I have devised a new system to calculate running back's "Runner Ratings". Actually, I cheated and used the current NCAA passer rating formula to construct it, but it has worked shockingly well.

For those who don't know what the college passer rating formula is, it's basically Yards x's some # + Completions x's some # + TD's x's some # - INT x's some # divided by attempts. It's complicated. But all I did was this for the running back's numbers:

Completions - Rushes of > 2 yards (not including TD's)

Attempts -  Rushes

Yards - Yards

TD - TD

INT - Fumbles (lost or not)

Results? Well, our best running back, according to my calculations, was Coker. His "runner rating" was 118.55 for the season, beating out Robinson who had a rating of 109.38. Now, this might be a bit skewed because of injury to Robinson and a monster game by Coker (which we will get to later), but I don't think there is much arguing the fact that Coker was dominant in the games he played and it's hard to say he wasn't the better back.

Now, I know some of you say, "Well your system isn't very good because it's designed for quarterbacks." True, but I find it shockingly accurate. As I was going through individual game stats and was examining how I could figure out which was an 'incomplete pass,' I found that anything 2 yards or less was a poor run (hence the incomplete pass tally). Even more interesting is that most game's Comp/Attempt (>2/Rushes) ratio was almost ALWAYS at around 50% or a little more. For example, in one game (I think Indiana?) Coker went 18/32, a respectable 56%. So, now to the Insight Bowl!

Okay, I'll cut to the chase and give you the stats. Blaine Gabbert, the to-be MVP if Mizzou had won, had a record setting game passing. At the end of the game, his QB rating was 134.66. Not great, but nonetheless above average. What about the ACTUAL MVP? Coker has a HB rating of 142.41. That's damn good. Not to mention going 22/33 on runs, making his "completions percentage" 66.7%. Damn good. 

I liked doing this, so if anyone wants me to figure some more "running back ratings" I will be happy to.