Who are the best running back duos in LSU history
Two good running backs are better than one.
In the history of the program, LSU has had its fair share of one-two punches at the tailback position. It’s been needed since running back is often a spot where the starter gets banged up.
The SEC was all about the ground game until about five years ago. You needed these running backs to win. In 2004, Auburn rode Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams to an undefeated season. The Alabama dynasty was built on having depth at running back.
Here are some of the best running back duos in the history of LSU football.
1976: Terry Robiskie and Charles Alexander
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We’re taking it all the way back to the Charles McClendon days here. LSU’s 1976 season wasn’t great, the Tigers went 2-4 in the conference, but [autotag]Terry Robiskie[/autotag] and [autotag]Charles Alexander[/autotag] gave Tiger fans something to root for.
Robiskie led the SEC in rushing with 1,117 yards. It was his senior year, and at the time, it put him atop LSU’s all-time rushing leaders list.
Alexander ran for 876 yards as a sophomore, which was good for third in the conference. The following season, after Robiskie’s departure, Alexander was the feature back and put together one of the best seasons in LSU history.
Robiskie and Alexander combined for 19 touchdowns in the fall of 1976 and have both gone down as two of the greatest running backs in program history.
1997: Kevin Faulk, Rondell Mealey and Cecil Collins
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This isn’t a duo, but a trio. LSU’s running back room was filled with talent in the late 90s, led by [autotag]Kevin Faulk[/autotag], who happens to be LSU’s all-time leading rusher.
Faulk’s 1,144 yards in 1997 was good enough for third in the conference. Along with that, he led the SEC in touchdowns with 15. Mealey totaled 664 yards, ranking ninth in the conference, while Collins had 596, sitting 11th. Backing up Faulk, the pair combined for 10 touchdowns.
Each made the most of limited attempts. Collins’ 8.3 yards per carry led the conference by more than two yards. Mealey’s 5.9 per carry ranked fourth.
[autotag]Gerry DiNardo[/autotag] only coached LSU for five years and didn’t have much success, but he put together a couple of decent years thanks to a strong ground game.
2015-16: Leonard Fournette and Darius Guice
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As a sophomore, [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag] wasted no time establishing himself as one of the best players in the country.
Once [autotag]Derrius Guice[/autotag] got a chance, they were instantly recognized as one of the best duos in the country.
Fournette and Guice both showed explosiveness and an ability to run between the tackles. Both dealt with injuries in their time at LSU and much of that can probably be attributed to each having to carry such a heavy load.
In 2015, Fournette was second in the SEC in rushing yards but played three fewer games than Derrick Henry, who led the conference.
Guice led the SEC in rushing yards in 2016, but he has since been removed from LSU’s record books due to legal issues.
1982-1985: Dalton Hilliard and Garry James
AP Photo/Joe Holloway Jr.
This is the rare duo that came in together and left together. Hilliard and James both started their careers in 1982, and led LSU’s ground attack through 1985.
The first two years of their career was the end of the [autotag]Jerry Stovall[/autotag] era, and the final two were the beginning of Bill Arnsparger’s time.
In 1982, Hilliard ran for 901 yards while James added 710. Hilliard proved a productive receiver as well. The pair combined for 25 total touchdowns.
Hilliard turned into one of the most productive players in LSU history. In 1984 and 1985, Hilliard turned in back-to-back seasons during which he totaled more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage.
James finished his career with more than 3,000 total yards and scored 30 touchdowns. Each went on to be picked in the second round of the NFL draft, with Hilliard becoming one of the best backs in the league for a period of time.
2000-2002: Domanick Davis and LaBrandon Toefield
AP Photo/L.M. Otero
[autotag]Domanick Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]LaBrandon Toefield[/autotag] didn’t rack up the same rushing totals other guys on this list did, but they played a critical role in helping Nick Saban establish the groundwork at LSU, which led to a national title in 2003.
The two played together from 2000-02. Toefield had a breakout year in 2001, running for 992 yards with 19 touchdowns. The same year, Davis ran for 406 yards but averaged 5.4 yards per carry.
The roles were reversed in 2002 when Davis led the way with 931 yards and Toefield ran for 475. Both were selected in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.
2003-04: Justin Vincent, Joseph Addai and Alley Broussard
AP Photo/Paul Rutherford
We have another trio. This group helped lead Nick Saban’s LSU program to a national championship while ranking second in the SEC in rushing yards per game.
[autotag]Justin Vincent[/autotag] led the way with 1,001 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 6.5 yards per carry ranked third in the SEC.
He was backed up by [autotag]Joseph Addai[/autotag] and [autotag]Alley Broussard[/autotag], who combined for 909 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2004, Addai and Broussard took the spotlight, each averaging over 6 yards per carry. Addai also turned into a formidable receiver this year, with 294 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
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