1975 running backs

[seattlefan]

1975 running backs with at least 200yards(White players in bold)

AFC Central

Steelers (12-2)

Franco Harris – 262/1246 4.8ypc 10td
Rocky Bleier– 140/528 3.8ypc 2td
John Fuqua - 74/285 3.9ypc 1td

Bengals(11-3)

Boobie Clark –167/594 3.6ypc 4td
Stan Fritts –94/375 4.0ypc 8td
Lenvil Elliott –71/308 4.3ypc 1td

Oilers (10-4)

Ronnie Coleman -175/790 4.5ypc 5td
Don Hardeman –166/648 3.9ypc 5td
Fred Willis -118/420 3.6ypc 2td

Browns(3-11)

Greg Pruitt – 217/1067 4.9ypc 8td
Hugh Mckinnis – 71/259 3.6ypc 4td


AFC East

Baltimore Colts (10-4)

Lydell Mitchell - 289/1193 4.1ypc 11td
Bill Olds – 94/281 3.0ypc 2td
Don McCauley– 60/196 3.3ypc 10td
(including McCauley for his Tds though he's just under 200yd)

Dolphins(10-4)

Mercury Morris – 219/875 4.0ypc 4td
Don Nottingham –168/718 4.3ypc 12td
Norm Bulaich –78/309 4.0ypc 5td
Benny Malone – 65/220 3.4ypc 3td

Bills(8-6)

O.J. Simpson – 329/1817 5.5ypc 16td
Jim Braxton - 186/823 4.4ypc 9td

Patriots(3-11)

Sam Cunningham - 169/666 3.9ypc 6td
Andy Johnson- 117/488 4.2ypc 3td
Mack Herron – 61/274 4.5ypc 0td

Jets(3-11)

John Riggins– 238/1005 4.2ypc 8td
Carl Garrett – 122/566 4.6ypc 5td
Steve Davis – 70/290 4.1ypc 1td

AFC West

Raiders(11-3)

Pete Banaszak– 187/672 3.6ypc 16td
Mark Van Eeghen– 136/597 4.4ypc 2td
Clarence Davis – 112/486 4.3ypc 4td
Jess Phillips - 63/298 4.7ypc 1td
Marv Hubbard– 60/294 4.9ypc 2td

Broncos(6-8)

Jon Keyworth– 182/725 4.0ypc 3td
Floyd Little – 125/445 3.6ypc 2td
Fran Lynch– 57/218 3.8ypc 3td

Chiefs(5-9)

Woody Green – 167/611 3.7ypc 5td
Ed Podolak– 102/351 3.4ypc 3td
MacArthur Lane – 79/311 3.9ypc 2td
Jeff Kinney- 85/304 3.6ypc 2td

Chargers(2-12)

Rickey Young – 138/577 4.2ypc 5td
Don Woods – 87/317 3.6ypc 2td
Bo Matthews – 71/254 3.6ypc 3td

NFC Central

Vikings(12-2)

Chuck Foreman – 280/1070 3.8ypc 13td
Ed Marinaro– 101/358 3.5ypc 1td
Brent McClanahan – 92/336 3.7ypc 0td

Lions(7-7)

Dexter Bussey – 157/696 4.4ypc 2td
Altie Taylor – 195/638 3.3ypc 4td
Bobby Thompson – 51/268 5.3ypc 1td
Horace King – 61/260 4.3ypc 2td

Bears(4-10)

Walter Payton – 196/679 3.5ypc 7td
Roland Harper – 100/453 4.5ypc 1td
Mike Adamle– 94/353 3.8ypc 1td

Packers(4-10)

John Brockington – 144/434 3.0ypc 7td
Willard Harrell – 121/359 3.0ypc 1td
Barty Smith– 60/243 4.1ypc 4td
Eric Torkelson– 42/226 5.4ypc 2td

NFC East

St.Louis Cardinals (11-3)

Jim Otis– 269/1076 4.0ypc 5td
Terry Metcalf – 165/816 4.9ypc 9td
Steve Jones - 54/275 5.1ypc 2td

Cowboys(10-4)

Robert Newhouse – 209/930 4.4ypc 2td
Preston Pearson – 133/509 3.8ypc 2td
Doug Dennison – 111/383 3.5ypc 7td
Charley Young – 50/225 4.5ypc 2td

Redskins(8-6)

Mike Thomas – 235/919 3.9ypc 4td
Larry Brown 97/352 3.6ypc 3td

Giants(5-9)

Joe Dawkins – 129/438 3.4ypc 2td
Doug Kotar - 122/378 3.1ypc 6td
Ron Johnson – 116/351 3.0ypc 5td
Larry Watkins – 68/303 4.5ypc 3td

Eagles(4-10)

Tom Sullivan – 173/632 3.7ypc 0td
James McAlister – 103/335 3.3ypc 1td
Art Malone – 101/325 3.2ypc 0td

NFCWest

L.A.Rams (12-2)

Lawrence McCutcheon - 213 /911 4.3ypc 2td
Cullen Bryant – 117/467 4.0ypc 2td
Jim Bertelsen– 116/457 3.9ypc 3td
Rob Scribner - 42/216 5.1ypc 2td

49ers(5-9)

Delvin Williams – 117/631 5.4ypc 3td
Larry Schreiber– 134/337 2.5ypc 5td
Wilbur Jackson – 78/303 3.9ypc 0td

Falcons(4-10)

Dave Hampton – 250/1002 4.0ypc 5td
Haskel Stanback – 105/440 4.2ypc 5td
Woody Thompson – 68/247 3.6ypc 0td

Saints(2-12)

Mike Strachan – 161/668 4.1ypc 2td
Alvin Maxson – 139/371 2.7ypc 3td
Rod Mcneill - 61/206 3.4ypc 2td


83 total rushers over 200yd on the season(not counting QBs)

30% of rushers over 200yd were white (25)
70% of rushers over 200yd were black (58)

total rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 43577
total white rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 11119 (25.5% of total)
total black rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 32458 (74.5% of total)

total rushing attempts of rushers over 200yd - 10901
total white rushing attempts – 2856 (25.3% of total attempts)
total black rushing attempts – 8045 (74.7% of total attempts)

total touchdowns by rushers over 200yd - 340
total touchdowns by white rushers over 200yd – 114 (31%)
total touchdowns by black rushers over 200yd – 228 (69%)

average yard per carry for all white rushers over 200yd – 3.9ypc
average yard per carry for all black rushers over 200yd – 4.0ypc

Top 10 total rushers

1 O.J. Simpson –329/1817 5.5ypc 16td
2 Franco Harris –262/1246 4.8ypc 10td
3 Lydell Mitchell- 289/1193 4.1ypc 11td
4 Jim Otis – 269/1076 4.0ypc 5td
5 Chuck Foreman –280/1070 3.8ypc 13td
6 Greg Pruitt –217/1067 4.9ypc 8td
7 John Riggins – 238/1005 4.2ypc8td
8 Dave Hampton –250/1002 4.0ypc 5td
9 Robert Newhouse– 209/930 4.4ypc 2td
10 Mike Thomas –235/919 3.9ypc 4td

Top 10 white rushers

1 Jim Otis –269/1076 4.0ypc 5td
2 John Riggins –238/1005 4.2ypc 8td
3 Jon Keyworth –182/725 4.0ypc 3td
4 Don Nottingham –168/718 4.3ypc 12td
5 Pete Banaszak –187/672 3.6ypc 16td
6 Mark Van Eeghen– 136/597 4.4ypc 2td
7 Rocky Bleier –140/528 3.8ypc 2td
8 Andy Johnson -117/488 4.2ypc 3td
9 Jim Bertelsen –116/457 3.9ypc 3td
10 Fred Willis -118/420 3.6ypc 2td

Top 10 black rushers

1 O.J. Simpson –329/1817 5.5ypc 16td
2 Franco Harris –262/1246 4.8ypc 10td
3 Lydell Mitchell- 289/1193 4.1ypc 11td
4 Chuck Foreman –280/1070 3.8ypc 13td
5 Greg Pruitt –217/1067 4.9ypc 8td
6 Dave Hampton –250/1002 4.0ypc 5td
7 Robert Newhouse– 209/930 4.4ypc 2td
8 Mike Thomas –235/919 3.9ypc 4td
9 Lawrence McCutcheon - 213/911 4.3ypc 2td
10 Mercury Morris – 219/875 4.0ypc 4td


Top 10 rushing touchdowns


1 Pete Banaszak, O.J. Simpson 16
3 Chuck Foreman 13
4 Don Nottingham 12
5 Lydell Mitchell 11
6 Franco Harris, Don McCauley10
8 Jim Braxton,Terry Metcalf 9
10 Stan Fritts, Greg Pruitt, John Riggins 8

 

[Truthteller]

Just looked it up Fritts, as I suspected from the name, he is white:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Pepsi-cola-football-card-Stan-Fritts-Bengals-/200455919636

Interesting first post. Is the point to show how few white RB's there were in 1975 -- perhaps we here at CF over estimated the number of white RB's 'back in the day'?...Or to show how quickly they vanished almost overnight -- almost completey gone by 1985?

One thing is for certain, looking at those stats, teams ran the ball more in '75 than they have in recent years.

 

[seattlefan]

As little as 10 years later in 1985, there were only a few white rbs that would touch the ball period in the NFL. 10 years before, as much as 25% of the total rushing yardage were by white rbs.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

It looks to me like there was a lot of change between '73 and '75. Welcome to CF, seattlefan!

 

[FootballDad]

Interestingly, and not surprisingly, the YPC of the black RB's vs. the white RB's is statistically negligible. And if you look at years prior and years after, there is no appreciable difference. So why did the blacks take over the position, despite no advantage from a pure performance standpoint? I would argue that that it is because of the hype about "style", "wiggle", "burst" and other nonsensical supposed black attributes that was being drummed (and still is) into the heads of anyone who would listen by the CM establishment. And the offspring of this is that to this day, college recruiting scouts will not consider whites in the "black" positions because they are "genetically incapable" of these mythical magical qualities. Of course, parents of outstanding "overlooked" white athletes should be mounting a revolution based on the sheer numbers of snubs every year, but most don't bother since those black players being recruited (even though we beat the snot out of them in the last game) are just more "gifted". Literally.

 

[Don Wassall]

Great post, FootballDad, and interesting research by seattlefan. The following season, 1976, was when Rocky Bleier had his one and only thousand yard rushing season as he always played second fiddle to (half White) Franco Harris.

White running backs became noticeably fewer as the '70s went on. Same with White receivers.

 

[white lightning]

I would love to see that many white running backs again someday. I wonder if it will ever happen. We know how hard it is to even get one starting running back let alone a bunch of them. I think it is possible but we are at least a decade away. It is up to us to keep up the fight. I really hope the Hillis situation gets better. It just makes me sick to my stomach to even think about it.

 

[white is right]

It looks to me like there was a lot of change between '73 and '75. Welcome to CF, seattlefan!

The reason why you see such a change in running back demorgraphics is because of the violence of the postion. Back in the 70's through early 80's if a back got a knee injury it could amount to the end of his career. I recall many big name backs looking like superman before a knee injury and being out of the NFL within a few years of the injury. Two big names would be Steve Owens and Billy Sims. I know Billy Sims rushed for 4K yards in 4 years as a Lion in the early 80's and after two knee surgeries was out of the game by his 6th season. Contrasting this would be Garrison Hearst who played for a 8 or 9 years with bum knees, but because of arthroscopic knee surgery he was able to cobble together a decent career.

 

[sport historian]

During the 1970's, white running backs disappeared from the SEC, SWC, and Big Eight. The RB position blackened in college (which is the NFL farm system) a year or so before it did in pro football.

 

[GiovaniMarcon]

Even if one were to accept the ludicrous idea that Blacks are vastly superior for the runningback position, it wouldn't explain the near-total extinction of White in that role.

After all, it has been repeatedly demonstrated and proven (at least at CF, where games are viewed with a racially-aware perspective) that Black quarterbacks who are touted as star material would just be journeymen if they were White. Yet, it hasn't stopped coaches from forcefeeding Blacks into a role where, for the most part, they are simply not as good as Whites.

It sounds overly-simple, but I think a big part of the explanation is that Blacks will cry racism if they are "locked out" of the glamor position of QB, where as they jealously will ALSO cry racism if "their" cherished position of runningback is similarly besmirched by Whites.

The difference is that Blacks for the most part cannot play quarterback to the same level as the best Whites, where as when Peyton Hillis, Danny Woodhead (and Brian Leonard and Hester in college) were allowed to play, they showed themselves to be every bit as good as the best Black runningbacks, if not superior.

In what world would a Black quarterback, if he showed even halfway decent ability, be buried in the depth chart behind some dumba$$, incompetent White dude?

NEVER. The NAACP, Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and every d!ckless tribesman on the radio and on TV would be calling it a lynching.

Hillis, Gerhart, Hester, Leonard, Woodhead, and a SLEW of other fantastic White athletes are getting buried, though.

The reason is because Blacks cry racism like a reflexive action, in the same way they abandon their families (that too, of course, is Whitey's fault), and Whites, in turn, are afraid to be called racist.

So, only Blacks get to run their precious football, fine then, and yes, they can play quarterback if it will shut them the Hell up. Whites, on the other hand, are just doing this nose-touching, nod-wink thing where they seem to be saying, without words, "let's not rock the boat. We don't want any TNB here..."

 

[seattlefan]

1970 running backs


Larry Brown - 237/1125 4.7ypc 5td
Ron Johnson – 263/1027 3.9ypc 8td
MacArthur Lane – 206/977 4.7ypc 11td
Floyd Little – 209/901 4.3ypc 3td
Larry Csonka – 193/874 4.5ypc6td
Hewritt Dixon – 197/861 4.4ypc 1td
Donny Anderson- 222/853 3.8ypc 5td
Duane Thomas – 151/803 5.3ypc 5td
Ken Willard – 236/789 3.3ypc7td
Ed Podolak – 168/749 4.5ypc3td
Mel Farr – 166/717 4.3ypc 9td
John Fuqua – 138/691 5.0ypc 7td
Dave Osborn - 207/681 3.3ypc 5td
Charlie Smith – 168/681 4.1ypc 3td
Altie Taylor – 198/666 3.4ypc 2td
Jim Kiick – 191/658 3.4ypc 6td
Cyril Pinder – 166/657 4.0ypc 2td
Leroy Kelly – 206/656 3.2ypc 6td
Jess Phillips – 163/648 4.0ypc 4td
Les Josephson– 150/640 4.3ypc 5td
Cannonball Butler – 166/636 3.8ypc0td
Bo Scott – 151/625 4.1ypc 7td
Paul Robinson - 149/622 4.2ypc 6td
Emerson Boozer – 139/581 4.2ypc 5td
Charlie Harraway – 146/577 4.0ypc 5td
Calvin Hill – 153/577 3.8ypc 4td
Jim Nance – 145/522 3.6ypc 7td
Joe Dawkins – 124/517 4.2ypc 2td
Walt Garrison - 126/507 4.0ypc3td
Preston Pearson – 173/503 2.9ypc 2td
O.J. Simpson -120/488 4.1ypc 5td
Doug Cunningham – 128/4433.5ypc 3td
Norm Bulaich- 139/426 3.1ypc 3td
Harmon Wages-119/422 3.5ypc 1td
Mercury Morris – 60/409 6.8ypc 0td
George Nock – 135/402 3.0ypc 5td
Lee Bouggess – 159/401 2.5ypc 2td
Johnny Roland – 94/392 4.2ypc 3td
Willie Ellison – 90/381 4.2ypc 5td
Wendell Hayes – 109/381 3.5ypc 5td
Tucker Frederickson– 120/375 3.1ypc 1td
Clint Jones – 120/369 3.1ypc 9td
Bobby Anderson – 83/368 4.4ypc4td
Mike Richardson – 103/3683.6ypc 2td
Cid Edwards – 70/350 5.0ypc 1td
Larry Smith - 77/3384.4ypc 1td
Tony Baker – 82/337 4.1ypc 1td
Bill Brown– 101/324 3.2ypc 0td
Matt Snell – 64/281 4.4ypc 1td
Travis Williams – 74/276 3.7ypc 1td
Essex Johnson - 65/273 4.2ypc 2td
Carl Garrett – 88/272 3.1ypc 4td
Jeff Queen – 77/261 3.4ypc 1td
Warren McVea – 61/260 4.3ypc 0td
Wayne Patrick - 66/259 3.9ypc 1td
Tom Woodeshick – 52/254 4.9ypc2td
Tom Nowatzke– 73/248 3.4ypc 1td
Marv Hubbard – 51/246 4.8ypc1td
Ross Montgomery– 62/229 3.7ypc 0td
Tom Barrington– 72/228 3.2ypc 2td
Don Shy – 79/227 2.9ypc 1td
D.ickie Post– 74/225 3.0ypc 1td
Lee White – 70/215 3.1ypc 0td
Ronnie Bull- 68/214 3.1ypc 0td
Jim Otis– 71/211 3.0ypc 0td
Jim Grabowski- 67/210 3.1ypc 1td
Jack Maitland– 74/209 2.8ypc 1td
Mike Garrett – 67/208 3.1ypc 1td
Roy Hopkins – 57/207 3.6ypc 3td
Robert Holmes – 63/206 3.3ypc 3td
Willis Crenshaw - 69/200 2.9ypc 5td

71 total rushers over 200yd (no QBs)

26(36.6%) of rushers over 200yd were white
45(63.4%) of rushers over 200yd were black

total rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd - 33714
total white rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 11089 (33%)
total black rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 22625 (67%)

total rushing attempts of rushers over 200yd - 8780
total white rushing attempts – 3027(35% of total attempts)
total black rushing attempts – 5753(65% of total attempts)

average yard per carry for all white rushers over 200yd – 3.7ypc
average yard per carry for all black rushers over 200yd – 3.9ypc

total touchdowns by rushers over 200yd- 224
total touchdowns by white rushers over 200yd – 65 (29%)
total touchdowns by black rushers over 200yd – 159 (71%)

 

[white is right]

During the 1970's, white running backs disappeared from the SEC, SWC, and Big Eight. The RB position blackened in college (which is the NFL farm system) a year or so before it did in pro football.

Yes this too, I really don't recall any star White tailbacks from the SEC after the early 70's and the Big 8 after the late 70's. Feature backs like Steve Owens would have been more of a role player under the Bootleggers Boy's teams of the 80's, similar to the role that Alstott played to Dunn or Lendale White to Reggie Bust.

 

[dwid]

Imo Whites were being phased out of the position in the 70's. I think it started in the late 50's, and 60's with Jim Brown. He led the league in yards, but he also led the league in carries and has been given this mythical status by the msm that can't be touched. Runningback was one of the easiest positions for blacks to be integrated into.

Very few Whites were allowed to be THE featured back. Csonka was great HOFer but the highest amount of carries he had in a season was 219. Hubbard's highest was also 219 and his two best years he barely got more carries than the halfback who averaged almost a ypc less than him.

In fact I can't think of any off the top of my head that got over 300 carries in a season besides Riggins and Mark Van Eeghan (sad because I think Hubbard was better than Eeghan who should've gotten that many a few years earlier). They were running split back sets back then but guys like Brown, Simpson were more of feature backs, Simpson had 4 seasons with over 290 carries, 2 of them being over 300 and usually had over 100 more carries than his fullback. Brown had 5 seasons with 280+ attempt going over the 300 carry mark once, which was rare in the 60's.

When Riggins was finally THE featured guy he had gone through two knee injuries (which weren't as advanced as today's, knee injuries ended more careers back then), was close to his mid 30's and still looked great. This is the John Riggins people remember, its hard to get footage of his younger days. He is the oldest player to have had 300+ attempts in a season, and the oldest player to have 150 yard rushing game among other records. So the idea of a White back like Hillis "wearing down" is absurd. Riggins was 34 when he had 462 carries (including playoffs), the next year he came back with 345 carries at 35, and still managed 176 carries at 36.

It seems like the cutoff for attempts for most White runningbacks is around the 270 mark, which is what Peyton Hillis had last year and Craig James, Jim Taylor and looks like Jim Otis as well with 269. I think Csonka and Taylor could've put up crazy stats getting 300+ carries but I think they will take the championships being more team oriented. While O.J. Simpson was fed the ball his team only made it to the playoffs once. When Riggins had 375 carries it had gotten crazy by then with Eric ****erson getting 390 attempts his rookie season (a few seasons later getting 404). Btw I think Riggins is the only White to get 350+ carries in the regular season, correct me if I am wrong.

I think the reason for the slight difference in ypc bw the black rb and White rb is that the White guy was usually asked to be in more short yardage and goal line situations. Pete Banaszak with 16 tds on less than 200 carries illustrates this. This is one of the reasons why Csonka is a hofer, he was able to average over 5 ypc in this role for several years, leading the league in ypc in 1971 with 5.4.

 

[seattlefan]

1981 running backs


George Rogers – 378/1674 4.4ypc 13td
Tony Dorsett – 342/1646 4.8ypc 4td
Billy Sims – 296/1437 4.9ypc 13td
Wilbert Montgomery – 286/1402 4.9ypc8td
Ottis Anderson – 328/1376 4.2ypc 9td
Earl Campbell - 361/1376 3.8ypc 10td
William Andrews – 289/1301 4.5ypc10td
Walter Payton - 339/1222 3.6ypc 6td
Chuck Muncie – 251/1144 4.6ypc 19td
Joe Delaney – 234/1121 4.8ypc 3td
Mike Pruitt – 247/1103 4.5ypc 7td
Joe Cribbs – 257/1097 4.3ypc 3td
Pete Johnson – 274/1077 3.9ypc 12td
Wendell Tyler – 260/1074 4.1ypc 12td
Ted Brown – 274/1063 3.9ypc 6td
Franco Harris – 242/987 4.1ypc 8td
Joe Washington – 210/916 4.4ypc 4td
Tony Collins – 204/873 4.3ypc 7td
Gerry Ellis – 196/860 4.4ypc 4td
Kenny King – 170/828 4.9ypc 0td
Rob Carpenter - 208 /822 4.0ypc5td
Tony Nathan – 147/782 5.3ypc 5td
Curtis D.ickey – 164/779 4.8ypc 7td
Rick Parros – 176/749 4.3ypc 2td
John Riggins - 195/714 3.7ypc13td
Andra Franklin – 201/711 3.5ypc 7td
Jerry Eckwood- 172/651 3.8ypc 2td
Dave Preston – 183/640 3.5ypc3td
Ron Springs -172/625 3.6ypc 10td
Freeman McNeil -137/623 4.5ypc 2td
James Hadnot - 140/603 4.3ypc 3td
Randy McMillan – 149/597 4.0ypc 3td
Theotis Brown – 156/583 3.7ypc 8td
Frank Pollard - 123/570 4.6ypc 2td
Ricky Patton – 152/543 3.6ypc 4td
Lynn Cain – 156/542 3.5ypc 4td
James Brooks – 109/525 4.8ypc 3td
Matt Suhey – 150/521 3.5ypc3td
Derrick Jensen -117/456 3.9ypc4td
Dexter Bussey - 105/446 4.2ypc 0td
Cullen Bryant - 109/436 4.0ypc 1td
Mike Guman -115/433 3.8ypc 4td
Wayne Morris – 109/417 3.8ypc 5td
James Owens - 91/406 4.5ypc 3td
Billy Jackson – 111/398 3.6ypc 10td
Bruce Harper – 81/393 4.9ypc 4td
Harlan Huckleby – 139/381 2.7ypc 5td
James Wilder - 107/370 3.5ypc 4td
Roosevelt Leaks – 91/357 3.9ypc 6td
Charles White - 97/342 3.5ypc 1td
Vagas Ferguson – 78/340 4.4ypc 3td
Mike Augustyniak – 85/3394.0ypc 1td
Rick Kane – 77/332 4.3ypc 2td
Earl Cooper – 98/330 3.4ypc 1td
Hubie Oliver – 75/329 4.4ypc 1td
Scott Dierking – 74/328 4.4ypc1td
Johnny Davis - 94/297 3.2ypc 7td
Charles Alexander – 98/292 3.0ypc 2td
Zachary Dixon – 73/285 3.9ypc 0td
Russell Davis – 47/270 5.7ypc 1td
Sam Cunningham – 86/269 3.1ypc 4td
Kevin Long – 73/269 3.7ypc 2td
Leon Perry – 72/257 3.6ypc 0td
John Cappelletti – 68/2543.7ypc 4td
Sherman Smith – 83/253 3.0ypc 3td
Roland Hooks - 51/250 4.9ypc 3td
Tom Newton – 73/244 3.3ypc 1td
Curtis Brown- 62/226 3.6ypc 0td
Walt Easley – 76/224 2.9ypc 1td
Art Whittington – 69/220 3.2ypc 1td
Vince Thompson – 35/211 6.0ypc 1td
Don Calhoun – 57/205 3.6ypc 1td
Sidney Thornton – 56/202 3.6ypc 4td
Mosi Tatupu – 38/201 5.3ypc 2td


10 white 64 black (includes a couple ofnon-whites who were not black like Mosi Tatupu)

74 total rushers over 200yd (no QBs)

10(13.5%) of rushers over 200yd were white
64(85.5%) of rushers over 200yd were black

total rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd - 46419
total white rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 4839 (10.4%)
total black rushing yardage of rushers over 200yd – 41580 (89.6%)

total rushing attempts of rushers over 200yd - 11298
total white rushing attempts –1272(11% of total attempts)
total black rushing attempts –10026(89% of total attempts)

average yard per carry for all white rushers over 200yd – 3.8ypc
average yard per carry for all black rushers over 200yd – 4.1ypc

I went with 1981 here instead of 1980 because Riggins didn't play in 1980. There is a big difference between the stats from 1970 to 1981. Is there any other 10 year period with such a change in the NFL? In fact, even 1975 to 1981 is a big difference.

 

[Highlander]

Is there any other 10 year period with such a change in the NFL? In fact, even 1975 to 1981 is a big difference.

Maybe for other positions, e.g. Offensive Line from 2000-2010.

 

[dwid]

Maybe for other positions, e.g. Offensive Line from 2000-2010.

probably DT as well, not sure when, I know in the 80's they had guys like Golic and Keith Millard and they just disappeared for the most part.

 

[seattlefan]

From what I know, blacks used to be sort of "stacked" at certain positions back in the early 70s, like RB and DB. Despite blacks being about 30-40% of the NFL at the time, at RB, they were probably 60% of the total available players. That probably is what built the belief that blacks were better at those positions, that they were over represented there. Since blacks have spread out in the positions they play since then, there should be even more opportunity for whites at RB today. This does seem to the be the case since there are some truly bad black RBs in the league now, and promising white RBs coming up, though they haven't been given a fair shot.