By Hugh Freeze will enter his second season as Auburn’s head coach in 2024, and his rushing attack will have the fewest questions of any unit on the offensive side of the football.
Auburn will return all of its main contributors from last season: Jeremiah Cobb, Damari Alston, and premier back Jarquez Hunter. In his first season as the Tigers’ go-to back, Hunter rushed for 909 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. He added 649 yards to his rushing total after contact and had 22 rushes longer than 10 yards.
Alston was a solid supporting back by adding 320 yards and two scores last season while Cobb broke onto the scene by rushing for 172 yards on 32 attempts as a true freshman.
The race for the SEC’s top running back is wide open as only one projected starter rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. Hunter is second among projected starters with 909 rushing yards in 2023, trailing Missouri’s Marcus Carroll, who ran for 1,350 yards at Georgia State last season.
Where does Auburn’s running back unit stack up with the rest of the SEC? Lindy’s Sports dropped their 2024 SEC preseason running back rankings in its preview magazine, and here is a look at where each team lands.
16
Vanderbilt
Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Sedrick Alexander (2023 stats: 96 carries, 371 yards, 4 TD)
Backup: AJ Newberry
2023 rushing average: 95.3 yards per game (No. 13 in SEC)
15
Mississippi State
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Keyvone Lee (2023 stats: 12 carries, 75 yards, 0 TD)
Backup: Davon Booth
2023 rushing average: 146.6 yards per game (No. 9 in SEC)
14
LSU
Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Josh Williams (2023 stats: 55 carries, 284 yards, 5 TD)
Backup: Kaleb Jackson
2023 rushing average: 204.5 yards per game (No. 2 in SEC)
Visit LSU Wire for the latest LSU football news
13
Arkansas
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Rashod Dubinion (2023 stats: 82 carries, 260 yards, 1 TD)
Backup: Ja’Quinden Jackson
2023 rushing average: 139 yards per game (No. 11 in SEC)
Visit Razorbacks Wire for the latest Arkansas football news
12
Kentucky
© Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Projected starter: Chip Trayanum (2023 stats at Ohio State: 85 carries, 373 yards, 3 TD)
Backup: Demie Sumo-Karngbaye
2023 rushing average: 127.8 yards per game (No. 12 in SEC)
Visit UK Wildcats Wire for the latest Kentucky football news
11
Ole Miss
Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Ulysses Bentley IV (2023 stats: 95 carries, 540 yards, 4 TD)
Backup: Henry Parrish Jr.
2023 rushing average: 176.3 yards per game (No. 5 in SEC)
10
Missouri
Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Marcus Carroll (2023 stats at Georgia State: 274 carries, 1,350 yards, 13 TD)
Backup: Nate Noel
2023 rushing average: 172 yards per game (No. 7 in SEC)
9
Texas A&M
Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Amari Daniels (2023 stats: 105 carries, 532 yards, 6 TD)
Backup: Le’Veon Moss
2023 rushing average: 136.1 yards per game (No. 11 in SEC)
Visit Aggies Wire for the latest Texas A&M football news
8
Oklahoma
Bryan Terry-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Gavin Sawchuk (2023 stats: 120 carries, 744 yards, 9 TD)
Backup: Taylor Tatum
2023 rushing average: 182.2 yards per game (No. 7 in Big 12)
Visit Sooners Wire for the latest Oklahoma football news
7
Auburn
Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers
Projected starter: Jarquez Hunter (2023 stats: 159 carries, 909 yards, 7 TD)
Backup: Damari Alston
2023 rushing average: 189 yards per game (No. 4 in SEC)
6
Tennessee
© Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Projected starter: Dylan Sampson (2023 stats: 106 carries, 604 yards, 7 TD)
Backup: Cam Seldon
2023 rushing average: 204.8 yards per game (No. 1 in SEC)
Visit Vols Wire for the latest Tennessee football news
5
South Carolina
Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Rocket Sanders (2023 stats at Arkansas: 62 carries, 209 yards, 2 TD)
Backup: Oscar Addaway
2023 rushing average: 85 yards per game (No. 14 in SEC)
4
Florida
Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Projected starter: Montrell Johnson (2023 stats: 152 carries, 817 yards, 5 TD)
Backup: Treyaun Webb
2023 rushing average: 149.8 yards per game (No. 8 in SEC)
Visit Gators Wire for the latest Florida football news
3
Alabama
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Jam Miller (41 carries, 201 yards, 1 TD)
Backup: Justice Hays
2023 rushing average: 172.6 yards per game (No. 6 in SEC)
Visit Roll Tide Wire for more Alabama football news
2
Texas
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: CJ Baxter (2023 stats: 138 carries, 659 yards, 5 TD)
Backup: Jaydon Blue
2023 rushing average: 188.4 yards per game (No. 6 in Big 12)
Visit Longhorns Wire for the latest Texas football news
1
Georgia
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Projected starter: Trevor Etienne (2023 stats at Florida: 131 carries, 753 yards, 8 TD)
Backup: Roderick Robinson
2023 rushing average: 191.2 yards per game (No. 3 in SEC)
Visit UGA Wire for the latest Georgia football news
