ESPN Ranks Top 25 SEC Players

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
Compare this to the ESPN ranking of the Top 100 players in the nation. Clearly, the national writers think more (and less) of certain players than the SEC writers.

21-25

16-20

TJ is at number 16.

11-15

6-10

A'Shawn is at number 8.

1-5

Landon is number 5, and Coop is number 3.
 

WMack4Bama

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 7, 2008
11,483
1,219
232
Tuscaloosa, AL
No respect for Yeldon. That's hilarious to me. He's the most unheralded star I've seen in a while. Even among our own fan base all the the talk this offseason has been about King Henry (and rightfully so after his Sugar Bowl performance), but still...I think we'll see a more determined TJ Yeldon this season.
 

tusks_n_raider

Hall of Fame
May 13, 2009
12,128
12,197
187
Mobile, AL
No respect for Yeldon. That's hilarious to me. He's the most unheralded star I've seen in a while. Even among our own fan base all the the talk this offseason has been about King Henry (and rightfully so after his Sugar Bowl performance), but still...I think we'll see a more determined TJ Yeldon this season.
For me and I'm sure a lot of people it comes down to the critical fumbles. Well not just that but total fumbles period.

Let's look at some stats for career fumbles by our Saban era star RB's:

Mark Ingram fumbled 1 time each in 2008, 2009, and 2010 = 3 Total fumbles in 3 Seasons

Trent Richardson fumbled 2 times in 2009, 4 times in 2010, and 1 time in 2011 = 7 Total Fumbles in 3 Seasons

Eddie Lacy fumbled 2 times in 2010, 1 time in 2011, and 3 times in 2012 = 6 Total Fumbles in 3 Seasons

TJ Yeldon fumbled 3 times in 2012, and 5 times in 2013 = 8 Total Fumbles in 2 Seasons

He's played one less season than MI, TR, and EL and has more career fumbles and is statistically on pace to have 12 in 3 years which would be 4 times more often than Mark and basically Twice as often as either Richardson or Lacy.

It's a BIG problem and hurts his image to us fans and outsiders. Fair or not it seems like the fumbles always come at the absolute worst time too. He could have 175 yrds in a game but it be for not with a costly fumble. It's bothersome and he has to clean it up.

He's a great player and I'm hoping he absolutely explodes this year. If he rushes for over 1,500 yards 15+ TD's and has no more than 2 fumbles then he will prove everyone wrong and will be in the Heisman discussion as a Top 5 guy. For right now though being around #15 seems more than fair.
 

Nolan

Hall of Fame
Jul 4, 2006
5,591
679
137
Oahu
If I'm not mistaken I believe TJ could realistically become our all-time rusher with another productive year. I also think he's going to come out very determined this year.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,931
15,930
282
Boone, NC
If I'm not mistaken I believe TJ could realistically become our all-time rusher with another productive year. I also think he's going to come out very determined this year.
I believe I read that TJY is only 700ish yards short of breaking the all-time rushing total for Bama running backs. That's pretty amazing, when you think about the guys who've toted the rock for Bama!

I've been critical of his fumbling problem too at times and the above post by "tusk n raider" is pretty telling. But I wonder how the total carries factors in to this equation. I wouldn't be surprised if TJY didn't have a few more total carries last year as compared to MI and TR and EL when they were the main guy.

TJ has a great opportunity to wash those memories of fumbling away for us if he'll take care of the ball this year. I'm pretty sure that's his and the coaches goal.

And barring injury, he'll become the all-time leading rusher this year.
 

TideMom2Boys

Hall of Fame
Nov 17, 2010
20,214
398
102
Alabama
If I'm not mistaken I believe TJ could realistically become our all-time rusher with another productive year. I also think he's going to come out very determined this year.
I really respect TJ. He knows he has made mistakes before and he wants to correct them. He doesn't get in trouble....and he seems very humble. I hope he has a great season.
 

nickel42

1st Team
Dec 2, 2013
514
0
0
Nashville, TN
I really respect TJ. He knows he has made mistakes before and he wants to correct them. He doesn't get in trouble....and he seems very humble. I hope he has a great season.
Agreed...he's one of those guys who scores and just heads back to the sideline (barring one particular throat slash gesture ;)) Like Vogler said, TJ really isn't the type who's looking for accolades. He's just out there doing his job.
 

MemphisBamaDude

1st Team
Nov 12, 2008
844
575
117
Memphis, TN
I believe I read that TJY is only 700ish yards short of breaking the all-time rushing total for Bama running backs. That's pretty amazing, when you think about the guys who've toted the rock for Bama!

I've been critical of his fumbling problem too at times and the above post by "tusk n raider" is pretty telling. But I wonder how the total carries factors in to this equation. I wouldn't be surprised if TJY didn't have a few more total carries last year as compared to MI and TR and EL when they were the main guy.

TJ has a great opportunity to wash those memories of fumbling away for us if he'll take care of the ball this year. I'm pretty sure that's his and the coaches goal.

And barring injury, he'll become the all-time leading rusher this year.
MI had 334 in 2009, his Heisman year and the year he was considered "the main guy". He had 1 fumble that year.

TR had 283 in 2011 when he was "the main guy" and a Heisman finalist. He also had 1 fumble that year.

EL had 204 in 2012 when he was "the main guy" and had 3 fumbles.

TJ only had 207 carries last year, much less than Mark or Trent had at their peaks and comparable to Lacy. Yet he fumbled 5 times. So total carries factors little if at all in the case of Yeldon's fumble issues.

BTW, he's 1222 yards shy of Shaun Alexander's all time Bama career rushing record.
 

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