Let’s examine the Bull and Bear Market for the ball carriers heading into spring practices.
STOCK UP
Jahiem White, West Virginia
White has been an excellent option for CFF owners through two seasons, but a few key things happened for White’s stock to rise over this offseason. First, Rich Rodriguez took over as head coach. No shade is being thrown at Neal Brown, but RichRod is a bona fide RB Kingmaker in the CFF world.
Just last year, he took Tre Stewart from a nobody to a monster 296-1,872-26 season. As amazing as Stewart was, he still didn’t put up the numbers of other former RichRod RBs in Ka’Deem Carey and Steve Slaton. Secondly, CJ Donaldson hit the portal for Columbus, thus opening up the backfield for White to become the featured back.
Chip Trayanum, Toledo
It is very possible Trayanum could have made this list last season. But things never worked out at Kentucky. Now, he drops down a few levels in competition to the MAC at one of my favorite landing spots – Toledo. Should health not be a concern, a Bryant Koback and Peny Boone workload seems very well within reason for this former Cat with devil’s eyes (that’s Wildcat/Sun Devil/Buckeye combination).
Sieh Bangura, Ohio
Few have as strange a CFB path as Trayanum, but Bangura is giving him a run for his money. Once a “my guy” back in 2022, where he paid off to the tune of 1,300 yards and 15 TDs, then on the stock-down list last season for the awful decision to ride the pine behind Darius Taylor at Minnesota. He’s on the stock up list for his return home to Ohio. What a rollercoaster. This staff is familiar with Bangura, and it should be wheels up for this offense in 2025 with so many key pieces returning. Bangura likely regains the lead role, with Tyus and Hunt moving on.
Quinten Joyner, Texas Tech
Joyner was woefully underutilized at USC by Lincoln Riley. So, Joyner packed his bag and headed to west Texas to follow in the footsteps of his high school teammate, Tahj Brooks. It is unreasonable to expect Joyner to get the workload that Brooks has managed the last couple of seasons with 633 touches. But that offense is now under the supervision of one of the best young coaching minds in Mack Leftwich and Joyner, who is explosive enough to do serious damage with 150 touches.
STOCK DOWN
Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech
If Joyner is stock up because of his move to Texas Tech, then the result is stock down for Dickey. Tech courted several portal RBs and landed on Joyner. This doesn’t do much for the confidence in Dickey to be the next man up in Lubbock after Brooks’ departure. To add insult to injury, fellow frosh RB J’Koby Williams went ham for 159 yards and a TD on 19 touches in the bowl game. At best, this looks to be a committee. At worst, Dickey is the odd man out.
AJ Turner, Minnesota
Turner apparently paid no attention to the Gopher backfield situation in 2024. This appears to have all the makings of Sieh Bangura 2.0. Turner was impressive and incredibly efficient for Marshall, but like Bangura, he’s decided to step up to the B10 to get a close-up view of how good Darius Taylor is. Cameron Davis also transferred into this room, which gives all the feels of Marcus Major. Turner looks to be getting a bag as the emergency option for Minnesota until he bounces next offseason.
Jordan Marshall, Michigan
New Year’s Eve seems like a lifetime ago. That was when Marshall ran for 100 yards on 23 carries against Alabama. All signs pointed towards a massive breakout season for the young Wolverine in 2025 after that performance, with Edwards and Mullings moving on. But that just wasn’t meant to be. Such is life in the portal era. Michigan doesn’t dip into the portal often for an RB, but they did so in a big way, landing Justice Haynes from Alabama. Paying second, or even third, round capital for Haynes is too rich for my blood, but it makes sense to view him, not Marshall, as the next productive Michigan back.
Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi State
There is nothing wrong with investing in a Jeff Lebby RB. However, the jump from the Sun Belt to the SEC seems significant. However, it is probably not as substantial as the NCAA passing the rule that JUCO players are granted another year of eligibility, thus allowing Davon Booth to return for another season. This turn of events happened after Fluff had committed to Mississippi State. Booth had a strong finish to 2024, and his return likely means RBBC for Fluff in StarkVegas.
