Mizzou Football: Five Best Running Backs Of All-Time
By Scott Dillon
Mizzou Football has had a number of good running backs over the years, but who are the five best?
I looked at a number of things compiling this list of Mizzou greats. One important aspect is that the running back had to have at least 300 rushing attempts.
The player also had to be an actual running back as Brad Smith owns the rushing record at Mizzou and he wasn’t a running back. That’s a pretty impressive feat and he doesn’t just hold the record by a small margin. He has over 1000 yards more than the next guy.
There are a lot of great Mizzou running backs that won’t be on this list including Darrel Wallace, Bob Stueber, and Tony Temple. All three rushed for over 2000 yards in their Tigers’ careers and both sit inside the top 10 in rushing yards among running backs. While they didn’t make the list they still deserve an honorable mention for outstanding careers while wearing black and gold. Both Wallace and Stueber are both in the Tigers’ athletic hall of fame for their contributions on the football field.
Another more recent player, Russel Hansbrough, sits eighth all-time in rushing yards by a running back. Though it’s hard to imagine him ranking that high, he ranks above other Mizzou standouts like Derrick Washington, Joe Moore, and Kendial Lawrence who also didn’t crack the top five.
Russel Hansbrough has now finished his career at Mizzou so he ends his quest at claiming one of the top five spots. Who will be the next great running back to man the backfield for the Tigers? While the future at tailback remains uncertain, let’s take a look at some players from the past.
Next: Zack Attack