The top five American Athletic Conference running backs in 2022, including Keaton Mitchell and Tyjae Spears, have all moved on this offseason. This leaves plenty of carries for other up-and-coming ball carriers.
Here’s a ranking of the best running backs in the AAC.
Best AAC Running Backs, Ranked
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Jermaine Brown Jr. | UAB |
| 2 | Larry McCammon III | FAU |
| 3 | Blake Watson | Memphis |
| 4 | Kevorian Barnes | UTSA |
| 5 | Ayo Adeyi | North Texas |
1. Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB
New to the AAC, Brown was a great running back in Conference USA a year ago.
He was on the all-conference second team as he was third in the league with 948 rushing yards and sixth with eight touchdowns on the ground. He also totaled 118.7 all-purpose yards per game after adding 475 return yards and 120 receiving yards.
The year before, the 5-foot-8, 195-pound senior was also on the all-conference list while making eight starts after rushing for 631 yards and seven touchdowns. For his career at UAB, he’s totaled 2,077 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground and 54 catches and 373 yards through the air.
With DeWayne McBride now in the NFL, Brown will take a step up for the Blazers.
2. Larry McCammon III, FAU
McCammon also has a strong case to be called the best back in the AAC.
He was second in C-USA last year with 1,004 rushing yards to go with seven touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. He also caught 15 passes for 166 yards and a score.
The 5-11, 204-pound senior hadn’t tallied more than 91 carries in any of his previous three seasons at FAU, as he’s recorded 1,547 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground the past four years combined. But when he finally took on a leading role, he made the All-Conference USA first team.
Expect him to earn more accolades in the AAC.
3. Blake Watson, Memphis
Watson has shined in multiple Group of Five conferences, and he will again in the AAC.
The 5-9, 195-pound upcoming redshirt senior transferred to Memphis this offseason from Old Dominion. He’s been on the All-Sun Belt and All-Conference USA honorable mention lists after playing in 33 games and starting 24 from 2018-22.
During that time, he’s tallied 2,144 yards and 14 touchdowns on 398 carries. He’s also caught 60 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns.
Last season, he totaled 921 yards and five scores on the ground while breaking the ODU record for running backs by catching 37 passes which went for 314 yards and two touchdowns. The year before, he was fifth in C-USA and 22nd in the nation with 101.1 yards per game. Watson has also shined as a kick returner, so he could do plenty now at Memphis.
4. Kevorian Barnes, UTSA
UTSA had two running backs on the All-Conference USA honorable mention list in 2022, and one of them is coming back for 2023.
Barnes, a 5-9, 215-pound redshirt sophomore, has been incredibly efficient. He redshirted in 2021 after playing two games, but then he flourished last season.
He ran for 845 yards, which was fifth in C-USA, and six touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He also caught nine passes for 119 yards.
And that was all as a redshirt freshman, so Barnes will only be better this season.
5. Ayo Adeyi, North Texas
Adeyi wasn’t North Texas’ primary starter in 2022, but he was still one of the best running backs in Conference USA and the leading rusher on his team.
Adeyi, a 5-7, 197-pound junior, was seventh in the country last year with a 7.21 yards-per-carry average. He was sixth in C-USA with 807 yards on the ground to go with four touchdowns.
The year before, he was on the conference’s All-Freshman team. He totaled 496 yards and six touchdowns on 84 carries.
North Texas has plenty of talent in its backfield, including Ikaika Ragsdale who was also in the top 10 in C-USA in rushing last year. Adeyi and Ragsdale will likely both shine in the AAC.
