The Best Running Back in Troy History
When it comes to an offense, no position is considered more of a workhorse than the running back. From dashing runs down the sidelines to bruising hits by defensive linemen, running backs get back up and do it again, ensuring their offense continues to maintain a ground game.
I have included the stats for every player on the list and have only added a write up for each of the running backs in my personal Top 3. As with each position group, no current players will be included.
A link to the poll will be included at the end of the article to allow you to vote for your top 5 running backs in Troy History.
Honorable Mentions
Boyd Grant, Joe Jackson, Phillp Jones, Ron Daniels, LeBarron Black, Bill Ragle
The Players
Jordan Chunn (2013-17)
To say Jordan Chunn left an indelible mark on Troy University would be an understatement. The punishing back picked up Freshman All-American honors in 2013, along with an All-Sun Belt Selection that same year. Chunn followed that up with All-Sun Belt Honors in 2016 and 2017 under Coach Neal Brown and, in total, ran for over 150 yards 4 different times.
Jordan Chunn ranks #9 in the most rushing yards in a single game, with his 191 yard performance in the Trojans’ win over LSU in 2017. Chunn showed his workhorse status on the Rushing Attempts records, ranking #4 (36), #6 in a tie (32), #8 (31), and #9 (30) in a tie. From here, though, the record book is almost solely Chunn’s with him finishing #1 or #2 in almost every category.
Chunn set the #2 single-season rushing mark with his 1,288 yard performance in 2016. That year also saw him set the record for most rushing attempts at 279, gain the second most rushing touchdowns with 16 and have second best yards per rush average at 99.1.
Jordan’s career also boasts impressive numbers. He ranks #2 on the all-time rushing list with 3,120 yards. He also set the record for the most rushing attempts in a career with 679. Chunn is the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 47 over his career (this was two shy of breaking the Sun Belt Career mark as well).
DeWhitt Betterson (2001-04)
DeWhitt Betterson was the first Troy (State) running back I had the pleasure of watching when I became a Troy fan. And what a pleasure he was to watch. Betterson earned All-Sun Belt honors in 2004 and over his career had 5 150+ yard games and 1 200+ yard games.
In a single game, Betterson set the #3 best rushing yard performance in Troy history with his 230 yard performance against Utah State in 2003. During that same game, he set the all time rushing attempt record with 46 carries, averaging 5 yards a carry.
Betterson’s All-Sun Belt honors in 2004 came on the heels of his #3 mark in the Troy Ruhsing Yards record book for a single season, finishing with 1,286 yards. He also holds the #2 and #3 spots for most rushing attempts in a single season, 256 (2004) and 244 (2003). That 2004 season also saw DeWhitt Betterson become the only Trojan ever to average over 100 yards per game (107.2) and his 2003 season put him at #3 on that same list with 96.8 yards per game.
Betterson and Chunn pretty much own the #1 and #2 spots when it comes to career statisitics. Betterson is the all-time leader in Rushing Yards with 3,441 and Yards per Game (76.5). He is #2 to Chunn in Rushing Attempts at 653 and #6 in rushing touchdowns at 24.
Arrid Gregory (1993-96)
Arrid Gregory proved to be the backbone of some of Coach Larry Blakeney’s early offenses. He was an All-Southland Conference selection in 1996 and rushed for over 150 yards three times in his career.
Gregory only earned one single-game record in his time as a Trojan, a #9 mark in Yards per Rush with 12.9 performance in 1996 against Samford. While his single-game marks are low, his single-season and career ones more than make up for it.
Arrid Gregory’s 1,337 yard season in 1996 still ranks #1 among Trojan running backs. He ranks #5 in Yards per game with 95.5 during that same season. Gregory’s best single season with respect to rushing attempts was 212 in 1996, earning him the #9 spot. He also earned the #9 spot for his 7.3 yards per rush in 1995.
Gregory finished his career at #8 all-time in rushing yards with 1,337. He earned the #14 spot in rushing attempts with 365 and averaged 56.2 yards per game, good enough for the #9 spot. Arrid Gregory also finished #7 in rushing touchdowns with 21.
Shawn Southward
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt Selection, 2012
- Sun Belt Freshman of the year 2009
- 1 150+ yard game
- 1 200+ yard game
- Single-Game Records
- #6 Rushing Yards – 204
- #1 Rushing Touchdowns (tied) – 4, 2009
- Single-Season Records
- #9 Rushing Yards – 1,012, 2012
- #8 Rushing Touchdowns – 12, 2009
- #10 Yards per Game – 84.3, 2012
- Career Records
- #4 Rushing Yards – 2,793
- #4 Rushing Attempts – 542
- #10 Yards per Game – 55.9
DuJuan Harris
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt Selection 2008
- 0 150+ yard games
- 1 200+ yard game
- Single-Game Records
- #2 Rushing Yards – 232, 2008
- Single-Season Records
- #6 Rushing Yards – 1,128, 2008
- #10 Rushing Attempts – 210 (tied), 2008
- #9 Rushings Touchdowns – 11, 2008
- Career Records
- #5 Rushing Yards – 2,636
- #5 Rushing Attempts – 539
- #15 Yards per Game – 52.7
- #5 Rushing Touchdowns – 27
Brandon Burks
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt Selection, 2014 & 2015
- 1 150+ yard game
- 0 200+ yard games
- Single-Game Records
- #2 and #6 Average Yards per Rush – 17.6 (2014) and 13.3 (2015)
- #1 (tied) Most Touchdowns – 4
- Single-Season Records
- #10 Rushing Yards – 1,005, 2015
- #6 Rushing Attempts – 224, 2015
- Career Records
- #11 Rushing Yards – 2.264
- #10 Rushing Attempts – 431
- #18 Yards per Game – 50.3
Ted Horstead
- Accolades
- All-Gulf South Selection, 1984 and 1985
- 2 150+ yard games
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #7 Rushing Yards – 1,123, 1984
- #4 Rushing Attempts – 238, 1984
- #8 and #9 Yards per Game – 88.3 (1986) and 86.4 (1984)
- Career Records
- #3 Rushing Yards – 2,926
- #3 Rushing Attempts – 638
- #3 Yards per Game – 75.0
Demontray Carter
- Accolades
- All-Southland Selection, 2000
- All-Independent Selection, 2001
- 1 150+ yard game
- 0 200+ yard games
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #17 Rushing Yards – 1,666
- #18 Rushing Yards per Carry – 5.41
- #2 Rushing Yards per Game – 75.7
- #17 Rushing Touchdowns – 14
Kenny Cattouse
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt Selection, 2006 and 2007
- 1 150+ yard game
- 1 200+ yard game
- Single-Game Records
- #5 Rushing Yards – 208, 2007
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #12 Rushing Yards – 1,966
- #12 Rushing Attempts – 402
- #17 Yards per Game – 50.4
- #10 Rushing Touchdowns – 16
Sullivan Walker
- Accolades
- All- Gulf South Selection, 1976 and 1977
- 1 150+ yard game
- 0 200 yard games
- Single-Game Records
- #7 Rushing Yards – 198, 1977
- #7 Yards per Rush – 13.2, 1977
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #13 Rushing Yards – 1,931
- #17 Rushing Attempts – 343
- #16 Yards per Carry – 5.63
- #5 Yards per Game – 64.4
- #10 Rushing Touchdowns – 16