South Carolina football: Top 3 running backs in program history

The South Carolina football team has had a number of great running backs come through the program, including a Heisman Trophy winner.

The Gamecock program has been in existence for 112 seasons, and in that time, there have been some great running backs to come through Columbia. Here, we’ll break down the top three rushers in the school’s history, but first, let’s start with some backs that just missed the cut.

Below are the honorable mentions.

• Mike Davis – last Gamecock running back to rush for 1,000 yards. Totaled 2,440 yards over three seasons.
• Harold Green – ranks second on Gamecocks’ all-time rushing list with 3,005 yards. Had a breakout sophomore season where he ran for 1,022 yards and 15 TDs.
• Cory Boyd – ranks fourth in program history in total offense, and tops among Gamecock RBs in receiving yards with 1,303.
• Andrew Pinnock – scored 27 TDs on the ground between ’99-’02.
• Derek Watson – electric runner that totaled 2,078 rushing yards over three seasons.
• Duce Staley – two-year player that totaled 1,852 rushing yards and 19 total TDs.
• Johnnie Wright – ranks sixth all-time in rushing despite sharing a backfield with George Rogers.
• Thomas Dendy – ranks fourth all-time in rushing with 2,767 yards.

Now, on to the top three.

3. BRANDON BENNETT

Bennett ranks third on the Gamecocks’ all-time rushing list, and second in total yards from scrimmage. He lined up in the South Carolina backfield between ’91-’94, as the program made its transition to the SEC.

Bennett ran for 2,983 yards and 26 touchdowns over his career. The versatile back also caught 107 passes for 978 yards, both of which rank third amongst Gamecock running backs (Cory Boyd, Stanley Pritchett).

Bennett is most fondly remembered by South Carolina fans for his leap over the goal line in the Gamecocks’ ’93 matchup against Georgia. With time ticking down, Bennett unsuccessfully leapt over the Bulldog defense, cuing broadcaster Larry Munson’s famous line telling the dawgs to ‘lay down’ in hopes that they could let the time expire.

Instead, the Gamecocks hurried to the line and ran the exact same play, but this time, Bennett broke the plane, giving his team a 23-21 victory in Athens.

2. MARCUS LATTIMORE

Lattimore was one of the most promising talents to come through Columbia, but unfortunately, sustained multiple knee injuries that cut his career short.

The Duncan, SC native ranks fifth all-time on the Gamecocks’ all-time rushing list, and first among all players in touchdowns scored. Lattimore made his presence known as a freshman, where he totaled 1,609 yards from scrimmage (1st in SEC) and 19 scores. It would be his only full season in the garnet and black.

As a sophomore, the sensational tailback was seeking a second-straight 1,000-yd season before suffering a knee injury in the team’s seventh game. Lattimore was leading the SEC in rushing prior to the game’s start, and was on pace to run for more than 1,400 yards.

The next season, Lattimore returned to full strength, but was injured again in a game against Tennessee.

Though his career was ended prematurely, there are many moments engrained into Gamecock fans’ memories. Most notably, his three 100-yd games versus Georgia, a three-touchdown performance in the Gamecocks’ upset of No. 1 Alabama, and a 212-yd output against Florida to send South Carolina to its first ever SEC title game.

1. GEORGE ROGERS

Rogers is the easy choice here. He’s the only player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy, beating out Herschel Walker and Hugh Green in 1980. He’d later go on to be the No. 1 pick in the ’81 NFL draft, leading the league in rushing as a rookie.

Rogers recorded three straight 1,000-yd seasons, culminating with a senior year that saw him run for an NCAA-leading 1,781 yards and 14 scores. He owns the top two single-season rushing outputs in Gamecock history, twice finishing among the nation’s top two rushers (’79, ’80).

For his career, Rogers amassed an incredible 5,091 yards on the ground, over 2,000 yards more than the next closest Gamecock. He still ranks 20th on the NCAA’s all-time rushing list.