All SportsHoopla All Hokie - RB

[Sleepy T]

Choose 3. Top two make the cut. This is a great list..with some fan favorites (HUUUUUUUUUMES).

Here is a little info. Courtesy of hokiesports.com

Career Rushing Leaders
Name Years Played Carries Net Yards
Cyrus Lawrence 1979-1982 843 3,767
Kevin Jones 2001-2003 616 3,475
Roscoe Coles 1974-1977 656 3,459
Maurice Williams 1983-1986 550 2,981
Branden Ore 2005-2007 617 2,776
Lee Suggs 1999-2002 535 2,767
Dwayne Thomas 1992-1995 576 2,696
David Wilson 2009-2011 462 2,662
Ken Oxendine 1994-1997 526 2,653
Eddie Hunter 1983-1986 466 2,523
Phil Rogers 1973-1975 528 2,461
Vaughn Hebron 1989-1992 481 2,327
Shyrone Stith 1996-1999 448 2,294
Tony Kennedy 1989-1992 535 2,259
Tyrod Taylor 2007-2010 501 2,196
Ryan Williams 2009-2010 403 2,132
Darren Evans 2008-2010 438 2,119
Terry Smoot 1967-1969 510 2,116
James Barber 1971-1973 454 2,052
Paul Adams 1972-1976 470 1,984
Kenny Lewis 1976-1979 358 1,928
Cedric Humes 2002-2005 373 1,805

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

So, is this like greatest Hokies? I mean, I love RW but he played like 18 games for us. Also, no DW?

 

[Taz_Hokie]

I'd like to make a write in ballot for Ken Oxendine.

 

[ckhokie]

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

We need to figure out what this is based on. Is it about VT career?

 

[Taz_Hokie]

We need to figure out what this is based on. Is it about VT career?

I would think this should be reflective on their career at VT.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Jones, Suggs, Evans then, out of this group. I like Wilson a lot but maybe he should be part of the ATH group because of his kick returns and receptions as well.

 

[Sleepy T]

Don't know how I forgot DW. I guess I kinda started running down the list and wanted to sprinkle in some old with new. Will include him with the Athletes. Have to put Jones at the top here. If it weren't for injuries he could have been very good at the pro level. Easily our highest rated RB recruit ever and he lived up to it. If he would have stuck around he would have blasted Lawrence's record. As far as #2. Tough call for me. Anyone could easily go at 2. Will have to go with Suggs who along with Jones had some injury issues in Cleveland. Lawrence, RW, Ore, Evans (could have been great), and some others are definitely worthy...There have been some great ones come thru. Hopefully we have another one on the roster right now..

 

[hokiegrad]

I'll abstain on this one. It's just too close to call.

 

[757Hokie83]

So, is this like greatest Hokies? I mean, I love RW but he played like 18 games for us. Also, no DW?

Vick only played a few more than that

 

[VT_Football_Fan]

Tough call!

 

[slntkilla]

Suggs had the best nose for the endzone - gotta go with him.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Vick only played a few more than that

...and I voted him backup

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

You all know to vote for three, correct?

 

[Hokie200proof]

Very tough call. I'd have to say:

KJ, Suggs then it's a big big toss up. DE was great his frosh year, but so was Ryan Williams... and David Wilson. Stith, Oxendine have their place in VT history too... as for the older names on the list, I don't really have much direct knowledge, but I haven't heard too many people wistfully recalling the power/speed of any of them.

Even with KJ and Suggs, they both had their injuries that kept them from being Heisman Candidates... don't laugh... Suggs would've been in the conversation (coming off the TD explosion year) had he not gone down for the year in game 1 vs. (fucking) UConn. Then he had to split carries with emerging star KJ... who didn't bounce all the way back after he hurt himself in the (fucking) JMU game to start the next year when he was main ball carrier. Both of them had interrupted careers, but they had enough to put them above everyone else.

I'll be surprised if we ever have a "star" RB that has more than a 1, 1.5, 2 year career here going forward. I won't blame them either as RB's clearly have more health concerns than most other positions.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I hate playing the What If game but had Evans come back and split time with Wilson last year, I think he would have been drafted and the two of them would have had a monster year. When RW got hurt two years ago and the three RB system dropped to the two of them, they both flourished.

 

[Hokie200proof]

I hate playing the What If game but had Evans come back and split time with Wilson last year, I think he would have been drafted and the two of them would have had a monster year. When RW got hurt two years ago and the three RB system dropped to the two of them, they both flourished.

I'd agree with that. Would be nice to think it at least... since that would most likely mean DW was back for this year (maybe not) and would help us gradually find out who could possibly step up and replace him full-time for the 2013 season... instead of doing that testing via games in the 2012 season.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

(I also voted for DE because he bussed tables at PKs in the offseason)

 

[VTscores]

a) how do you forget David Wilson, and
b) why don't you add him now?

I boycott, as this is a significant oversight.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

This may be the toughest position to call for Tech history (corners and safeties will be interesting as well)! Reading the question, I was very on board with David Wilson at first. David, IMO, was arguably the most gifted running back available in the 2010 season. His combination of speed, agility, and motivation was astounding to watch. His 2011 season speaks for itself IMO.

I could bounce back and forth with the qualifications, but utimately I conclude that Kevin Jones deserves the honor. Between his success sharing carries with Lee Suggs, and his domination as the lone feature back, I can't convince myself otherwise. He was over 900 yards his first two seasons, sharing significant amounts of carries, and his final season was extremely productive (similar to Ryan Williams big year). He had the raw talent and YPC near David Wilson, career yardage and 100+ yard games of the scale of Lawrence, a number huge production games, and one of the few backs to break 20 TDs in a season.