By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
In in the present day’s school soccer, your operating again must be versatile.
He wants to have the ability to acquire the robust yards contained in the tackles, be agile sufficient to make performs within the open area, with the pace to outrun defenders, and be capable of make performs within the passing sport.
If in case you have one man who can do all of these issues, then you might have your self a stud ballcarrier. For many groups, that mixture must be made up by just a few completely different gamers.
And for that, you want a various group of gamers in your operating again room who could make a variety of completely different performs.
At this time, as we proceed highlighting the perfect place teams within the West, we have a look at the area’s high operating again models for 2025.
[See our other Position Unit Rankings here.]
1. Oregon Geese
The Geese have Makhi Hughes to step into the void left with the departure of Jordan James. Hughes is every-down again who simply may be the subsequent nice again to return by Eugene.
Whereas Hughes has the ability set to remain on the sector more often than not, he received’t must.
Noah Whittington offers Oregon the one-two punch to match the look Ohio State supplied with their two star operating backs final season. Whittington can be speedy and harmful within the passing sport. Da’Juan Riggs and Jayden Limar provide additional depth.
The Geese shouldn’t have a drop off within the backfield anytime quickly. Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill are each gifted freshmen who may have an effect this fall. They are going to actually lay the muse for the longer term.
2. Air Drive Falcons
Air Drive had a disappointing season on the bottom final yr—effectively, disappointing by Air Drive requirements a minimum of. The Falcons nonetheless completed the season tenth within the nation on the bottom, operating for 224 yards per sport.
They received it rolling on the finish of the yr with 302 yards per sport within the final 4 contests, and that momentum ought to carry into 2025.
The scheme is what makes the Falcons so good on the bottom, however they nonetheless want the gamers to execute it they usually have an excellent lead again in Dylan Carson who ought to have a breakout season this fall.
Owen Allen and Kade Harris may even see time within the backfield with Harris additionally being a risk within the passing sport. Kade Frew is one other again who may make vital contributions, whereas Terrence Gist is a giant again that may battle for the robust yards.
3. Washington Huskies
In November, Husky radio play-by-play man Tony Castricone posted on X that the UW offense subsequent season can be RUN DMC with the the backfield mixture of QB Demond Williams and RBs Jonah Coleman and Adam Mohammed.
With Coleman and Mohammed, the Huskies have a pair of elite RBs. Coleman is a workhorse, however Washington may provide some two-back units to get essentially the most out of the personnel.
Including to the depth within the backfield are freshmen Jordan Washington, Quaid Carr, and Julian McMahan. McMahan is a bruiser whereas Carr and Washington present monitor pace.
The UW backfield needs to be harmful in 2025.
4. USC Trojans
The Trojans have a pair of dwelling run hitters in Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders.
Final season, Sanders’ 9 runs of 30+ yards had been the fifth-most within the nation. Jordan was the JUCO D1 offensive participant of the yr in 2024.
Bryan Jackson didn’t see a ton of motion as a real freshman final season however carried out when known as upon; he tallied 66 yards on 16 carries within the Las Vegas Bowl.
These three will headline a deep operating again room.
5. Arizona State Solar Devils
Arizona State will look to interchange the manufacturing of Cam Skattebo from a season in the past. That manufacturing will fall on just a few gamers.
Kanye Udoh, Kyson Brown, and Raleek Brown will all contribute. Udoh, a switch from Military, is shifty and explosive and will get the majority of the workload. He additionally may high the 1,000-yard plateau.
Kyson Brown churns out massive performs and is a risk to interrupt one off each time he carries the ball. Raleek Brown is harmful as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
It may be a bunch effort at RB for ASU in 2025, however the Solar Devils actually have the group that may get it executed.
6. Oregon State Beavers
Make no mistake, this Beaver floor assault, and actually whole offense, shall be pushed by Anthony Hankerson. He’s a workhorse again and shall be on the sector for the overwhelming majority of snaps.
However the Beavers RB room will not be with out depth and expertise.
Salahadin Allah had a little bit of an up and down season as a freshman final season however confirmed flashes of the power he possesses and might be an element within the passing sport.
Marquis Crosby is a switch from La Tech who must also be capable of lighten the load for Hankerson and supply a burst.
7. UNLV Rebels
With the arrival of Dan Mullen in Las Vegas, the main target of the Rebels offense would be the operating backs.
And the point of interest this season shall be Jet Thomas. Thomas completed final season robust and appears poised for a giant 2025.
The remainder of the RB room shall be stuffed with newcomers within the type of transfers Jaylon Glover and Keyvone Lee, plus true freshman Kamran Williams, who enters UNLV because the second-highest HS recruit in program historical past.
Glover comes from Utah and can praise Thomas, whereas Lee, a Mississippi State switch, is a giant highly effective again who could make performs within the passing sport.
8. Boise State Broncos
Replacing the perfect again within the nation is not any straightforward activity, however the Broncos have choices within the first season publish Ashton Jeanty. The primary possibility appears to be Malik Sherrod, a sixth-year switch who had productive profession at Fresno State.
Sherrod’s 2024 season was lower brief resulting from accidents however he’s a nimble again who can produce within the passing sport in addition to on the bottom. The All-MW honoree ought to be capable of step into the beginning function with out the Broncos lacking an excessive amount of.
Make no mistake although; this isn’t going to be a one-horse present within the backfield. Jambres Dubar will provide some measurement and energy in brief yardage conditions that you’re not going to get from Sherrod in addition to altering the tempo.
After which there may be Sire Gaines. The inheritor obvious to Jeanty, he ran for 110 yards in his first sport as a real freshman earlier than his season ended resulting from an damage after three video games. That damage saved him out of spring apply, however he’s the true deal.
Jeanty is gone, however the BSU backfield remains to be harmful.
9. Arizona Wildcats
The Wildcat backfield shall be a mixture of skilled returnees and gifted newcomers. Both approach, the RB scenario in Tucson seems to be promising.
Kedrick Reescano is the main returning rusher and may tackle a extra distinguished function in 2025.
Ismail Mahdi is essentially the most versatile of the group and will find yourself seeing essentially the most reps. The senior ran for over 2300 yards in his two seasons with Texas State whereas catching 44 passes throughout his time with the Bobcats.
Quincy Craig can be within the combine as a change-of-pace again. The Cats could have no scarcity of RBs in 2025.
10. BYU Cougars
The RB scenario in Provo begins with LJ Martin, among the best backs within the nation. Martin is a giant rusher at 6-foot-2 and 225 kilos. He racks up a ton of yards after contact and is a load to deliver down.
The Cougars are usually not as deep as a few of the groups on this listing, however Sione Moa has proven some flashes previously and needs to be the No. 2 possibility.
Pokaiaua Haunga offers the Cougars an possibility within the passing sport out of the backfield.
11. Utah Utes
The Utes’ offense struggled in 2024 and the operating sport was not proof against these points. This season, Utah has introduced in a slew of tranfers to proper the ship.
Wayshawn Parker would be the first possibility. Final season at WSU, he averaged 5.36 yards per carry, practically two yards greater than the Utes averaged as a group in 2024.
NaQuari Rogers will provide an explosive possibility, whereas Bryce Duke may be known as upon in brief yardage conditions.
Daniel Bray is a speedster who ought to see motion as a real freshman, he’s explosive and will break the lengthy one on each carry.
12. Colorado State Rams
Justin Marshall will see the majority of the workload and is a confirmed again who can run between the tackles or stretch issues out large.
Lloyd Avant had a productive freshman season at Tulsa and may present a spell for Marshall. Vann Schield returns to the Rams after a season with Northern Colorado.
Protect is a troublesome runner who might be known as upon in brief yardage conditions. Jalen Dupree may see a giant bump in manufacturing this season and has the potential to be a giant contributor.
[See our other Position Unit Rankings here.]
writes about varied matters for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and information, school sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Heart (SERC).
