Mizzou Football: Five Best Running Backs Of All-Time

Number Three: Devin West

Devin West helped the Tigers to their first bowl win in 17 years when he and Corby Jones powered the Tigers’ offense in 1998. He also brought home the first All-American nod at running back for a Tigers’ player since Bob Steuber in 1942.

West holds the single-game rushing record for the Tigers with 319 yards on the ground in a game against the Kansas Jayhawks. He also owns the single-season rushing record with 1,578 yards and ranks fourth on the all-time rushing list at MU with just under 3,000 yards for his career.

West, alongside Corby Jones and Brock Olivo, helped the Tigers to winning seasons in both 1997 and 1998. Before the 1997 season, the Tigers hadn’t posted a winning record in 13 years. In the 1997 season, West carried the ball 132 for 432 yards and five touchdowns. Not great numbers overall, but decent. It was the 1998 season that really defined West’s career.

The 1998 season saw West carry the ball 283 times for 1578 yards. He accumulated more yards that season than his other three seasons combined. He also racked up 15 touchdowns with helped him to 28 rushing touchdowns for his career.

West, without question, put up the best single season of any running back in the history of Mizzou football. While that one season propelled an otherwise underwhelming career, his part in helping Mizzou win it’s first bowl game in nearly two decades was enough to land him in my top five. It was also enough to earn him a spot in the Mizzou Hall of Fame.

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