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Let’s keep right on rolling with our as-late-as-humanly-possible look at last year’s player stats and what they might mean for 2018 and whatnot.
Last week, we took a look at receiver data. Now we move on to the ground game.
Once again, this is another post intended to explore the marginal efficiency and explosiveness data I discussed way back in January.
* Marginal Efficiency: the difference between a player’s success rate* (passing, rushing, or receiving) or success rate allowed (for an individual defender) and the expected success rate of each play based on down, distance, and yard line.
* Marginal Explosiveness: the difference between a player’s IsoPPP** (passing, rushing, or receiving) or IsoPPP allowed (for an individual defender) and the expected IsoPPP value of each play based on down, distance, and yard line.
For offensive players, the larger the positive value, the better. For defensive players, it’s the opposite — the more negative, the better.
* Success rate: a common Football Outsiders tool used to measure efficiency by determining whether every play of a given game was successful or not. The terms of success in college football: 50 percent of necessary yardage on first down, 70 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third and fourth down.
** IsoPPP: the average equivalent point value of successful plays only.
For each play, there is a bar established for expected efficiency and explosiveness based on down, distance, and yard line. From there, we can compare team or individual success to an interesting baseline.
Once again, the idea is to explore efficiency and explosiveness, using my two primary tools (success rate and IsoPPP) and applying adjustments based on expectation. You can’t rip off a 70-yard run from your opponent’s 20, so setting a moving bar can help us get closer to the truth. So, too, can evaluating successes and non-successes based on whether it was third-and-1 or third-and-19.
You can download all of 2017’s rushing data here. That’s a link to a Google doc with all rushes and players broken out into categories — running back, fullback, quarterback, WR/TE, and other.
Let’s again start with the high-volume guys.
What can fancy math teach us about the guys who carried the ball the most last year? Here are the 83 RBs who got at least 150 carries.
RBs with 150+ carries in 2017
Player | Offense | Class | Rushes | Yards | Rush TD | Success Rate | Marginal Eff. | Marginal Expl. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Offense | Class | Rushes | Yards | Rush TD | Success Rate | Marginal Eff. | Marginal Expl. |
Phillip Lindsay | Colorado | SR | 302 | 1472 | 14 | 42.4% | -4.5% | -0.15 |
Devin Singletary | Florida Atlantic | SO | 301 | 1920 | 32 | 51.5% | 5.7% | 0.00 |
AJ Dillon | Boston College | FR | 300 | 1589 | 14 | 44.0% | -1.2% | -0.06 |
Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin | FR | 299 | 1977 | 13 | 47.2% | 2.9% | -0.11 |
Rashaad Penny | San Diego State | SR | 289 | 2248 | 23 | 44.6% | 2.8% | 0.31 |
D'Angelo Brewer | Tulsa | SR | 288 | 1517 | 9 | 45.1% | -0.4% | -0.16 |
Justin Jackson | Northwestern | SR | 287 | 1311 | 11 | 40.4% | -4.3% | -0.24 |
Kerryon Johnson | Auburn | JR | 285 | 1391 | 18 | 47.0% | 0.6% | -0.19 |
Diocemy Saint Juste | Hawaii | SR | 284 | 1511 | 7 | 45.4% | 1.7% | -0.27 |
Justice Hill | Oklahoma State | SO | 268 | 1467 | 15 | 39.2% | -3.4% | -0.05 |
Bryce Love | Stanford | JR | 263 | 2118 | 19 | 38.8% | -3.0% | 0.63 |
Benny Snell, Jr. | Kentucky | SO | 262 | 1333 | 19 | 42.4% | -2.7% | -0.15 |
Ronald Jones II | USC | JR | 261 | 1550 | 19 | 48.3% | 3.0% | -0.09 |
David Montgomery | Iowa State | SO | 258 | 1146 | 11 | 37.6% | -5.9% | -0.24 |
Akrum Wadley | Iowa | SR | 253 | 1114 | 10 | 36.4% | -5.2% | -0.24 |
Spencer Brown | UAB | FR | 250 | 1329 | 10 | 43.2% | -1.9% | -0.18 |
Ito Smith | Southern Miss | SR | 248 | 1413 | 13 | 45.6% | 2.6% | -0.10 |
Royce Freeman | Oregon | SR | 244 | 1475 | 16 | 51.2% | 6.2% | -0.12 |
Terry Swanson | Toledo | SR | 243 | 1363 | 14 | 42.4% | -2.1% | -0.10 |
Derrius Guice | LSU | JR | 237 | 1251 | 11 | 48.5% | 3.5% | -0.26 |
Aeris Williams | Mississippi State | JR | 236 | 1107 | 6 | 44.1% | -1.4% | -0.36 |
Jarvion Franklin | Western Michigan | SR | 235 | 1228 | 11 | 45.1% | -1.0% | -0.06 |
Rodney Smith | Minnesota | JR | 229 | 977 | 3 | 38.4% | -5.2% | -0.36 |
Dalyn Dawkins | Colorado State | SR | 226 | 1399 | 8 | 46.5% | 2.8% | -0.12 |
Nick Chubb | Georgia | SR | 223 | 1345 | 15 | 46.6% | 2.9% | -0.11 |
Myles Gaskin | Washington | JR | 222 | 1380 | 21 | 49.1% | 3.6% | 0.05 |
Saquon Barkley | Penn State | JR | 217 | 1271 | 18 | 46.1% | 1.1% | 0.08 |
Zack Moss | Utah | SO | 216 | 1170 | 10 | 50.5% | 5.0% | -0.22 |
Jordan Ellis | Virginia | JR | 215 | 836 | 6 | 38.1% | -7.7% | -0.39 |
Alexander Mattison | Boise State | SO | 213 | 1086 | 12 | 43.7% | -1.6% | -0.13 |
Lexington Thomas | UNLV | JR | 211 | 1336 | 17 | 46.0% | -0.6% | 0.21 |
Dontrell Hilliard | Tulane | SR | 210 | 1091 | 12 | 40.0% | -5.0% | -0.02 |
Caleb Huntley | Ball State | FR | 210 | 1003 | 3 | 42.4% | -2.5% | -0.40 |
Josh Adams | Notre Dame | JR | 206 | 1430 | 9 | 44.2% | -0.6% | 0.19 |
LJ Scott | Michigan State | JR | 201 | 898 | 8 | 38.3% | -7.7% | -0.26 |
Demario Richard | Arizona State | SR | 198 | 1027 | 12 | 50.5% | 3.2% | -0.17 |
Emmanuel Reed | Buffalo | SO | 198 | 825 | 9 | 38.9% | -5.4% | -0.33 |
Nyheim Hines | NC State | JR | 197 | 1112 | 12 | 38.6% | -5.5% | 0.07 |
J.K. Dobbins | Ohio State | FR | 194 | 1403 | 7 | 52.1% | 6.0% | 0.01 |
Cam Akers | Florida State | FR | 194 | 1025 | 7 | 45.9% | 1.0% | -0.14 |
Aaron Duckworth | Idaho | SR | 193 | 1025 | 4 | 39.4% | -1.9% | -0.25 |
Ralph Webb | Vanderbilt | SR | 193 | 841 | 10 | 35.8% | -9.0% | -0.16 |
D'Ernest Johnson | South Florida | SR | 193 | 796 | 7 | 37.8% | -7.1% | -0.27 |
Patrick Laird | California | JR | 192 | 1127 | 8 | 48.4% | 2.7% | -0.13 |
A.J. Ouellette | Ohio | JR | 192 | 1006 | 7 | 45.8% | -0.8% | -0.14 |
Justin Crawford | West Virginia | SR | 190 | 1061 | 7 | 46.3% | 2.3% | -0.26 |
John Kelly | Tennessee | JR | 189 | 778 | 9 | 35.5% | -7.5% | -0.24 |
Jeffery Wilson | North Texas | SR | 188 | 1215 | 16 | 51.1% | 3.8% | 0.05 |
Rodney Anderson | Oklahoma | SO | 188 | 1161 | 13 | 51.1% | 8.2% | -0.15 |
Ish Witter | Missouri | SR | 188 | 1049 | 6 | 43.6% | -0.6% | -0.16 |
Larry Rose III | New Mexico State | SR | 187 | 939 | 10 | 38.5% | -5.8% | -0.02 |
Jalin Moore | Appalachian State | JR | 185 | 1049 | 12 | 40.0% | -4.4% | 0.07 |
Xavier Jones | SMU | SO | 182 | 1075 | 9 | 44.5% | 0.0% | 0.01 |
Boston Scott | Louisiana Tech | SR | 182 | 1026 | 8 | 52.8% | 6.9% | -0.20 |
Marquis Young | Massachusetts | JR | 182 | 982 | 9 | 30.2% | -9.5% | 0.26 |
Alex Gardner | Florida International | SR | 181 | 791 | 6 | 34.3% | -8.2% | -0.33 |
Jonathan Ward | Central Michigan | SO | 179 | 1017 | 10 | 40.2% | -3.2% | 0.02 |
Keion Davis | Marshall | JR | 179 | 812 | 6 | 35.2% | -10.5% | -0.06 |
Ian Eriksen | Eastern Michigan | JR | 179 | 805 | 8 | 39.1% | -5.4% | -0.24 |
Darius Tice | South Florida | SR | 178 | 943 | 11 | 50.0% | 3.1% | -0.07 |
Wesley Fields | Georgia Southern | JR | 173 | 811 | 5 | 42.2% | -2.6% | -0.22 |
Trayveon Williams | Texas A&M | SO | 173 | 798 | 8 | 30.1% | -12.5% | -0.07 |
Glenn Smith | Georgia State | SR | 170 | 594 | 3 | 32.4% | -10.4% | -0.30 |
LaJuan Hunt | Utah State | SR | 169 | 828 | 11 | 39.1% | -5.4% | -0.12 |
Jon Hilliman | Boston College | JR | 167 | 638 | 5 | 37.7% | -5.4% | -0.38 |
Matt Colburn II | Wake Forest | JR | 166 | 904 | 7 | 36.1% | -6.5% | 0.04 |
Ryan Nall | Oregon State | JR | 165 | 810 | 8 | 44.9% | -1.7% | -0.19 |
Karan Higdon | Michigan | JR | 164 | 994 | 11 | 39.6% | -3.2% | 0.02 |
Kelton Moore | Nevada | SO | 164 | 855 | 4 | 44.5% | 0.0% | -0.16 |
Gus Edwards | Rutgers | SR | 164 | 713 | 6 | 43.3% | -0.1% | -0.36 |
Derrick Gore | UL-Monroe | JR | 164 | 585 | 6 | 38.4% | -8.7% | -0.34 |
Travis Homer | Miami-FL | SO | 163 | 966 | 8 | 39.3% | -4.1% | 0.05 |
Tyler Nevens | San Jose State | FR | 163 | 670 | 1 | 47.9% | 2.2% | -0.61 |
Shaun Wilson | Duke | SR | 162 | 818 | 6 | 44.4% | -0.3% | -0.17 |
Tyler King | Marshall | FR | 158 | 820 | 7 | 34.2% | -6.9% | -0.12 |
Patrick Taylor Jr. | Memphis | SO | 157 | 866 | 13 | 38.2% | -4.9% | 0.11 |
Darnell Woolfolk | Army | JR | 157 | 812 | 14 | 54.1% | 6.1% | -0.21 |
Kalen Ballage | Arizona State | SR | 157 | 669 | 6 | 37.6% | -6.9% | -0.31 |
Sony Michel | Georgia | SR | 156 | 1227 | 16 | 48.1% | 6.5% | 0.15 |
Ryquell Armstead | Temple | JR | 156 | 604 | 5 | 34.0% | -8.9% | -0.26 |
Jordan Wilkins | Ole Miss | SR | 155 | 1011 | 9 | 45.2% | 2.5% | -0.07 |
Jordan Chunn | Troy | SR | 154 | 774 | 10 | 41.6% | -1.8% | -0.21 |
Jordan Mims | Fresno State | FR | 151 | 627 | 6 | 45.7% | 0.5% | -0.42 |
First things first: it must be noted that, of these 83 players, only 28 produced a marginal efficiency above zero percent. As with what people have begun to firmly establish on the pro side — I highly recommend picking up a copy of the Football Outsiders Almanac 2018 and checking out the “establishing the run” essay by Ben Baldwin — running is a reasonably lower-ceilinged endeavor. It’s lower-risk, too, and some teams have certainly figured out how to run more than others, but for a majority of feature backs, handing them the ball was likely to put you behind schedule.
It was also far less likely to produce big plays — only 18 of these 83 produced a marginal explosiveness above plus-0.0 points per successful run.
That said, a few stood out. Here are the 22 players who rated in the 50th percentile (among the players in this sample) in both marginal efficiency and explosiveness. Players in bold are returning in 2018, and players with an asterisk were in the 80th percentile in both.
- AJ Dillon, Boston College (1,589 yards, -1.2% mEff, -0.6 mExpl)
- Alexander Mattison, Boise State (1,086 yards, -1.6% mEff, -0.13 mExpl)
- Dalyn Dawkins, Colorado State (1,399 yards, +2.8% mEff, -0.12 mExpl)
- Darius Tice, USF (943 yards, +3.1% mEff, -0.07 mExpl)
- Devin Singletary, FAU (1,920 yards, +5.7% mEff, +0.00 mExpl)
- Ito Smith, Southern Miss (1,413 yards, +2.3% mEff, -0.10 mExpl)
- J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (1,403 yards, +6.0% mEff, +0.01 mExpl)
- Jarvion Franklin, WMU (1,228 yards, -1.0% mEff, -0.06 mExpl)
- Jeffery Wilson, North Texas* (1,215 yards, +3.8% mEff, +0.05 mExpl)
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (1,977 yards, +2.9% mEff, -0.11 mExpl)
- Jordan Wilkins, Ole Miss (1,011 yards, +2.5% mEff, -0.07 mExpl)
- Josh Adams, Notre Dame (1,430 yards, -0.6% mEff, +0.19 mExpl)
- Lexington Thomas, UNLV (1,336 yards, -0.6 mEff, +0.21 mExpl)
- Myles Gaskin, Washington* (1,380 yards, +3.6% mEff, +0.05 mExpl)
- Nick Chubb, Georgia (1,345 yards, +2.9% mEff, -0.11 mExpl)
- Patrick Laird, California (1,127 yards, +2.7% mEff, -0.13 mExpl)
- Rashaad Penny, SDSU* (2,248 yards, +2.8% mEff, +0.31 mExpl)
- Ronald Jones II, USC (1,550 yards, +3.0% mEff, -0.09 mExpl)
- Royce Freeman, Oregon (1,475 yards, +6.2% mEff, -0.12 mExpl)
- Saquon Barkley, Penn State (1,271 yards, +1.1% mEff, +0.08 mExpl)
- Sony Michel, Georgia* (1,227 yards, +6.5% mEff, +0.15 mExpl)
- Xavier Jones, SMU (1,075 yards, +0.0% mEff, +0.01 mExpl)
Rodney Anderson of Oklahoma, by the way, nearly made the list, too. He had the best marginal efficiency by far and was in the 44th percentile for explosiveness. Similarly, Stanford’s Bryce Love had by far the best explosiveness (plus-0.63 mExpl, more than double Penny’s plus-0.31) and was in the 40th percentile for efficiency.
The most all-or-nothing feature runner of 2017: UMass’ Marquis Young — fifth percentile for mEff (minus-9.5 percent), 98th percentile for mExpl (plus-0.26).
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What about the best rushers from the QB position?
Here are the 66 quarterbacks who, not including sacks, rushed at least 60 times last year.
QBs with 60+ rushes in 2017
Player | Offense | Class | Rushes | Yards | Rush TD | Success Rate | Marginal Eff. | Marginal Expl. | mEff pct | mExpl pct | 50th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Offense | Class | Rushes | Yards | Rush TD | Success Rate | Marginal Eff. | Marginal Expl. | mEff pct | mExpl pct | 50th |
Zach Abey | Navy | JR | 285 | 1473 | 19 | 51.9% | 5.2% | -0.22 | 48% | 29% | 0 |
Ahmad Bradshaw | Army | SR | 242 | 1746 | 14 | 56.6% | 10.9% | 0.01 | 81% | 72% | 1 |
TaQuon Marshall | Georgia Tech | JR | 229 | 1255 | 17 | 47.6% | 2.8% | -0.03 | 33% | 65% | 0 |
Arion Worthman | Air Force | JR | 205 | 935 | 13 | 45.4% | -0.6% | -0.19 | 16% | 35% | 0 |
Lamar Jackson | Louisville | JR | 203 | 1759 | 18 | 58.6% | 14.3% | 0.20 | 93% | 93% | 1 |
Shai Werts | Georgia Southern | FR | 183 | 874 | 3 | 36.1% | -4.5% | -0.22 | 5% | 31% | 0 |
Quinton Flowers | South Florida | SR | 179 | 1181 | 11 | 44.7% | 3.9% | -0.04 | 40% | 63% | 0 |
Kelly Bryant | Clemson | JR | 166 | 854 | 11 | 48.8% | 3.2% | -0.20 | 36% | 33% | 0 |
Nick Fitzgerald | Mississippi State | JR | 155 | 1025 | 14 | 55.5% | 9.7% | 0.02 | 76% | 73% | 1 |
J.T. Barrett | Ohio State | SR | 146 | 908 | 12 | 59.6% | 12.6% | -0.17 | 88% | 38% | 0 |
Khalil Tate | Arizona | SO | 140 | 1492 | 12 | 51.4% | 7.7% | 0.68 | 65% | 100% | 1 |
Tyler Huntley | Utah | SO | 138 | 720 | 6 | 51.5% | 6.1% | -0.18 | 54% | 37% | 0 |
Daniel Jones | Duke | SO | 134 | 715 | 7 | 53.0% | 9.3% | -0.22 | 74% | 30% | 0 |
Jalen Hurts | Alabama | SO | 130 | 981 | 8 | 50.0% | 9.7% | 0.03 | 75% | 74% | 1 |
Jonathan Banks | Tulane | JR | 128 | 729 | 7 | 47.7% | 5.5% | -0.15 | 50% | 42% | 0 |
John Wolford | Wake Forest | SR | 126 | 769 | 10 | 45.2% | 3.4% | -0.04 | 37% | 63% | 0 |
Marcus Childers | Northern Illinois | FR | 125 | 602 | 5 | 41.6% | -0.9% | -0.39 | 15% | 9% | 0 |
Armani Rogers | UNLV | FR | 124 | 915 | 8 | 46.0% | 4.5% | 0.15 | 44% | 89% | 0 |
Nathan Rourke | Ohio | SO | 121 | 1008 | 21 | 62.8% | 21.4% | 0.08 | 100% | 82% | 1 |
Caleb Evans | UL-Monroe | SO | 120 | 695 | 13 | 45.8% | 4.0% | -0.09 | 41% | 55% | 0 |
Hasaan Klugh | Charlotte | JR | 119 | 661 | 9 | 37.8% | -2.1% | 0.00 | 11% | 70% | 0 |
Eric Dungey | Syracuse | JR | 117 | 749 | 9 | 47.0% | 4.3% | -0.01 | 43% | 69% | 0 |
Trace McSorley | Penn State | JR | 117 | 629 | 11 | 50.4% | 5.5% | -0.21 | 50% | 33% | 0 |
Brandon Wimbush | Notre Dame | JR | 116 | 923 | 14 | 54.3% | 12.7% | 0.08 | 88% | 83% | 1 |
Brian Lewerke | Michigan State | SO | 109 | 665 | 5 | 55.1% | 10.0% | -0.13 | 77% | 47% | 0 |
Malik Rosier | Miami-FL | JR | 104 | 602 | 5 | 51.9% | 10.6% | -0.27 | 80% | 22% | 0 |
Sam Ehlinger | Texas | FR | 104 | 480 | 2 | 47.1% | 2.5% | -0.37 | 32% | 11% | 0 |
Justice Hansen | Arkansas State | JR | 102 | 618 | 7 | 52.0% | 9.1% | -0.11 | 73% | 51% | 1 |
Josh Jackson | Virginia Tech | FR | 102 | 466 | 6 | 48.0% | 3.5% | -0.28 | 38% | 21% | 0 |
A.J. Erdely | UAB | JR | 99 | 506 | 13 | 55.6% | 10.6% | -0.13 | 80% | 47% | 0 |
Steven Montez | Colorado | SO | 99 | 566 | 3 | 52.5% | 7.6% | -0.31 | 64% | 17% | 0 |
Manny Wilkins | Arizona State | JR | 98 | 525 | 7 | 44.9% | 1.8% | -0.17 | 27% | 39% | 0 |
McKenzie Milton | Central Florida | SO | 97 | 683 | 8 | 60.8% | 18.7% | -0.19 | 98% | 35% | 0 |
Dalton Sturm | UTSA | SR | 97 | 671 | 2 | 49.5% | 6.7% | -0.07 | 58% | 57% | 1 |
Alex Delton | Kansas State | SO | 97 | 533 | 8 | 51.6% | 5.6% | -0.04 | 51% | 63% | 1 |
J'Mar Smith | Louisiana Tech | SO | 95 | 518 | 6 | 46.3% | 6.7% | -0.38 | 58% | 10% | 0 |
Damian Williams | Texas State | SR | 89 | 321 | 5 | 39.3% | -2.8% | -0.26 | 9% | 24% | 0 |
Kenny Hill | TCU | SR | 85 | 448 | 5 | 50.6% | 6.8% | -0.25 | 59% | 26% | 0 |
Peyton Ramsey | Indiana | FR | 82 | 320 | 2 | 30.5% | -10.7% | -0.46 | 0% | 5% | 0 |
George Bollas | Kent State | JR | 81 | 361 | 1 | 33.3% | -6.7% | -0.36 | 2% | 12% | 0 |
Montell Cozart | Boise State | SR | 78 | 390 | 4 | 50.0% | 7.0% | -0.22 | 60% | 30% | 0 |
Stephen Johnson | Kentucky | SR | 77 | 537 | 5 | 57.1% | 12.8% | -0.05 | 88% | 62% | 1 |
Jason Driskel | Florida Atlantic | JR | 77 | 457 | 8 | 52.0% | 8.7% | 0.06 | 71% | 80% | 1 |
Hayden Moore | Cincinnati | JR | 77 | 439 | 4 | 44.2% | 3.7% | -0.09 | 39% | 54% | 0 |
Steven Williams | Old Dominion | FR | 76 | 343 | 3 | 34.2% | -7.5% | -0.27 | 2% | 22% | 0 |
Kato Nelson | Akron | FR | 74 | 327 | 1 | 36.5% | -0.2% | -0.44 | 18% | 6% | 0 |
Kwadra Griggs | Southern Miss | JR | 73 | 341 | 3 | 48.0% | 6.8% | -0.53 | 59% | 2% | 0 |
Baker Mayfield | Oklahoma | SR | 72 | 491 | 5 | 55.6% | 9.3% | -0.01 | 74% | 68% | 1 |
Taylor Lamb | Appalachian State | SR | 71 | 652 | 5 | 56.3% | 17.3% | 0.05 | 97% | 78% | 1 |
Chazz Surratt | North Carolina | FR | 71 | 328 | 5 | 40.9% | 0.2% | -0.07 | 20% | 59% | 0 |
Josh Allen | Wyoming | JR | 71 | 360 | 5 | 57.8% | 10.6% | -0.30 | 80% | 19% | 0 |
Kellen Mond | Texas A&M | FR | 70 | 472 | 3 | 47.1% | 5.4% | 0.05 | 50% | 79% | 1 |
Keytaon Thompson | Mississippi State | FR | 69 | 481 | 6 | 59.4% | 14.1% | 0.06 | 92% | 80% | 1 |
Mason Fine | North Texas | SO | 69 | 309 | 1 | 43.5% | 0.2% | -0.39 | 20% | 10% | 0 |
Jarrett Stidham | Auburn | SO | 68 | 366 | 4 | 42.7% | 1.8% | -0.24 | 28% | 27% | 0 |
Lamar Jordan | New Mexico | SR | 67 | 433 | 2 | 41.8% | -0.5% | 0.03 | 17% | 75% | 0 |
Brandon Dawkins | Arizona | JR | 64 | 504 | 8 | 56.3% | 13.7% | 0.09 | 91% | 84% | 1 |
David Pindell | Connecticut | JR | 64 | 332 | 3 | 48.4% | 5.0% | -0.36 | 47% | 12% | 0 |
Shane Morris | Central Michigan | SR | 64 | 275 | 3 | 39.1% | -1.9% | -0.44 | 12% | 6% | 0 |
D'Eriq King | Houston | SO | 63 | 417 | 8 | 44.4% | 4.1% | 0.19 | 41% | 93% | 0 |
Bryant Shirreffs | Connecticut | SR | 63 | 353 | 0 | 44.4% | -3.9% | -0.09 | 6% | 55% | 0 |
Chad President | Tulsa | SO | 62 | 480 | 9 | 50.0% | 7.5% | 0.28 | 63% | 97% | 1 |
Dustin Crum | Kent State | FR | 62 | 426 | 1 | 41.9% | 4.1% | -0.15 | 41% | 43% | 0 |
Demry Croft | Minnesota | SO | 60 | 457 | 4 | 40.0% | 1.0% | 0.27 | 23% | 97% | 0 |
Jordan Davis | UL-Lafayette | JR | 60 | 441 | 5 | 50.0% | 8.1% | 0.03 | 67% | 75% | 1 |
Kent Myers | Utah State | SR | 60 | 424 | 5 | 43.3% | 3.2% | 0.06 | 35% | 79% | 0 |
Breaking: option quarterbacks run a lot. Lamar Jackson was the only QB with 200+ rushes who didn’t qualify as a triple-option guy.
Here are the best of the best, the 19 rushing QBs who ended up in at least the 50th percentile in both efficiency and explosiveness:
- Ahmad Bradshaw, Army (1,746 yards, +10.9% mEff, +0.01 mExpl)
- Alex Delton, Kansas State (533 yards, +5.6% mEff, -0.04 mExpl)
- Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (491 yards, +9.3% mEff, -0.01 mExpl)
- Brandon Dawkins, Arizona/Indiana (504 yards, +13.7% mEff, +0.09 mExpl)*
- Brandon Wimbush, Notre Dame (923 yards, +12.7% mEff, +0.08 mExpl)*
- Chad President, Tulsa (480 yards, +7.5% mEff, +0.28 mExpl)
- Dalton Sturm, UTSA (671 yards, +6.7 mEff, -0.07 mExpl)
- Jalen Hurts, Alabama (981 yards, +9.7% mEff, +0.03 mExpl)
- Jason Driskel, FAU (457 yards, +8.7% mEff, +0.06 mExpl)
- Jordan Davis, UL-Lafayette (441 yards, +8.1% mEff, +0.03 mExpl)
- Justice Hansen, Arkansas State (618 yards, +9.1% mEff, -0.01 mExpl)
- Kellen Mond, Texas A&M (472 yards, +5.4% mEff, +0.05 mExpl)
- Keytaon Thompson, Mississippi State (481 yards, +14.1% mEff, +0.06 mExpl)*
- Khalil Tate, Arizona (1,492 yards, +7.7% mEff, +0.68 mExpl)
- Lamar Jackson, Louisville (1,759 yards, +14.3% mEff, +0.20 mExpl)*
- Nathan Rourke, Ohio (1,008 yards, +21.4% mEff, +0.08 mExpl)*
- Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State (1,025 yards, +9.7% mEff, +0.02 mExpl)
- Stephen Johnson, Kentucky (537 yards, +12.8% mEff, -0.05 mExpl)
- Taylor Lamb, Appalachian State (652 yards, +17.3% mEff, +0.05 mExpl)
First of all, it’s unfair that Mayfield was a good rusher and a great passer.
Second, though Mayfield and Jackson are gone, there are a lot of fun, impressive rushing quarterbacks coming back this year. And two of them attend Mississippi State.
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