It's Time to Look at the RB's in the NCAA
A few running backs live in the headlines. But, most don't. The mission of Playing On Sports is to shed needed light on all of the Missouri and Kansas athletes playing the game they love in the NCAA.
At the bottom of this article is a spreadsheet with year-to-date rushing statistics for 220 athletes from Missouri and Kansas who are competing in NCAA Division I, II, and III. The quarterbacks are included along with the running backs because of the preponderance of yards being accumulated by QB’s. Rushing yards from other positions are not included.
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My last article reviewed and highlighted the aerial statistics of our local quarterbacks in the NCAA. You will find that article here. And be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the content highlighting all of the receivers, which is coming soon.
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The three local Power 5 conferences provided the top three local Division I running backs through week three of this season. Each leads his team in rushing yards per game.
Devin Neal (Lawrence/Univ. of Kansas) has rushed 40 times for 303 yards and five touchdowns. That is 7.60 yards per carry and 101.00 yards per game. The pre-season All-Big 12 Conference selection and Doak Walker and Maxwell awards candidate looks to build upon the 1,090 rushing yards he accumulated his sophomore year. His career to date 2,100 yards rank13th on the Jayhawk’s all-time rushing list.
Cody Schrader (Lutheran South/Univ. of Missouri) has been a collegiate success story. After leaving high school to play at Truman State University, Cody rushed for 2,074 yards as a senior. That was the most in NCAA Division II. After last season, Cody transferred to the University of Missouri to walk on for the Tigers. Three games into his graduate student year, Cody leads his team by averaging 93.33 rushing yards per game. He has also caught four balls for 19 yards.
After three games, DJ Giddens (Junction City/Kansas State Univ.) leads the Wildcats with 72.00 rushing yards per game. He averages 6.00 yards for his 36 carries. DJ rushed for 128 yards on 15 carries in the season opener against Southeast Missouri State University.
Jay Harris (Timberland/Northwest Missouri State Univ.) leads all area running backs from this two state area with 118.33 yards rushing yards per game. Only a sophomore, Jay has been over 100 yards in each of the three games, topping out so far, with 131 yards on 27 carries against Missouri Southern State.
The Missouri/Kansas region is well represented in NCAA Division III, both locally, and a half continent away.
Carson Phelps (Wichita Collegiate/Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has gotten off to a great start to his collegiate career. As a freshman, Carson leads his team with 101.00 rushing yards per game, covering 6.10 yards per carry. The 2023 Wichita Collegiate graduate gained 144 yards on 20 carries in his first collegiate game, as his Engineers defeated Bridgewater State, 41 to 27.
Kenneth Hamilton (Christian Brother/Washington Univ-St. Louis) stayed close to home for his collegiate career. The Bears approve of that! As a junior, Kenneth leads Wash U. with 97.50 rushing yards per game. With only 24 carries, that comes out to 8.10 yards per rush. Last year as a freshman, Kenneth led the Bears with 848 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns for the season.
We have talked a lot about rushing yards. Obviously, that is a key part of any good offense. But, what do you do in the red zone? Yards and yards gained between the 20’s look good on paper, but don’t necessarily win you games. You have to score. You have to punch it into the end zone. Blake Delecruz (Parkview/Harding Univ.) does just that. He averages 41.33 rushing yards per game. But, he has also scored on seven of his 25 attempts. And none of the seven TD’s were from further than eight yards out. With the short field, those are very tough yards. Blake is the guy you want in the red zone.
As noted, the quarterbacks are included, along with the running backs, in the rushing data. Ok, then who is the QB who rushed for the most yards? Interestingly, he is the same QB who passed for more yards than any other quarterback from Missouri and Kansas. Not only has Tanner Clarkson (Platte County/Black Hills State Univ.) thrown for 281.33 yards per game, he has rushed for 48.67 yards per game.
Those were some very nice starts to the season. But, there are 68 more who have carried the ball for their team. And many more who will get into the box score before the season is over. Only three games have been played. So much more football to come. So much more reason to get your free subscription to Playing On Sports.
As noted before, you can review the area’s quarterbacks in the NCAA here. And to get the scoop on the receivers, plus tons of additional content, you will need that free subscription.
Here is the spreadsheet with detailed year-to-date rushing statistics for all 220 running backs and quarterbacks.
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