Hurd/Kamara ranked 3rd/4th Best Backs In SEC by PFF

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Titans4Vols

Titans4Vols

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3. Jalen Hurd, Tennessee

If Fournette and Chubb are out in front, Jalen Hurd isn’t too far away from being able to contend himself, showing big improvement from 2014 to 2015. His overall grade improved from +10.1 to +13.4, his rushing grade improved from +6.7 to +11.6 and his receiving grade improved from +0.6 to +4.6. Showing considerably improvement in those three areas, Hurd is coming off an impressive sophomore season.

With the exception of a poor game against the -3.4 performance against the Missouri Tigers, a game in which he struggled as a blocker and fumbled, Hurd was excellent on his way to a 4.7 yards per carry average throughout the 2015 season. Forcing 65 missed tackles on 275 carries, his 68.1 elusive rating score was the third best among retuning running backs heading into the 2016 season.

4. Alvin Kamara, Tennessee

We hear all about Jalen Hurd, and for good reason, but just like Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake at Alabama last year, there’s much more to this Tennessee backfield than Hurd alone. While Hurd is the better runner, Alvin Kamara is the better all round player, with a skill set that lends him well to being a third down back..

He graded well as a runner, averaging 6.6 yards per carry and forcing 28 missed tackles from 106 carries and scoring seven touchdowns, but it was as a receiver where he really stood out. He forced 13 missed tackles from 35 receptions, racking up 296 receiving yards and scoring a further three touchdowns. He impressed in pass protection too, allowing just three hurries from 45 pass blocking attempts.
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They're behind #1 Fournette and #2 Chubb.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/co...-lead-ranking-of-returning-sec-running-backs/
 
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#3
#3
Fournette I don't think you can argue against. However it remains to be seen if Chubb can come back from that injury and be the RB he was before. In the meantime, I'm perfectly happy with who we have in our backfield.
 
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#5
#5
We're right on track, slowly moving up on the completion and ready to take the next step.
 
#8
#8
Brave Volunteer said:
Fournette I don't think you can argue against. However it remains to be seen if Chubb can come back from that injury and be the RB he was before. In the meantime, I'm perfectly happy with who we have in our backfield.
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I agree with you on Fournette, and IMO ill take Hurd 2nd over Chubb at this point due to the same reason as you. Its yet to be seen if Chubb is going to be the same back after his knee blowout. I just cant picture a better duo in the backfield than Hurd & Kamara. Them two really remind me of the Auburn duo of Brown & Cadilliac Williams.
 
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#10
#10
jacobyvoln27 said:
I am sorry to say, I agree with you. I completely base this on Hurds game against Alabama compared to L.F.'s.
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The counter to that argument is that in the other games against the same opponents Fournette was averaging 6ypc to Hurd's 4ypc.

Obviously it remains to be seen what happens this season but going on what we have up to this point Fournette has to be considered the #1 guy.
 
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#11
#11
hndog609 said:
The counter to that argument is that in the other games against the same opponents Fournette was averaging 6ypc to Hurd's 4ypc.

Obviously it remains to be seen what happens this season but going on what we have up to this point Fournette has to be considered the #1 guy.
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Fournette has the better o-line. Put Hurd behind those guys and in a pro style I formation and he runs for more yards.
 
#13
#13
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
Fournette has the better o-line. Put Hurd behind those guys and in a pro style I formation and he runs for more yards.
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Perhaps, point remains I've seen nothing (I'm not just talking accumulated yards) that going into this season would have anyone rank Hurd above Fournette. Speculating about what happens this season is great and all but it's just speculation. It's no big deal...it's just a ranking list and means nothing towards what either will do in the future but by virtue of what HAS happened Fournette is a pretty solid #1.

And no matter how good anyone thinks Chubb might be I'd have Hurd ranked higher unless Chubb proves he's back to what he was.
 
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#15
#15
Surprised Hurd got a negative grade for the Mizzou game. He was the reason we won that game. He got something like 150 yards on a top 7 D-line in the country.
 
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#16
#16
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
Fournette has the better o-line. Put Hurd behind those guys and in a pro style I formation and he runs for more yards.
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Just not true at all. Fournette runs with the same type power, better quickness/suddeness and much better top end speed. Give them the same hole to run through and LF is a threat to take it 80, while Hurd gets caught and tackled/pushed out of bounds after 40. Other than your absolute blind homerism, where in the world do you get your opinion from here. You have absolutely no evidence to support it.

Hurd is outstanding and one of the best RBs in the country. Fournette is elite and the best RB in the country.....that's the difference.
 
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#18
#18
People point to system and line as a reason that Hurd is considered the lesser back compared to Fournette without realizing the system(and kind of as a result of a system, the line) actually helps Hurd more than it hurts him.

Would Hurd be great in a pro style system too? Yeah, sure. However, the misdirection and threat of the read option that having Dobbs(and occasionally Kamara when they run 2 rb sets) in the backfield gives the team, it makes running the ball a lot easier on Hurd at times. There's not nearly as many people focused on Hurd as there are Fournette, and that's because they can't be, otherwise Dobbs is running off the other edge for 20 yards or more, especially with Dobbs being so smart when it comes to deciding whether to hand off or keep.

The line is assisted by the system in that they're a zone blocking scheme, a far easier system to run(see the Shanahan offenses in recent memory in the NFL, he made a bunch of nobody NFL rbs in to 1,000+ yard rushers because of his o-line zone blocking schemes), which helps open more holes.

This idea that Hurd is punished by our system is a foolish one.
 
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#19
#19
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
Hurd should be #1. Kamara is rightly there at #4.
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jacobyvoln27 said:
I am sorry to say, I agree with you. I completely base this on Hurds game against Alabama compared to L.F.'s.
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Can't argue with LF being #1 on this list. Stats are superior to Hurd. Regardless of competition, 200 yard games are tough. Bama game focused entirely on stopping LF since LSU sucked at passing. Bama D was more spread out vs Tenn even though our passing game isn't top notch. But it was better than LSU's.

With that said, I'll take Hurd since he's a punisher. And he's a homegrown tomato. Chubb is not #2.
 
#20
#20
I think this is a fine place for our two lads to start the season. I think Hurd will end the season in either the #1 or #2 spot, depending on how his and Fournette's years play out. And Alvin, well, he's a special athlete. He can be a top 5 SEC running back, and a top 5 SEC return specialist, and a top 5 SEC all-purpose athlete...all in the same year. Maybe not #1 at any single spot, but top 5 at all of them.
 
#21
#21
I don't know every running back in the country so correct me if I'm wrong. Kamara would be the starter at 95% of the schools in the ncaa
 
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#23
#23
And Hurd is atleast just as good as chubb and fournette. Consider our o line play versus ga's and lsu's. People will see the truth in a couple of months
 
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#24
#24
fade route said:
Ranking sounds right
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I seriously doubt if Chubb is rehabbed enough yet to be considered #2 but I do hope he fully recovers eventually. He seems like a great kid.

LSU's Guice has to be coming in around 5-7 depending on Boom and Webb ratings. He has some serious upside too.
 
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#25
#25
I'll take it another step. Hurd is one of my favorite vols of all time but Kamara makes just as much happen and statically speaking has more yds per touch
 
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