The Greatest RB At PSU, At Least One Year

[bourbon n blues]

Curt warner was a stud. And then I loved Curtis Enis. The kid was a beast. Go watch Penn State vs OSU from 97. You won't see a better game from running backs than Enis and Harris in that game.

I'm 60, I saw them all since Cappelletti. For one year, LJ was the best.

 

[voltz99]

We've been blessed with a lot of great backs. I always thought that Blair Thomas's injury and extra year, wasn't good for Gary Brown's opportunity to shine. Gary had a pretty solid NFL career compared too most PSU backs.

Playing Safety did not help either.

 

[KCLion]

John Cappelletti ---- 1973

On the cover of this months Penn Stater. 50 years, wow! I had to sit down to swallow that reality!

 

[KCLion]

Haven’t seen Lenny Moore mentioned yet either.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Haven’t seen Lenny Moore mentioned yet either.

He didn’t have the greatest season ever.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Bob Campbell…..who is never mentioned…

Campbell brought Lions into national prominence

Campbell brought Lions into national prominenceIt is the 1969 Orange Bowl. Penn State, trying to attain its first undefeated, untied season in 56 years, is trailing Kansas 14-7. Running back

www.psucollegian.com

 

[psu1969a]

Have read everyone's comments; very interesting.

Picking the best RB is like picking picking your favorite child -- it is not possible.

 

[brupsu]

Any list that doesn’t have Lydell Mitchell in the top 5 is bogus.

Franco

 

[KCLion]

He didn’t have the greatest season ever.

For his generation and all before him . . .

Moore finished as Penn State’s all-time leader in single-season all-purpose yards.

 

[BOSCO2]

Franco

Not in college. Lydell scored 29 TDs in 1971, an NCAA record that stood for 2 decades.

 

[GregInPitt]

View embedded media

How many times did LJ get caught behind the line of scrimmage? How many time was he a one on one tackle from going all the way? against Virginia he had well over 200 yards and on the last play the game, they just ran a simple sweep to run out the clock. The cornerback made a good tackle on Larry would’ve taken at approximately 80 yards.

How can anyone argue with a 2000 yard rusher. No other single season PSU RB is within 500 yards of his 2087 yards in 2002.

I remember taking my sons to the 2002 B/W game and walking around with them as they got autographs from the players. I sort of walk with them near the players to give the players the 6'2" test. LG was listed at 6'2" but he probably wasn't 6'1" and was a beast with the ball in his hands. Yep, I was a freshman when Cappy ran wild and have lots of love for the other RB's that I have followed since the 1960's when my older brother was at main campus. Pittman, Franco, Mitchell, Warner, Blair Thomas, Enis (the only other RB with power like LJ ran with), Hunt, Dozier, Carter, and even Royster who got the most out of his talent. None came close to how LJ ran wild, ran over, didn't get caught from behind - just the very best season in PSU RB history.

Johnson attended Pennsylvania State University, and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1999 to 2002. As a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the 2,000-yard club (this record was broken on November 22, 2014 by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who gained 2,000 yards on 241 carries—10 fewer than Johnson's 251[2]). He averaged 8.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49–0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. He then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18–7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58–25 road win against Indiana. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Penn State Nittany Lions' final Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State. Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half, and was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game. He finished the 2002 season with 2,087 yards.

 

[KCLion]

How can anyone argue with a 2000 yard rusher. No other single season PSU RB is within 500 yards of his 2087 yards in 2002.

I remember taking my sons to the 2002 B/W game and walking around with them as they got autographs from the players. I sort of walk with them near the players to give the players the 6'2" test. LG was listed at 6'2" but he probably wasn't 6'1" and was a beast with the ball in his hands. Yep, I was a freshman when Cappy ran wild and have lots of love for the other RB's that I have followed since the 1960's when my older brother was at main campus. Pittman, Franco, Mitchell, Warner, Blair Thomas, Enis (the only other RB with power like LJ ran with), Hunt, Dozier, Carter, and even Royster who got the most out of his talent. None came close to how LJ ran wild, ran over, didn't get caught from behind - just the very best season in PSU RB history.

Johnson attended Pennsylvania State University, and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1999 to 2002. As a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the 2,000-yard club (this record was broken on November 22, 2014 by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who gained 2,000 yards on 241 carries—10 fewer than Johnson's 251[2]). He averaged 8.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49–0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. He then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18–7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58–25 road win against Indiana. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Penn State Nittany Lions' final Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State. Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half, and was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game. He finished the 2002 season with 2,087 yards.

If Salam deserved the Heisman over Carter because he had 2000+ yards, then LJ should have won it as well.

 

[Waltwam]

View embedded media

How many times did LJ get caught behind the line of scrimmage? How many time was he a one on one tackle from going all the way? against Virginia he had well over 200 yards and on the last play the game, they just ran a simple sweep to run out the clock. The cornerback made a good tackle on Larry would’ve taken at approximately 80 yards.

I think he should have won the Heisman!

 

[Waltwam]

View embedded media

How many times did LJ get caught behind the line of scrimmage? How many time was he a one on one tackle from going all the way? against Virginia he had well over 200 yards and on the last play the game, they just ran a simple sweep to run out the clock. The cornerback made a good tackle on Larry would’ve taken at approximately 80 yards.

And Joe would take him out of games. You never see these other teams take out their key players!

 

[Ski]

How can anyone argue with a 2000 yard rusher. No other single season PSU RB is within 500 yards of his 2087 yards in 2002.

I remember taking my sons to the 2002 B/W game and walking around with them as they got autographs from the players. I sort of walk with them near the players to give the players the 6'2" test. LG was listed at 6'2" but he probably wasn't 6'1" and was a beast with the ball in his hands. Yep, I was a freshman when Cappy ran wild and have lots of love for the other RB's that I have followed since the 1960's when my older brother was at main campus. Pittman, Franco, Mitchell, Warner, Blair Thomas, Enis (the only other RB with power like LJ ran with), Hunt, Dozier, Carter, and even Royster who got the most out of his talent. None came close to how LJ ran wild, ran over, didn't get caught from behind - just the very best season in PSU RB history.

Johnson attended Pennsylvania State University, and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1999 to 2002. As a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the 2,000-yard club (this record was broken on November 22, 2014 by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who gained 2,000 yards on 241 carries—10 fewer than Johnson's 251[2]). He averaged 8.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49–0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. He then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18–7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58–25 road win against Indiana. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Penn State Nittany Lions' final Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State. Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half, and was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game. He finished the 2002 season with 2,087 yards.

I had the pleasure of being at the game at Indiana. LJ was a man playing amongst boys that day.

 

[bourbon n blues]

If Salam deserved the Heisman over Carter because he had 2000+ yards, then LJ should have won it as well.

They moved the goalposts when LJ had 2000.

 

[bourbon n blues]

How can anyone argue with a 2000 yard rusher. No other single season PSU RB is within 500 yards of his 2087 yards in 2002.

I remember taking my sons to the 2002 B/W game and walking around with them as they got autographs from the players. I sort of walk with them near the players to give the players the 6'2" test. LG was listed at 6'2" but he probably wasn't 6'1" and was a beast with the ball in his hands. Yep, I was a freshman when Cappy ran wild and have lots of love for the other RB's that I have followed since the 1960's when my older brother was at main campus. Pittman, Franco, Mitchell, Warner, Blair Thomas, Enis (the only other RB with power like LJ ran with), Hunt, Dozier, Carter, and even Royster who got the most out of his talent. None came close to how LJ ran wild, ran over, didn't get caught from behind - just the very best season in PSU RB history.

Johnson attended Pennsylvania State University, and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1999 to 2002. As a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the 2,000-yard club (this record was broken on November 22, 2014 by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who gained 2,000 yards on 241 carries—10 fewer than Johnson's 251[2]). He averaged 8.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49–0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. He then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18–7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58–25 road win against Indiana. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Penn State Nittany Lions' final Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State. Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half, and was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game. He finished the 2002 season with 2,087 yards.

I think he could've hit close to 3,000 if Joe kept in in a couple of games.

 

[Mufasa94]

Very good/great (whatever term makes one happy) for LJ in ‘02, but I’d definitely not call it the greatest for a PSU RB. Piling up crazy good numbers against overmatched teams like 4-8 MSU has its limits.

The numbers in a couple single digit team score losses indicated there was more piling up of crazy big numbers against overmatched teams than there was a more balanced excellent season.

Kijana’s ‘94 season would be my #1.