Tag: Cedric Benson

Texas Longhorns team of the century: Running backs

Continuing our series of the Texas Longhorns team of the century, we now look at running backs. Find out which two players make the team.

Continuing our series of the Texas Longhorns team of the century, we now look at running backs.

Related: Texas Longhorns team of the century: Quarterbacks

Over its’ history, Texas has had world-class running backs come through the program. Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams both won the Heisman Trophy during their time in Austin.

Moving into the 2000s, nothing changed for the Longhorns as they have continued to produce great running backs. Two players, in particular, stand out, as they were both apart of great Texas teams and are atop the all-time leaderboards in rushing.

Starting Running Back: Cedric Benson

  • 5,540 rushing yards
  • 64 rushing touchdowns
  • 621 receiving yards
  • Three receiving touchdowns
  • 49 games played

Benson rushing for 1,000+ yards in all four of his seasons is an incredible stat that will not happen in Austin again for a long time. He got better and better as the years went on, eventually rushing for 1,834 yards and 19 touchdowns his senior season.

His 2003 performance against Texas A&M remains one of the greatest in the history of the rivalry. On 35 carries, Benson had 283 yards and four touchdowns. Texas dominated the Aggies and won 46-15.

Second in all-time rushing yards behind Ricky Williams, Benson is in the top three all-time running backs to play for the Longhorns. From start to finish, he put up monster numbers for Texas.

Backup Running Back: Jamaal Charles

  • 3,328 rushing yards
  • 36 rushing touchdowns
  • 539 receiving yards
  • Three receiving touchdowns
  • 38 games played

A part of the 2005 National Championship team, Charles got to play with both Vince Young and Colt McCoy during his three years at Texas. Sharing carries with Selvin Young in 2005 and 2006, once Charles became the every-down back in 2007, he exploded for 1,619 yards.

Charles’ speed and agility are what made him special for the Longhorns. A play that always comes to mind is his 80-yard touchdown against Oklahoma in the 2005 Red River Shootout.

Despite only playing for three years and having another running back in the backfield with him for two seasons, Charles is still fourth all-time in rushing yards. What if Charles had returned for the 2008 season to help a 12-1 Texas team? It could be one of the biggest ‘What ifs?’ in Longhorns history.

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Frank Gore had to overcome 2 ACL tears before becoming the model for NFL longevity

Frank Gore had multiple ACL injuries in college and was defined by them early in his career and is proving critics wrong by still playing.

There comes a time when every athlete has to call it quits, but that day has yet to arrive for Frank Gore.

The soon to be 37-year-old is entering his 16th NFL season after signing with the Jets, which will tie him for the most seasons played by a running back along with Marcus Allen. Gore is third on the all-time rushing list with 15,347 yards, a five-time Pro Bowler and has made it to the Super Bowl. Simply put, there have been few running backs as accomplished as him.

And yet, there was plenty of doubt Gore could make it in the pros, let alone defy Father Time at one of the NFL’s most bruising positions.

Gore suffered two different ACL injuries to his left knee while at the University of Miami. The first one came in March 2002 in one of the Hurricanes’ spring practices. That led to Willis McGahee becoming the starting running back for Miami that season, despite Gore beating him out for the job. The next tear came in October 2003 in a game against West Virginia.

Gore came back for his junior season, however, and put together the best year of his career. He led the team in carries (197), rushing yards (945) and rushing touchdowns (10). That was all Gore needed to put his name in the 2005 NFL Draft.

General managers had their concerns over Gore’s injury history, though. It didn’t help that his 40-yard dash time was a less-than-ideal 4.66 seconds and his weight was a tad high at 208 pounds. Gore also scored a six on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test, too, which led some to believe that he wasn’t smart enough to play in the NFL.

That combination had some teams looking the other way on Gore. Five running backs were picked ahead of him by the time he was picked 65th overall by the 49ers. That included Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson, Cadillac Williams, J.J. Arrington and Eric Shelton.

“Me going through all the injuries, and then when I get to the league just hearing all the negative stuff, I set my goals and said I’ll never let a man judge me,” Gore told NFL.com. “The only man I’ll let judge me is that man up above. But I was determined to be the best in my class.”

Not only is Gore the best running back in his class, but he’s lasted longer than any of them on is way to becoming one of the best backs of all-time. Even after NFL GMs didn’t think his knees would hold up and even after he had major surgery on both his shoulders after his rookie season, Gore continued to work. Let’s not forget about the fractured hip he suffered in 2010 or the ankle injuries that he’s dealt with or the broken foot he suffered while with the Dolphins. He’s proved everyone wrong and is still playing productive football.

When Gore’s career is all done, his next stop will be Canton. When it comes to time to make his speech, he should take a minute to acknowledge all the teams that passed on him.

Flashback Friday: Mr All Purpose Eric Metcalf

On this Flashback Friday, we look back at former Longhorn Eric Metcalf. The man known as Mr. All-Purpose.

Before the days of Devin Hester setting records in the NFL for returns or Darren Sproles becoming a headache for defensive and special teams coordinators, there was Eric Metcalf. Metcalf was a first round draft pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Before making a jump to the NFL, he was wreaking havoc on the Forty Acres.

During his time with the Longhorns, he tallied 4,051 yards and 30 touchdowns on 710 touches. Nothing compared to what he would eventually do at the NFL level. He is often remembered best for his returns, in Austin Metcalf returned 108 punts for 1,076 yards. He returned only one kick for a touchdown. In 1987, Metcalf threw two passes. Both of those went for touchdowns. Then he moved on to the NFL where he would play for seven teams but most of his career was spent in Cleveland.

In the NFL, Eric Metcalf was a nightmare on the field. He was named to the All-Pro team three times (1993, 1994 and 1997). Those same seasons he was also named to the Pro Bowl. Leading the league in return yardage in 1990. During his career from 1989-2002, Metcalf scored 43 touchdowns as a running back with 31 coming by way of the pass. Racking up 7,964 yards from scrimmage.

Player Rushing Yards Receiving Yards Return Yards Total Touchdowns
Eric Metcalf 2,392 5,572 9,266 55
Darren Sproles 3,552 4,840 11,313 64

Metcalf was definitely Darren Sproles before Darren Sproles. While Sproles has the better overall numbers, there is no discounting what Eric Metcalf did on the football field. His accolades don’t stop on the football field. Much like Jamaal Charles, Marquise Goodwin and John Burt, Metcalf was also a star in track.

Eric holds the UT record for outdoor long jump with a mark of 27-8 ¼ feet, was a two-time NCAA champion in the event, and became a five-time track All-American, in addition to his SWC long jump titles in 1986 and 1987. – per Texas Sports Hall of Fame release

While Eric Metcalf may not be in the NFL Hall of Fame, he is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2017, along with former Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.

Who was the best running back to play at Texas?

Over on our Twitter, a poll is up asking who is the best RB to play at Texas. The four options are Campbell, Williams, Benson, and Foreman.

Over on our Twitter (@LonghornsWire), a poll is up asking who is the best running back to play at Texas.

The four options are Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, and D’Onta Foreman.

Williams, Benson, and Campbell are the top three rushers in Longhorn history, while Foreman ranks 9th. However, in 2016, Foreman ran for 2,028 yards, the second-most in a single season for Texas.

You can vote in our poll below or give us a follow on Twitter!

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Texas Longhorns first round picks since 1999

Take a journey back to every Texas Longhorn to be drafted in the first round since 1999.

The 2020 NFL Draft is just hours away from officially kicking off. There are a few ways that you can tune into the festivities on Thursday Night. Despite the fact that the Texas Longhorns don’t have a first round caliber player according to almost every major draft analysts board, we take a journey back to every first round selection since 1999. The Longhorns could have a first round pick next year if Samuel Cosmi decides to declare or another name jumps to the front.

1999

Ricky Williams: 5th overall to the New Orleans Saints

Brian Bahr /Allsport

In 1999 the New Orleans Saints and head coach Mike Ditka gave up their entire draft just to secure the rights for Ricky Williams. Williams went on to play for the Saints until 2001 when he had a career year for the Miami Dolphins in 2002. He earned his only Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors that season with 1,853 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Williams played for one other team before hanging up the cleats, the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. He finished his 11-year career with 10,009 yards rushing and 66 touchdowns. Adding another eight receiving. His career was never the same after retiring in 2004 and returning to the NFL in 2005.

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Late Texas football legend Cedric Benson’s mansion listed at 4.5M

The sudden passing of Longhorn legend Cedric Benson last summer shocked the entire community.

The sudden passing of Longhorn legend Cedric Benson last summer shocked the community and all who knew him. Benson was only 36 years old when he was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident.

It’s clear Benson had a genuine love for the city of Austin, where he purchased a modern hilltop estate in 2007 that overlooks the Pennybacker Bridge, Lake Austin, and the downtown skyline.

Benson was a collegiate All-American at Texas, where he became the second-leading rusher in program history. He also took home the 2004 Doak Walker Award, rewarded to the top running back in college football.

After being selected fourth overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2005 NFL Draft, Benson played seven seasons in the NFL accumulating 6,017 yards and 32 touchdowns.

His gated and private 1.5-acre estate is now listed for sale at 4.5 million dollars. The property offers a guest house, fitness room, modern bathrooms, and a dedicated cold soak tub for after workouts.

The listing pictures show large, open windows with incredible views.