who is the best RB to come out the state of TN?

[FOOTBALLFAN1960]

Phil King played at Dyersburg in the mid-1950s, then on to Vanderbilt, where he was a 3 year starter and led the SEC in rushing. Then on to the NFL, where he started for years with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. King won a Super Bowl ring.

 

King ran about a 10 flat hundred (Forty yard dashes weren't measured then.), was 6'4", weighed 225, ran with his knees about chin high, and was a fright to chase or to tackle. His nickname was "The Chief" (part Chickasaw Indian). You can check his record in the NFL archives on the Internet.

I would have mentioned "THE CHIEF" as my first but thought it would have been taken out of context being as he played in the mid-fifties when a player could only play varsity f/b for three years..He was also an ALL-AMERICAN at Vandy..yes such a fright to see him run the ole pigskin..I watched him when i was in my younger years and was in complete awe of him..hes one of the reasons that drew me to my love of football and later play for DHS..he"s running mate Donald Thompson at fullback wasnt a slouch either.. he would lay the wood to you both O AND D.. he went to UT where he got kicked off the team for keeping the starters injured as a frosh mainly little Johnny Majors when frosh didnt play varsity f/b..its the only way he knew to play !! Yeah "THE CHIEF" would gain 3-4 yards by only hitting the line and always go down forward..NUFF SAID

[Bsims33]

People don't remember before Patrick Willis, Willis was a pure natural freak, but the starting running back the four years before patrick's senior year was Adrian Jamison and he was the best pure running back I've ever seen.

[mr playboy]

And the only reason he didn't rush for 9,000 yds in his career was because he was on the sideline on a knee with a water bottle by the middle of the 3rd quarter cause Humboldt was beating teams so bad!!!!

[defender25]

An on going question, how is it that someone goes 120%? if 100% is all someone can go, that 120% is out fo how many possible percents.

 

Definate figure of speech there

[12yr.oldchamps]

There are real good backs and then there are great backs. I've seen many real good backs but only two great backs.

 

1. Earnest Fields: Milan

2. Kelcey Williams: Humboldt

[AlcoasPaintedBridge]

I have not seen Leroy Thompson (Austin-East 1986) mentioned yet. Went on to Penn State and the Steelers was a load of a back for high school.

[27mojo]

Orlando "PAPA" Wade from Spring Hill. Miss State

 

Leroy Thompson From Austin-East. Penn State/NFL

 

* Johnny Majors from Huntland/Lynchburg. Played for the Vols and was second to Paul Horning in the Heisman Trophy in 1956.

 

Troy Fleming from BGA. Vols/NFL

Edited November 16, 2006 by 27mojo

[lexline]

GERARD ARNOLD From Lexington went to memphis and set all kinds of records that were just recently broken by Deangelo williams. He went on to play for the bengals.

[TigerBenchPress]

Travis Stephens from Clarksville was good. Patrick Willis was a RB in high school. He is still the only player in TN history to be nominated for Mr. Football as a lineman and as a back in the same season. Id say he is a great one.

[12yr.oldchamps]

Travis Stephens from Clarksville was good. Patrick Willis was a RB in high school. He is still the only player in TN history to be nominated for Mr. Football as a lineman and as a back in the same season. Id say he is a great one.

It's amazing how Patrick got overlooked by Fulmer. I think this kid is going to be better than Al Wilson.

[John005]

I assume we're talking about "overall career" when we say "best to come out of the state of TN". Here are two that no one mentions who were as good as anybody Tennessee ever produced.

 

James "Little Man" Stewart played at West High in Morristown until 1990 before signing with UT. He had a great career at UT (2890 yards rushing), then became the 19th overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft. He had 5782 rushing yards and 48 TD's in the NFL. One thing I remember about the guy was, as a RB, he was the strongest guy on the Tennessee team. I'm pretty sure he bench pressed close to 500 pounds and also had some great speed.

 

Reggie Cobb played in Knoxville, at Central I believe, and also had a great UT career. He was another 220 lb UT RB who could fly. He was a second round pick in 1990 and went on to have 3743 rushing yards in the NFL. I will always remember that 225-yard game and long TD run he had against Auburn in 1989, in the rain, on the turf, at Neyland, where he got to the endzone, stopped, and just stood there with his arms crossed like there was nothing Auburn could do that day. I was just a kid, but that got me fired up! He was an excellent RB out of Tennessee.

 

I don't know of two better than these guys.

[TigerBenchPress]

It's amazing how Patrick got overlooked by Fulmer. I think this kid is going to be better than Al Wilson.

 

Another fine example of Fulmer's genius recruiting skills. He recruits heavily from other states that he lets several get out. Patrick is atop the leaders in the nation in tackles behind a mediocre at best defensive line. Can you imagine him behind some horse DT's at Knoxville.

 

I believe Harrison Smith will leave the state too.