The disappointment of in-state running back phenom Cam Akers signing with Florida State over Ole Miss was packaged in layers. It not only served as a decisive litmus test of the recruiting damage rendered by the NCAA investigation, but crushed the hopes of many that he could be the answer to years of inconsistency on the ground under Hugh Freeze.
While some may blame the Rebels’ running woes simply on a lack of high-end talent in the backfield, the numbers suggest that having a former five-star back as your primary option isn’t a prerequisite for an effective run game.