Five FBS players have averaged at least eight yards per carry on at least 200 carries in a season. If Memphis running back Darrell Henderson has a strong Birmingham Bowl, he'll become the first-ever FBS player to average nine yards per carry.
Twelve players have averaged at least nine yards per carry, 11 of whom are running backs and one of whom, Oklahoma's Kennedy Brooks, is doing so this season. However, only one of them, Kent State's Dri Archer in 2012, accomplished the feat on more than 120 carries. (Brooks is averaging nine yards on 113 carries entering the Orange Bowl).
Henderson enters the Birmingham Bowl with 1,909 yards on 214 carries (8.9 yards per carry). If he rushes, for example, his season average of 147 yards, on 14 or fewer carries, he'll finish the year averaging at least nine yards. There are, obviously, other combinations that would allow him to accomplish the feat.
Even if Henderson doesn't become the first-ever nine-yards-per-carry FBS, but he doesn't dip below a season average of 8.7 (Reggie Bush, 8.7 yards on 200 carries in 2005), he'll still finish the season with the highest average on at least 200 carries
This is one of the most remarkable seasons by a running back in college football history. Is anyone noticing?
