30 college football players with the biggest shoes to fill in 2018

Shoes to Fill: Rashaad Penny

This time last year, the San Diego State Aztecs were tasked with replacing the all-time rushing leader in FBS, Donnel Pumphrey. Rashaad Penny, who gained 1,005 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 7.4 yards per carry as Pumphrey’s backup as a junior in 2016, was the obvious choice to step into the legendary shoes of his former teammate. Nevertheless, it appeared impossible to replace the production of Pumphrey.

A year later, the story is nearly the same. Penny left the Aztecs after rushing for an FBS best 2,248 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior (both better than Pumphrey ever managed in a single season), averaging an eye-popping 7.8 yards per carry. Penny was also an elite kick returner and added two touchdowns as a receiver as well.

Now, Juwan Washington has the task of replacing a legend. At 5-foot-7 and 190 pounds, Washington is built more like Pumphrey than Penny, who weighed in at 220 and was, therefore, able to run with power as well as breakaway speed. Yet, similar to Penny in 2016, Washington proved himself to be a terrific No. 2 in the Aztecs offense.

Washington ran for 759 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore, while averaging 6.0 yards per carry, and added three catches for 39 yards. He gained 454 rushing yards and scored six times on 56 carries – an 8.1-yard average – as a third-string freshman in 2016.

It would be ridiculous to expect Washington to become the third consecutive San Diego State tailback to break the 2,000-yard mark, but given Rocky Long’s history of feeding his primary ball carrier, it’s far from impossible.