth chart. It's a huge loss for Pittsburgh and a major gain for whatever school Shell chooses next. Shell was one of the elite recruits of 2012. |
| 4/1/2013 | A.J. Blue, RB, UNC |
UNC RB Blue Has Early Lead in BackfieldNews: A.J. Blue is proving to be a leader this spring, and is currently in position to start according to the Gaston Gazette. Analysis: A.J. Blue is competing with Romar Morris and freshman Khris Francis to replace Gio Bernard. Blue may lead this battle now, but he's not nearly the dynamic, home run threat of Bernard, or Morris. He'll have value come September, but is likely looking at a shared backfield. |
| 3/25/2013 | Amir Carlisle, RB, ND |
Notre Dame's Carlisle Breaks CollarboneNews: Amir Carlisle will miss the rest of the spring with a broken collarbone, CBS Sports reports. Analysis: Amir Carlisle will be ready well in advance of the fall, however. He'll likely back up George Atkinson. |
| 3/17/2013 | Silas Redd, RB, USC |
USC's Redd Tears MeniscusNews: Silas Redd will miss the spring with a torn meniscus but should be ready for the fall, Orange County Register writer Rich Hammond reports. Analysis: Assuming Silas Redd can avoid setbacks, it's unlikely that this will be an issue by the time the fall arrives. |
| 3/5/2013 | Malcolm Agnew, RB, OREGST |
Agnew Leaves Oregon StateNews: Malcolm Agnew transferred from Oregon State to Southern Illinois, OregonLive.com reports. Analysis: Malcolm Agnew is a pretty good player, but Storm Woods decisively established himself as the top Oregon State runner, and Terron Ward is emerging as a formidable runner, too. |
| 2/27/2013 | Brent Calloway, RB, BAMA |
Calloway Gone From AlabamaNews: Brent Calloway has been dismissed by the Alabama football program, the Associated Press reports. Analysis: Brent Calloway was arrested on a fraudulent use of a credit card charge earlier this month. He might get another shot at the FBS level. |
| 2/11/2013 | Tyler Gaffney, RB, STNFRD |
Gaffney Returns to StanfordNews: Tyler Gaffney will return to the Stanford football team for the 2013 season, CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman reports. Analysis: Tyler Gaffney tried to cut out a career in pro baseball, but he returns to Stanford after sitting out 2012. He's on the fantasy football radar because he was productive off the bench when he was previously with the school, though Barry Sanders Jr. is quite an obstacle. |
| 2/11/2013 | Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB, MICH |
Michigan's Toussaint Doing BetterNews: Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson expects Fitzgerald Toussaint (leg) to be ready for the start of the 2013 season, MLive.com reports. Analysis: Fitzgerald Toussaint suffered a broken leg of an unspecified sort on Nov. 17, but he is apparently running already. Toussaint was a major bust before suffering the injury, but he'll still be a player to watch closely due to the huge year he had in 2011. |
| 1/14/2013 | Cierre Wood, RB, ND |
Wood Leaves Notre DameNews: Cierre Wood will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, ESPN's Joe Schad reports. Analysis: Cierre Wood is a bit under the radar at the moment since he was Notre Dame's backup running back this year, but he's among the draft's best prospects at the position, and a better one than the guy who started ahead of him (Theo Riddick) this year. Wood's demotion this year was probably due largely to a two-game suspension he had to start the year, and he stayed on the bench because Notre Dame didn't want to mess with a winning formula. Wood ran for 742 yards (6.5 YPC) and four touchdowns in 11 games off the bench this year, and he had 1,102 yards (5.1 YPC) and nine scores in 2011. Wood is merely decent-to-good in terms of athleticism, but he complements that with good balance and a standout ability to plant and cut. He should be on teams' radars in the fourth round, and maybe even the third. George Atkinson should have a big 2013 as Notre Dame's primary remaining running back. |
| 1/14/2013 | Michael Ford, RB, LSU |
Ford Leaves LSUNews: Michael Ford will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Analysis: Although Michael Ford might have been as low as fifth on the LSU depth chart, he might get drafted. He's a former top recruit who almost always produced when on the field, but LSU's incredible running back depth (and perhaps some academic eligibility issues) kept Ford from earning a big role. He led the team with 756 yards (6.0 YPC) on the ground in 2011, rushing for seven touchdowns on 127 carries, and he averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2011. Ford has a thick build and shows an ability to charge in a straight line, but a lot of his production came on option tosses, and there's little evidence that he has the skills to project as a traditional runner. |
| 1/14/2013 | Spencer Ware, RB, LSU |
LSU's Ware Heads to NFLNews: Spencer Ware will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Analysis: Spencer Ware is a very talented athlete, but his underachievement at LSU gives reason to fear work ethic issues, and he was suspended for a game in 2011 for failing a drug test. Ware failed to average four yards per carry over his last two years at LSU, but if he gets his act together he should test very well in pre-draft workouts, and the success of fellow underachieving former top recruit Bryce Brown could make Ware a coveted gamble in the sixth or seventh round. He's a big back with standout balance and foot quickness, and he's a fairly talented receiver, too. |
| 1/14/2013 | Joseph Randle, RB, OKLAST |
Randle Leaves CowboysNews: Joseph Randle will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, the Associated Press reports. Analysis: Joseph Randle kind of strikes us as a poor man's Darren McFadden. He doesn't have McFadden's injury issues -- the comparison is strictly regarding build and skill sets -- but like McFadden, Randle is a bit of an upright runner with a lower build thinner than his upper, and he's a skilled slasher with standout receiving ability. He was largely a RB/WR tweener as a backup to Kendall Hunter in 2010, catching 37 passes for 427 yards in 13 games, but since then Randle added some bulk and rounded out his game, showing a solid all-around skill set by this year, when he ran for 1,417 yards (5.2 YPC) and 14 touchdowns in 13 games. Although not naturally strong, Randle does a good job of using his momentum to slide past tacklers and fall forward once he gets moving, getting narrow in traffic to slip forward for subtle yardage. If he gets open field, Randle shows good explosiveness and strong cutback ability to break free from over- and under-pursuers. We think he might be the second running back picked after Eddie Lacy, with a good chance of going in the second round. |
| 1/14/2013 | Theo Riddick, RB, ND |
Notre Dame's Riddick Rushes for Only 37 Yards in Championship Game LossNews: Theo Riddick rushed for only 37 yards on 10 carries while having one touchdown reception in Notre Dame's 42-14 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game on January 7th. Analysis: Alabama's defense stopped any chance of a Irish rushing game getting started. |
| 1/11/2013 | Eddie Lacy, RB, BAMA |
Lacy Leaves AlabamaNews: Eddie Lacy will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, ESPN.com reports. Analysis: Eddie Lacy is our current favorite to be the first running back drafted. The Alabama star isn't as good as his recent Jamal Lewis comparisons would lead one to assume, but he should measure in around 5-foot-11 and at least 215 pounds, and he has playmaking athleticism to go along with that feature back frame. Lacy has excellent foot quickness that grants him elusiveness in traffic, and he has good enough long speed to break away once he creates separation. He's not anywhere near Trent Richardson's level as a prospect, but we think he's better than what Mark Ingram was. Lacy finished his 2012 season with 1,322 yards (6.5 YPC) and 17 touchdowns as a runner while adding 22 catches for 189 yards and two more scores. His departure for Alabama leaves T.J. Yeldon and Jalston Fowler (knee) as two breakout candidates for 2013. |
