SEC StatCat's Top5 Rushers Behind the Chains for 2021

In general, taking to the skies is a more efficient way to move the football than looking towards the ground. And that’s when your offense is ahead of schedule. The rate of return from running the ball behind the chains compared to throwing it is even further apart. While handing it off in these spots might be seen as conceding on converting, a number of run games actually took it to their opponents and produced handsomely in these spots. Though inconsistent and not a great barometer for future performances, here are the most successful SEC rushers returning for 2021 on carries behind the chains. 

5. Chris Rodriguez

One of the SEC’s most efficient running backs also stands to be one of the conference’s best when disadvantaged by down and distance. Already an effective back when opponents suspected he’d get the ball, Chris Rodriguez’s physicality shined through when defenses perhaps let their guards down. Some long breakaways pad his league-leading 8.75 Yards/Carry in these spots, but Rodriguez’s stable metrics hint he could very well wind up on this list by year’s end. While logging a broken tackle every other carry on average, the Wildcat’s YAC average of 6.71 is over a yard and a half better than the next man in line for this fall. Plus despite being hit behind the line on an eighth of these tries, he finished with exactly zero negative runs when behind the chains. Though his First Down+TD Rate sits outside the top10, his down-to-down consistency is present per a top5 Success Rate amongst returners. Considered yourself warned of the Wildcat’s ability.

4. Jerrion Ealy

While the Lane Train and Jeffy Lebby helped knock the Rebel’s offense into shape, Ole Miss finished inside the SEC’s bottom3 in both Yards/Carry and Rushing Success Rate to start set of downs, which meant follow-up tries generally occurred behind the chains. Along with that, Jerrion Ealy was hit behind the line of scrimmage on over a tenth of these runs. Despite the degree of difficulty, Ealy averaged over four yards after contact while rocking the 3rd-best Broken Tackle Rate amongst qualifiers. The hard running begat a top4 Explosive Run Rate with over a quarter of his chances resulting in either first down or a TD. 

3. Tyrion Davis-Price

Tyrion Davis-Price overly gained situational success by winning in small moments. Despite commanding the conference’s 3rd-best overall Success Rate ahead of 2021, he finished 17th or worse in Yards/Carry, First Down+TD Rate, Explosive Run Rate, and Gumption Rate. Plus, his line hardly did him any favors with a lousy 1.71 rush yards before contact average. But as a supplement to LSU’s pass-first scheme, TDP displayed value when defenses let their guards down and limited box counts. The Tiger roared with a 66.7% Broken Tackle Rate and 4.87 YAC average, which are good for first and second-best amongst SEC returners in this context. Rodriguez is the only other dude to reach the 50% plateau of the former amongst qualifiers. Despite being hit behind the line on 13.4% of these carries, he was just as likely to rip off a ten-plus yarder with a fifth of his runs resulting in either a fresh set of downs or a score. 

2. Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson’s workload was riddled with carries against second-stringers. Even on the select snaps he received when Alabama wasn’t ahead by at least a score, he was constantly maligned by little cushion up front. But when the Tider faced a disadvantage in terms of down and distance, he proved he’s up to the task of shouldering the load of Alabama’s run game in 2021. As one of the two returning rushers to see over half his carries end in success in this context, he sits inside the top3 in First Down+TD Rate, Explosive Run Rate, and YAC average. Like Rodriguez, Robinson experienced contact behind the line on an eighth of his runs but didn’t log a single negative try behind the chains. Plus, the traditionalists should be happy his such 6.88 Yards/Carry cracks the top5. 

1. James Cook

Ahead of 2021, only two SECers boast preferable Expected Points Added/run clips than James Cook’s 0.237 figure. Though his modus operandi is somewhat unconventional compared to UGA’s other rushers, he fueled that perceived value by seeing two-thirds of his runs behind the chains end in success. Cook was only SECer to see at least 40% of these runs result in either a first down or TD last fall. Quickness around the edge and great blocking paved way for these magnificent returns. I mean, he averaged more rush yards before contact than teammate Zamir White averaged per carry in these spots. Still, he manages to hang inside the conference’s top10 in regards to his Broken Tackle Rate and YAC average with both respective clips easily trumping his overall figures.