Big 12 Running Backs Blazing Toward a Banner Season

The passing stats and the postseason award shows all pointed to the Big 12 being synonymous with quarterbacks and gaudy aerial numbers in recent years.

It was only a natural with quarterbacks like Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell leading the way.

But if the opening week of this season is any indication, there could be a philosophical shift in the Big 12 this year with most of the attention turning toward a field of talented tailbacks. The conference had three 200-yard rushers in the same week for just the second time in Big 12 history.

Oklahoma State senior Kendall Hunter came out leading the nation with 257 yards and four touchdowns in the Cowboys rout of Washington State. Kansas State senior Daniel Thomas gained 235 yards, while Oklahoma senior DeMarco Murray debuted with 218 yards to round out the top three rushing performances in the nation last week.

The last time the Big 12 backs had a week like last weekend was 1998 when Ricky Williams at Texas, Oklahoma's De'Mond Parker and Kansas' David Winbush all eclipsed 200 yards. Not bad company to keep.

"I feel like we have a lot of good running backs in this league," Thomas said. "I feel like this is the year of the running back in Big 12."

That certainly seems likely with the number of quality running backs returning this season with Hunter, Thomas and Murray headlining a talented crop that includes Iowa State's Alexander Robinson, Nebraska's Roy Helu, Jr., Texas A&M's Christine Michael and Colorado's Rodney Stewart. Missouri would have had one of the top backs in the conference in Derrick Washington, but he was kicked off the team last month after being charged with sexual assault.

Bolstering the chances for this being a banner year for Big 12 running backs is the notable absence of a proven winning quarterback in the league this year with Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas Tech all going with either inexperienced quarterbacks or those who are still growing into the position. Coaches like Mack Brown at Texas seem bent on establishing the rushing attack to take pressure off their young quarterbacks.

"I would guess that people who are running the ball well feel pretty good about their offensive line, they feel pretty good about whoever it is that's carrying the football," said K-State coach Bill Snyder. "I don't think you give them the opportunity to have that kind of yardage if they weren't pretty capable people."

The Wildcats gave Thomas plenty of opportunities last week and last season's league rushing champ showed his worthiness with an 8.4 yards per carry average on 28 attempts. Thomas, who is a powerful 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, is quickly shedding his reputation as a sleeper with performances like Saturday.

But the biggest and most impressive outing last week belonged to Hunter, who averaged 12.2 yards per carry in his first action since coming off a disappointing junior campaign in which he was sidelined most of the year with a nagging injury.

"He had acceleration, stayed low to the ground and made people miss in space and he had durability and his endurance was pretty good."
-- Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy on Kendall Hunter Hunter, who had rushed for a Big 12-best 1,555 yards as a sophomore while garnering All-American status, showed some of the burst and speed against Washington State that made him the top rusher in the Big 12 in 2008.

"It felt great," said Hunter, who played in just eight games and made only two starts last season. "You never know what you miss until you can't do it (any) more. I am just happy to be back out there and helping the team out."

It's hard to judge whether Hunter is 100 percent back because of the defensive deficiencies of Washington State, but he should receive a little stiffer test Saturday when Troy comes into T. Boone Pickens Stadium.

"Only time will tell because, as we progress through the season, we will continue to play people that are faster," said OSU coach Mike Gundy. "We are going to play faster and more speed this week. But he has looked good to me. He's really looked well in practice. He had acceleration, stayed low to the ground and made people miss in space and he had durability and his endurance was pretty good.

"So he looked pretty close to where he was when he was running for us a couple of years ago."

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads took stock in what he saw from some of the league backs in the opening week, realizing in some cases what his Cyclones will have to face this season and then being relieved in others that he doesn't have the full Big 12 South slate to contend with.

"I saw the stats on Kendall Hunter and my staff got to see Daniel Thomas." Rhoads said. "We were discouraged by (Thomas) because we have to play him in two weeks. We don't play Oklahoma State so somebody else is going to have to try and defend (Hunter)."