Any list or ranking done by a human is bound to be somewhat subjective. While I may have a strong opinion about one player being better than another, many of the players (and groups of players) on this list have very little to separate them from the man placed a spot higher or lower than they are.

There are also many factors that greatly impact the way we perceive a player. Things like offensive line, offensive system and the quality of the skill position players around him are all critical factors that matter greatly to how successful the individual can be. That’s why football is often considered the ultimate team sport.

Taking those things into consideration, we at the Saturday Edge thought it would be a fun and informative offseason exercise to dive into a few different key Big Ten positions and rank them from top to bottom. Keep in mind, I am ranking the running back group as a whole, not just one individual running back (in reality, the offensive lines are inherently considered as well).

This is my list and these are my opinions, we’d love to hear what you think so please share your thoughts in the comments section!

 

Wisconsin – Jonathan Taylor and company

I did not have to think long about who should have the top spot on this list. Sophomore back Jonathan Taylor rushed for just south of 2,000 yards in his freshman campaign and he returns along with three capable backups and perhaps the best offensive line in the country. Taylor fumbled a bit too often in 2017 but that should improve and Wisconsin insiders believe he’s worked hard to improve his pass-catching skills.

Taylor believes he can get much better. “If you watch film from practices and games, you can see so much stuff that didn’t go right when I was in there,” Taylor said. “There’s definitely a lot of room for improvement that sometimes people don’t see. They just look at the touchdowns and the big runs. But they don’t see the little things.”

He’s focused on receceiving, ball security, goal line running and leadership. A “sophomore jump” from Taylor, solid contributions from Bradrick Shaw, Chris James, Taiwan Deal and freshman Nakia Watson and perhaps the game’s best offensive line means gives the Badgers not just the best running game in the Big Ten, they may have the best one in the country.

 

Ohio State – J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber

The Buckeyes have won at least 11 games in each of the past five seasons and a part of that success has been a consistent running game. That certainly won’t change this season as they return one of the better 1-2 punches in the nation in sophomore J.K. Robbins and junior Mike Weber. Antonio Williams and true freshman Master Teague will both push for playing time as well. The offensive line returns only two starters and the Buckeyes will be breaking in a new quarterback so they will need to rely on the run game, particularly early in the season. The top two choices are very easy but it gets dicey after that.

 

Michigan – Karan Higdon and Chris Evans

I don’t love Michigan’s offensive line but they do return three starters and new offensive line coach Ed Warriner is one of the best in the business. He recently said that his first UM line “can be a very solid Big Ten offensive line”. If that ends up being the case, this will be a really strong running game. Karan Higdon was outstanding down the stretch of the 2017 season and he is back for his senior season. Junior Chris Evans averaged more than five yards per carry as a sophomore. Fullback Ben Mason is an asset as well. There are depth questions but Harbaugh’s teams typically run the ball well and I like the additions of Warriner and former Florida head coach Jim McElwain to the staff.

 

Maryland – Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison

Ty Johnson is incredibly talented and Lorenzo Harrison is a very capable and steady second back. Throw in the running ability of Tyrell Pigrome at quarterback (or whatever position he ends up at) and Maryland has a lot of explosive potential in the backfield. Johnson had the fourth-most all-purpose yards in school history in 2017 (1,592). Harrison runs hard and keeps Johnson fresh and Jake Funk averaged 5.4 yards per carry, primarily on third downs. The offensive line is the biggest issue with the running game but they do return four linemen.

 

Penn State – Miles Sanders, Mark Allen and others

The Nittany Lions have to replace a whopping 32% of their all-purpose yards as Saquon Barkley is now in the NFL. However, the cupboard is not bare as James Franklin continues to recruit very well. He believes his running backs, “are going to surprise some people in what they can do,” he told Athlon Sports. The group is led by former five-star recruit Miles Sanders. He’s been stuck behind Barkley but has an average of 6.7 yards in his very limited work. Mark Allen likely starts the season as his backup but look for redshirt freshman Journey Brown and true freshman Ricky Slade to getting quite a bit of work. The offensive line returns four starters and Trace McSorley will lead the way and keep teams from keying in on the ground game. The pieces look great but they were only 59^th in the country in rushing last season and now have to replace an all-time great in Barkley.

 

Michigan State – LJ Scott and Connor Heyward

A senior that has seen his share of trouble off the field, LJ Scott has led the Spartans in rushing for three straight seasons. Many will argue that Michigan State should be third or fourth on this list and that could end up being correct but I don’t see Scott as a top player in the Big Ten. He’s above average and perfectly solid but I don’t think he’s great. Fumbling problems have been a recurring issue and he is still yet to break 1,000 yards in a season. Madre London and Gerald Holmes are both gone so the backup appears to be Connor Heyward, who has only three carries in his young career.

 

Indiana – Morgan Ellison, Cole Gest, Craig Nelson and others

After a few years with guys like Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard, the Indiana Hoosiers running game has taken a step back the past two seasons. However, there is reason for optimism in Bloomington as IU returns every rusher and offensive lineman from a season ago. In addition, they add a grad transfer center from Miami, a mobile quarterback in Brandon Dawkins, an exciting redshirt freshman in Craig Nelson and a four-star true freshman in Ronnie Walker. Ellison was second among freshman running backs with more than 700 yards, despite being banged up for a number of games. Cole Gest is a hard-runner and Craig Nelson will likely be used as a change of pace back that they try to get in space. If the line gels and Ellison stays healthy, the Hoosiers will have a top five running game in the conference.

 

Nebraska – Tre Bryant and many others

This is a step out onto a limb as none of the returning personnel for Nebraska is all that impressive. Devine Ozigbo, Mikale Wilbon and Jaylin Bradley are all varying degrees of “fine”. JUCO transfer Greg Bell is not expected to be a major difference maker. I believe Scott Frost’s offensive system will improve things across the board and I think Tre Bryant was slated to be the bell cow in 2017, rushing for 192 in their opener and 107 in week two and averaging more than 5.3 yards per carry before being lost for the season with an injury.

 

Purdue – Markell Jones, Tario Fuller, D.J. Knox and Richie Worship

The Boilermakers are deep at running back but I don’t feel any of the four backs are that much above average. They are each solid and combine to form a decent group. Jones and Fuller are the complete backs, Knox is only 5’7” but he runs hard and catches it well. Worship is the hammer back that operates essentially as a fullback. Injuries last season decimated the position by the end of the season.

 

Northwestern – Jeremy Larkin and John Moten IV

The Wildcats will sorely miss Justin Jackson. He rushed for 5,440 yards and 41 touchdowns during a terrific career. Larkin is an explosive sophomore that averaged six yards per carry in limited work. He’ll need to excel as he transitions from a “change of pace” back to the featured player. Moten struggled as a sophomore but he was well-regarded coming out of high school. If he continues to be inconsistent, true freshman Isaiah Bowser might be forced to step in.

 

Minnesota – Rodney Smith

The Golden Gophers have not had a great offseason. They lost potential starting quarterback Vic Viramontes as he transferred back to junior college. Early in spring practice, running back Shannon Brooks was lost for the season with an injury. That leaves them with one really good back in Rodney Smith and a whole bunch of question marks elsewhere. True freshman Nolan Edmonds is well-regarded but if Smith gets injured, Minnesota is in a world of hurt on offense.

 

Iowa – Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin

There aren’t many tangible reasons to think Iowa will have a great running game in 2018. They lost their top two rushers and their starting fullback. However, the Hawkeyes have earned some benefit of the doubt as they bring back three starters on the offensive line and have a proven record of success turning out solid running backs. Toren Young is a power back and Kelly-Martin averaged 9.2 yards per carry in limited work.

 

Rutgers – Jonathan Hillman and Raheem Blackshear

The Scarlet Knights lost both Gus Edwards and Robert Martin and must now rely on another graduate transfer. This time, it’s Jonathan Hillman, a backup at Boston College that had 638 yards in the ACC. Blackshear is a promising sophomore that may take over the job soon.

 

Illinois – Mike Epstein and Reggie Corbin

The Illini’s returning tailbacks combined for fewer than 800 yards last season. Mike Epstein certainly looked like a good find early in his freshman campaign but he was lost to injury and his size is a concern as he is going to be leaned on heavily. Illinois’ offense requires the running back to be a good pass catcher but the lack of a strong quarterback or passing game means teams can really key on this rushing attack. It could be a really long season in Champaign.

Wisconsin and Ohio State are a clear-cut one and two when it comes to rushing attacks in the Big Ten. Those two squads will go toe-to-toe with just about anyone nationally when it comes to rushing. After that, I think there are probably eight teams that feel good about their running game and then the bottom three to four that really have huge question marks. Share your thoughts and any questions in the comments section.