Even though Michael Dyer is off to a solid start at Auburn and Marcus Lattimore a sensational one at South Carolina, Dyer believes the two could have made things work had each signed with his team.
“We could have shared it,” Dyer said. “One person could go in and do exactly what they needed to get done, and then the next person could go in. I don’t think it would have been that big a deal.”
Instead, the two touted Southeastern Conference freshman tailbacks will be on opposite sidelines Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium when Lattimore and the No. 12 Gamecocks visit the No. 17 Tigers. Auburn is the only SEC team South Carolina has yet to defeat since joining the league in 1992.
South Carolina’s optimism begins with Lattimore, a 6-foot, 218-pounder from Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., who was rated last winter by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 1 tailback. He signed with the Gamecocks despite coaxing from Dyer, the nation’s top tailback according to ESPN.com, who committed to the Tigers last November.
“I was really thinking about it,” Lattimore said. “I didn’t know until that Sunday before signing day. I was thinking about playing with him. He wanted me to come there real bad, but there was a comfort level here.”
Lattimore, who rushed for 6,375 yards and 104 touchdowns during his Byrnes career, has wasted little time impacting the SEC. In his first game against a league foe, he rushed 37 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-6 win over Georgia on Sept. 11.
He has 333 yards on 70 carries for a three-game 111-yard average that ranks 17th nationally. Asked after the Georgia game if he minded being the focus of opposing defenses so soon, Lattimore said, “That’s what I’m used to.”
Dyer, a 5-9, 215-pounder, rushed for 8,097 career yards and 84 scores at Little Rock Christian Academy. He has amassed 212 yards on 39 carries (70.7 a game), which ranks third on his team behind junior quarterback Cam Newton (309 yards) and sophomore tailback Onterrio McCalebb (225).
“There have been some ups and downs, but overall it’s been good so far,” Dyer said. “My biggest adjustment has been in pass protection. That’s something that in high school you really don’t work much on.”
Dyer’s one edge is his 5.44 yards per carry compared to 4.76 for Lattimore. Dyer carried three consecutive times for 38 yards during the third quarter last Saturday to help the Tigers rally past Clemson, and he had five rushes for 48 yards in the fourth quarter of a 17-14 win at Mississippi State on Sept. 9.
Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said Dyer is effective because he is really hard to see and has good balance.
Like any SEC newcomers who break through early, Lattimore and Dyer are being linked to stars of yesteryear. Lattimore said last week that he is “nowhere near” the likes of Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson after hearing that comparison, but Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said his budding star reminds him of former Florida tailback Emmitt Smith.
Spurrier never coached Smith but said their styles are similar.
“With Emmitt, his shoulder pads seemed to always be square when he came through the line of scrimmage,” Spurrier said. “Tacklers didn’t get a good, clean shot at his body because his pad level was so low. That’s how running backs can stay healthy a long time. I don’t think Emmitt ever had knee surgeries, ankle problems or anything over the years.
“I think Marcus’s style will keep him healthy. Hopefully it will. He doesn’t give tacklers a good, clean shot at him, and he has the ability to glance off and break tackles and so forth.”
Lattimore’s most admired player is Joseph Addai of the Indianapolis Colts, whom he considers a complete back.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik believes it is too early for Dyer comparisons. Dyer has heard links to Barry Sanders and, being from Arkansas, former Razorbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.
“He’s a bowling ball, really,” Lattimore said. “He’s not that tall, but he will run you over.”
The two started contacting each other as juniors in high school and continue to exchange text messages despite the busy days on their respective campuses. The attention has been heightened this week with what’s at stake, but also because of what they’ve done.
“I guess it’s just one of those things where two freshmen are going up against each other and people will make a big deal about it, but we’re not going to,” Dyer said. “We’re going to be focused on our teams and what we need to do to win the game.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.