While Zone looks have become the norm across college football, there is still a place for good, old fashioned power runs to forge run lanes and bully opposing front sevens. Since there’s less coordination, more divergence, and more emphasis to knock defenders back, executing powers schemes sometimes doesn’t work out as planned. Complicated or no, gap schemes aren’t going away anytime soon. Whether by typical one puller powers, counters, duos, wrinkles in the read game or other gap play designs, here are the SEC’s best power rushers returning for 2021. 

5. Kevin Harris

A lot of casual fans were won over last year by Kevin Harris’ overall Yards/Carry clip that finished runner-up within the SEC. Since the Gamecock saw about 45% of his touches come off powers — one of the higher makeups within the conference — these runs overly reflected his bottomline. While his Success Rate off gap schemes remained just okay, his other figures allowed him to leapfrog some conference returners onto this list. Like his overall output suggests, Harris was gifted the 2nd-highest rush yards before contact despite being hit behind the line on a sixth of these carries. Logging plenty of untouched splash gains certainly skewed his figures. But amongst his peers for this fall, Harris owns the the top Yards/Carry along with a top5 First Down+TD Rate, Broken Tackle Rate, Explosive Run Rate, and YAC average off gap schemes. 

4. Jerrion Ealy

Jerrion Ealy was even more halfcocked than the Gamecock in this context. While averaging less cushion, his personal 17.7% Negative Run Rate off powers was the SEC’s 3rd-worst clip last year. Despite his yards before contact average just missing the top5 for 2021, Ealy was hit behind the line on nearly a quarter of these tries. No doubt that had a nasty effect on his numbers. Still, the Rebel manages to sport a top5 Success Rate and the conference’s silver medal in terms of ripping off ten-yards on average. No other person on this list tops his 23.5% clip. Meanwhile, Ealy's First Down+TD Rate, Broken Tackle Rate, and YAC average sit inside the top10. 

3. Tyrion Davis-Price

Tyrion Davis-Price was certainly a high-floor, low ceiling ball carrier. The Tigers have done a pretty good job keeping opponents off-balanced between a healthy mix of inside zones and Duo dives the past couple of years, but TDP’s overall figures were clearly buoyed by his performance off the latter. Only Georgia’s Zamir White averaged less yards to gain on these carries than his 6.94 clip. Though circumstances led to less room to run, Davis-Price didn’t log a single negative try off powers. His stable metrics could be better as his Broken Tackle Rate and YAC average are relatively blah. Plus, the frequent short porches preventing many opportunities for breakaway ala his low 5.88% Explosive Run Rate. Still, TDP frequently fell forward. In the end, both his Success Rate and First Down+TD reflect his ranking on this list being the 3rd best amongst SEC returners.   

2. Brian Robinson

Since Alabama rocked of the conference’s most balanced schemes, Brian Robinson’s 49.5% Power Run Makeup is the highest mark on this list and was a top5 figure within the SEC last year. Already one of the SEC’s most successful returning rushers, it’s easy to see how his production was aided by these runs.  Though his workload faced very little adversity, Robinson wasn’t shy exhibiting these concept’s mindset with his running style. His Broken Tackle Rate presents to be the SEC’s 4th-best clip while his 3.93 YAC average holds the 2-spot ahead of 2021. Thanks to averaging less yards to gain, only Zamir White tops his First Down+TD Rate in this context. Despite a bottom5 before contact clip, Robinson’s fire fueled a top5 Explosive Run Rate and top10 Gumption Rate. 

1. Chris Rodriguez

No SEC running back logged a lower Power Run Makeup than Chris Rodriguez’s 16.8% nor boasted a more formidable  Success Rate. Hate on his volume all you want, but his efficiency look down on the rest of conference returners. Just under two-thirds of his runs met situational goals while 30% of his runs resulted in either a first down or score. Though Bigsby was overly the SEC’s tackle breaking king, C-Rod particularly shined busting through defenders on power designs. No SECer bested his 45% such clip and only his teammate AJ Rose averaged more yards after contact. Despite suffering from contact behind the line on a tenth of his carries, half of those instances resulted in a positive gain. Moreover, a fifth of his total power runs went for at least ten yards, which is the 3rd-best clip amongst his peers for this fall.