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

[The Artful Dodger]

Definitely subjective. But I can tell you for sure that in other RB threads over the past months and even years, when the subject of the best RB comes up, a whole lotta VNers share my sentiment on Webb. I was in the stadium when Webb shredded OleMiss for 294 yards and of course I recall his 250 yd performance in the Cotton Bowl. To me it's him, Lewis and Henry as the 3 best....then probably Garner. I'm not taking longevity into account, obviously, but rather ability as a pure runner with the best combination of speed, power, agility and game-breaking ability. Each were game changers, each more talented and just better than what Jalen has shown thus far IMHO.

As far as my list, it wasn't necessarily in order. For example, I don't think Cobb is the 2nd best all time per se...just started listing them as they came to mind.

And you're probably right about each fan favoring players from their era, players they saw up close. But I've been a fan since the early 1970s, have seen a lot of Tennessee's best players and running backs. I'd be willing to bet a lot of fans would have the same guys, in whatever order, give or take a player or two, that I named in their all-time UT running back list.

Good sentiments. I hope by the end of this season Hurd will without a doubt be the #1 all-time back. Because that probably means Tennessee at the VERY least wins the East and it would probably mean much more.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

So....his best games were....

1. 3.6 ypc vs Florida (btw, Pro Football Focus and you agree here, haha)

2. Vs Northwestern......don't ever, EVER, belittle someone's argument or build yours around the level of competition played if you're gonna say Northwestern here. You've gotta be kidding.......130 yards, 5.4 ypc vs what looked essentially like glorified highschool team.....you've gotta be kidding.

Do you not see the irony here? You're being too smart by half. If you're gonna point to Jalen's 102/3.6 game vs Florida, I'll bring up LF's 180/5.4 against that same Gators defense. And if you bring up his 130/5.4 game vs NW, I'll point to LF's 200+ yd games vs Syracuse, Eastern Mich and Texas Tech.....not to mention his 159 vs Mississippi State or 228 vs Auburn...and since those 2 games were vs SEC competition, I'm sure you'll concede the argument now,right, since it wasn't vs lowly ACC teams.

I watch game.

You watch the box score.


Hurd had a much better performance against Florida because of how weak our o-line was. Fournette is always running thru such huge holes and is able to build up momentum. Hurd rarely gets those chances.

Like I've said. The NFL will ultimately prove me right.

Hurd > Fournette

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

AL focusing on Hurd like they did vs LSU would have resulted in a big dose of Dobbs and they knew it. In fact, let's explore that line a thought a bit.

Fournette had 3 games where he was held to under 5ypc. LSU lost all 3. Hurd had 4 games where he didn't even manage 4ypc (itself a problematic stat for comparative purposes) but TN still won 3 of those games. Point being a defense successful in limiting Hurd doesn't mean stopping TN but manage that against LSU (at least last year) and you've essentially stopped LSU. Defenses know this and play it that way.

And this "better line" argument is mitigated by Fournette leading the nation in broken tackles. And in case it's slipped people's minds that stat (along with all the others) includes the fact that Fournette played one less game than everybody else as LSU's first game was canceled.

Easier to break tackles when you can build up momentum versus facing guys in the backfield every play like Hurd.

Jalen is way more powerful than Fournette. If he had an o-line that could help him build up momentum like Fournette he would have led the nation in broken tackles.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

So....his best games were....

1. 3.6 ypc vs Florida (btw, Pro Football Focus and you agree here, haha)


Do you not see the irony here? You're being too smart by half. If you're gonna point to Jalen's 102/3.6 game vs Florida, I'll bring up LF's 180/5.4 against that same Gators defense. .

Not saying Hurd is the better back by any means, but just comparing their stats against UF isn't really a true indication of who had a better game against UF. That's a very lazy, shallow method of comparing two players' performances. You have to actually watch the games to get a sense of who had the better game.


IMO, Hurd had the better game because he had more to overcome in the way of poor blocking. Fournette definitely had an advantage in terms of blocking in their game. Not to mention that LSU, despite an unimpressive looking stat sheet, actually had a really efficient and successful day passing the ball. Harris and Dupre were able to stretch the field and connect on some deep passes and keep UF from worrying exclusively about the run. UT wasn't able to do that and it hurt Hurd's stat line as well as the poor blocking.

 

[KBVol]

I watch game.

You watch the box score.


Hurd had a much better performance against Florida because of how weak our o-line was. Fournette is always running thru such huge holes and is able to build up momentum. Hurd rarely gets those chances.

Like I've said. The NFL will ultimately prove me right.

Hurd > Fournette

I watch the games as well.....we all do. We clearly see different things, and the most objective measurements we have that define Hurd's performances, his rushing yards and average yards per carry, are much more in line with my and other VNers' assessment of what we see of Jalen than yours.

Pretty much everybody....fans, media, analysts, scouts, GMs all agree that LF is just a better collegiate player and NFL prospect than Jalen. As a Tennessee Vol fan, something you know nothing about, I wish it weren't the case, but it is.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I watch the games as well.....we all do. We clearly see different things, and the most objective measurements we have that define Hurd's performances, his rushing yards and average yards per carry, are much more in line with my and other VNers' assessment of what we see of Jalen than yours.

Pretty much everybody....fans, media, analysts, scouts, GMs all agree that LF is just a better collegiate player and NFL prospect than Jalen. As a Tennessee Vol fan, something you know nothing about, I wish it weren't the case, but it is.

And everyone thought Ryan Leaf and Tim Couch were better than Tom Brady.

Your argument is a logical fallacy. Just because everyone thinks something is true doesn't make it so. For a long time everyone thought the Sun revolved around the earth. Now we know that to be false.

Everyone will learn soon enough who the better player is. Hurd will have the greater NFL career.

 

[hndog609]

And everyone thought Ryan Leaf and Tim Couch were better than Tom Brady.

Your argument is a logical fallacy. Just because everyone thinks something is true doesn't make it so. For a long time everyone thought the Sun revolved around the earth. Now we know that to be false.

Everyone will learn soon enough who the better player is. Hurd will have the greater NFL career.

I find it hilarious that you cite a crazy person and a poor soul thrown to the wolves as the expansion qb for the Browns to make your comparison.

Hurd isn't sneaking up on anyone and is universally recognized as a very good rb. Fournette is considered elite and if he stays healthy should easily become the SEC's 2nd all time rushing leader and with a monster year could actually surpass Walker for that top spot.

 

[TN Outlaw]

People love to use the "Brady 6th round" argument all the time when it's the exception, not the rule. Besides we're all talking about the best backs in the SEC, not the NFL so it's pointless to say what either will do after going pro. At least in this discussion. Heck, as horrible as it would be and as much as i wish the best for all the players, one or both could have some bad luck health wise and not ever go pro anyway. Fact is, thus far from what we've seen LF is the man. Wether that be cuz of the line or the scheme or just because he's in a diff world with his talent, it's just the truth. Hurd has the chance to change everybody's mind this year and I hope he does.

 

[KBVol]

And everyone thought Ryan Leaf and Tim Couch were better than Tom Brady.

Your argument is a logical fallacy. Just because everyone thinks something is true doesn't make it so. For a long time everyone thought the Sun revolved around the earth. Now we know that to be false.

Everyone will learn soon enough who the better player is. Hurd will have the greater NFL career.

Enjoy your quiet time wayyyy out on that fragile little limb of yours. Sure looks awfully lonely from here.

I hope Jalen all of a sudden finds another gear, becomes a better all-around runner and goes on to have a great and much better pro career than Fournette. I also hope that Marquez North winds up having a much better career than Laquan Treadwell......neither are very likely to happen.