LEXINGTON, Ky. — There’s no denying that an effective passing game is exciting. That success, though, depends on having a good running game, as most football coaches will tell you.
Five of the Southeastern Conference’s seven teams ranked in this week’s AP Top 25 are doing their part toward establishing that balance with rushing attacks that are among the top 60 nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision. That group averages from 170 to 231 yards per game by rushing for at least 35% of their yardage, with No. 22 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) handing the ball off to an assortment of runners who have helped generate nearly 50% of the Volunteers’ 2,331 yards.
There’s no magic number, especially with game situations dictating the scenario. But whether by design or circumstance, having capable running backs and/or mobile quarterbacks executing a run/pass option provides nice flexibility.
“The game plan kind of dictates who we put in first,” said Vols running backs coach Jerry Mack, whose backfield rotation includes Jaylen Wright (435 yards), Jabari Small (317) and Dylan Sampson (248).
And when ball carriers find holes and space, explosive plays can develop that are as thrilling as deep passes.
Just ask Kentucky running back Ray Davis.
Last week, the Vanderbilt graduate transfer took the game’s first three snaps and gained 33 yards on his way to a career-high 280 on 26 carries that keyed the Wildcats’ 33-14 rout of Florida, which was ranked 22nd at the time. It marked a national season high and the third-best single-game performance in program history, and it vaulted Davis to No. 4 in FBS rushing this season with 594 yards and 118.8 per game. He leads the SEC with eight rushing touchdowns.
The No. 20 Wildcats (5-0, 2-0) rank 50th at 170.4 yards per outing and have rushed for 855 of their 1,984 yards (43%).
“For me, it was about just coming here and having that ability to just play my game,” said Davis, a 3,000-yard career runner who faces No. 1 Georgia (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday. “I’m a versatile running back. I can be in the passing game, too.”
Davis joined the Wildcats this season after rushing for 1,042 yards in his second season with the Commodores. That isn’t shocking, considering Kentucky has produced a stream of 1,000-yard rushers, most recently with Bennie Snell Jr. and Chris Rodriguez Jr.
For all the Wildcats’ passing success with mobile quarterback Will Levis and now transfer Devin Leary, offensive coordinator Liam Coen stresses that running the ball is the key to the game plan.
“That’s always kind of been what we were,” said Coen, back for a second stint in Lexington after spending last season with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams.
“Two years ago, that was kind of our identity, running the football and being physical. It’s what we’ve stressed since we walked in the door here,” he said. “And in January, it was the No. 1 thing that we were trying to get better at, being physical and dominating people in the run game. And that was nice to see (against Florida).”
Georgia has rushed for just 31% of its 2,406 yards, but it’s worth noting the Bulldogs also have a big-play receiving threat in All-America tight end Brock Bowers. Coach Kirby Smart points out that his team, coming off back-to-back national championships, is just doing what it takes to win.
“You’d love to have this defined, that we’re going to bully you and run it through you,” Smart said. “Nobody really does that. I don’t know anybody that just does it. Now, Kentucky did it last week against Florida, but they haven’t done it every single game. Running the ball in the SEC is the hardest thing to do.”
The Bulldogs are coming off a hard-fought win at Auburn, where rushing has led the way in Hugh Freeze’s first season as head coach. His Tigers rank 20th at 202.0 yards per game for 56% of their offensive yards.
For No. 21 Missouri, Cody Schrader has rushed for 463 yards to help his Tigers start 5-0 with an SEC win among the count.
No. 23 LSU (3-2, 2-1) has the SEC’s third-best rushing attack (198.0 yards per game) behind power runner Logan Diggs, who has totaled 354 yards, while quarterback Jayden Daniels has 292 with improvised runs and RPOs.
Said LSU coach Brian Kelly: “It’s absolutely crucial for any really good offense — unless you’re in a specific kind of an ‘Air Raid’ type of offense — that it has the components of an intentional running game, because it sets up so much of what you want to do in terms of taking shots down the field and controlling short yardage and down and distance and things of that nature.”
Mississippi State has transitioned from the pass-heavy Air Raid scheme of the late Mike Leach to a pro-style philosophy in search of balance. The Bulldogs have achieved nearly 40% of their 1,813 yards on the ground as a result, with running back Jo’Quavious Marks carrying the ball more after catching it out of the backfield in the Air Raid.
Marks became the school’s all-time receptions leader last month but has 420 rushing yards this year to rank fourth in the SEC. First-year Bulldogs head coach Zach Arnett yearns for more from him and the other backs to create opportunities for record-setting quarterback Will Rogers. And points.
Said Arnett: “It’s in our best interest to be effective and stay ahead of schedule with the run game,” Arnett said.