Auburn football: Taking a look at the Tigers’ crowded running back room
Auburn’s running back room is deep and talented but who will be “the guy” for the Tigers?
After having at least one 1,000-yard rusher for an SEC-record nine consecutive seasons, Auburn football has failed to produce such a player in the last two seasons. To make matters worse, JaTarvious “Boobee” Whitlow, the team’s leading rusher for the last two seasons, decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal this February.
So, with all of these things going against Auburn, why do I feel so confident about the Tigers’ rushing game in 2020? One word: depth.
Although D.J. Williams, the Tigers leading returning rusher only had 400 rushing yards last season, the former four-star recruit comes into his sophomore season with a lot of promise. When Whitlow went down with an injury last season, Williams stepped up.
Just take a look at the true freshman’s game against LSU last year when he totaled 151 yards and two TDs on only 15 total touches or his game against Mississippi State where he went for 93 rushing yards and a touchdown.
His carries began to taper off at the end of the season as Whitlow got healthy but Williams runs extremely hard and at 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds, he has a nice, powerful frame. Williams could very well be the Tigers starter week one.
Auburn’s second-leading returning rusher is also the most veteran RB on the roster. Shaun Shivers will be entering his junior season in 2020 and the veteran RB has had a solid role with the team in his first two seasons recording 657 yards and six TDs on over five yards per carry.
It’s hard not to notice Shivers when he gets on the field as he stands at only 5-foot-7 and 179 pounds but despite his small stature, Shivers runs like he was shot out of a cannon and his low center of gravity allows him to run over defenders whenever he’s not speeding past them.
I think his size will prevent Shivers from ever being a true feature back in the SEC but I can easily see him carve out a role similar to former Tigers speedster Corey Grant in 2013.
Next, I look at a running back that has incredible potential to be something special. I really shouldn’t call Harold Joiner a running back as he has played a multitude of roles so far in his Auburn career such as receiver and H-back.
But at 6-foot-4 and nearly 220 pounds, how could you not want to see this former four-star recruit run through the tackles? Last season as a redshirt freshman Joiner appeared in eight games where he recorded 12 carries for 94 yards and a TD along with six catches for 128 yards and another TD.
With his mix of size and athleticism, Joiner is probably the most versatile of Auburn’s group of running backs and Gus Malzahn and co. have been trying to find ways to get him involved since he arrived.
We probably won’t see Joiner in a normal RB role much in 2020 but he will make an impact regardless.
On National Signing Day in 2019, four-star athlete Mark-Antony Richards chose the Tigers over Miami and Florida. Despite being a late addition to the Tigers recruiting class, big things are expected from the 6-foot-1 running back.
Richards was a top 100 recruit and the No. 4 athlete in the country. In his senior season at Wellington high school, he recorded over 3,000 all-purpose yards and has drawn some comparisons to former Tigers star Kerryon Johnson.
Richards struggled with injuries last season so he took a redshirt year but you don’t get named a top 100 recruit for no reason and Richards definitely has the talent to make an impact next season. He seems to be the forgotten piece of the puzzle for most fans but he’s not someone to sleep on.
Last but certainly not least is the crown jewel of Auburn’s 2020 recruiting class. Cartavious “Tank” Bigsby is more than just an awesome name. The LaGrange, Georgia native rushed for over 1,600 yards and 27 TDs as a senior in high school and that led him to be named one of the top RB recruits in the nation.
ESPN has Bigsby as a top 20 recruit in the nation and the No. 2 running back in the class. At 6-foot and 210 pounds with incredible agility and power, Bigsby is the total package and is probably the best back on Auburn’s roster from a pure talent standpoint.
I’m not sure if Malzahn will be comfortable starting a true freshman in week one but many expect Bigsby to be the go-to guy sooner rather than later.
Overall, I wouldn’t be surprised if Auburn goes another year without a 1,000-yard back but that doesn’t mean they won’t find success on the ground. The team has incredible depth at the position and every back has a ton of talent as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
It might take a few games for Auburn to find their true workhorse back and they might not be able to find one at all this season but I expect everyone on this list to make an impact.
Don’t be surprised to see Auburn with multiple players with around 400 rushing yards by the end of the season and the team’s depth is definitely more of a good thing than a detriment.