Fansided

Best college football running back from every state

By Nicholas Ian Allen

LOUISIANA, NO - JANUARY 1: Running back Herschel Walker #34 of the University of Georgia Bull Dogs carries the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Sugar Bowl game January 1, 1981 at the Louisiana Superbowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bull Dogs won the game 17-10. Walker played at the University of Georgia from 1980-1983, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
LOUISIANA, NO - JANUARY 1: Running back Herschel Walker #34 of the University of Georgia Bull Dogs carries the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Sugar Bowl game January 1, 1981 at the Louisiana Superbowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bull Dogs won the game 17-10. Walker played at the University of Georgia from 1980-1983, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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5 Sep 1992: Running back Marshall Faulk of the San Diego State Aztecs runs down the field during a game against the USC Trojans at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The teams tied at 31-31. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport
5 Sep 1992: Running back Marshall Faulk of the San Diego State Aztecs runs down the field during a game against the USC Trojans at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The teams tied at 31-31. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport /

Louisiana

Marshall Faulk, San Diego State Aztecs

Leonard Fournette nearly took the title away from him by torching the SEC with 3,830 career rushing yards at in-state LSU, but Marshall Faulk held strong as the best running back in college football history born in Louisiana.

A New Orleans native like Fournette, the Tigers passed on recruiting Faulk as a tailback, as did everyone else in the southeast. Instead, most nearby programs saw Faulk as a defensive back. However, San Diego State offered the future College and Pro Football Hall of Famer an opportunity to compete for carries, and Faulk came through immediately.

As a true freshman in 1991, Faulk tallied 1,429 rushing yards and 21 TDs, and averaged 7.1 yards per attempt on 201 carries. He also broke the NCAA single-game rushing record with 386 yards in a game against now defunct Pacific – a feat that stood for eight years. Faulk also scored seven times against the Tigers.

Faulk earned consensus All-American recognition and WAC Offensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore agter he posted a career-best 1,630 rushing yards, and also scored 15 times on the ground. He finished as the runner-up in the Heisman vote.

However, Faulk’s junior season was arguably his best. He gained 1,530 rushing yards and scored 21 times on the ground, but blossomed into a terrific receiver and added 644 receiving yards and three scores on 47 receptions out of the backfield. The performance was a glimpse of the greatness that awaited him in the NFL.

Fresh off a second All-American performance, and a third top-10 finish in the Heisman voting, Faulk declared for the NFL Draft. The Indianapolis Colts selected him second overall.

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