30 best college football running backs of the 21st century
By Nick Villano
20. C.J. Spiller – Clemson 2006-09
C.J. Spiller is one of the first players on this list to have a full, four-year career. He was a contributor from his freshman year all the way through his senior year. He jumped to another level in his senior year, putting up 1,212 yards rushing and 503 yards receiving. Spiller was able to put up at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in all four seasons at Clemson.
His big-play ability is what puts him on this list. Every single time he touched the ball, it was a touchdown possibility. He could make a move in the red zone to turn a negative play into a 10-yard gain or he could break out something from the other side of the field. He is first all-time in all-purpose yards in ACC history.
What you may not realize is Spiller was also one of the best kick returners in the history of the NCAA. He has seven kick returns for a touchdown, the most ever in college football history (tied with three others).
It’s hard to add kick returning to this list, but it’s also impossible to ignore when evaluating Spiller’s college career. He was still an amazing runner and adding the extra weapon out of the backfield made Clemson a scary opponent. This was the start of Clemson’s ascendence to where they are now, constantly on top of the college football world. Dabo Swinney’s first full season was Spiller’s senior year. It was a great start for Coach Swinney and a great end for Spiller, who left college as one of the best weapons of the 21st century.