Brief research tells me he did get a 6. But Darren got a 4.
Pick One - RB
- Thread starter JM4CY
- Start date
I voted for Troy. Other than a better OL, he had nothing to work with on offense. No offense to our guys, but Todd Doxzon was QB, Ed Williams was the best WR, and yeah.
It really comes down to what you mean by "pick one". I would agree with people who are arguing Breece is more talented. He was drafted higher - not just in terms of round, 2nd vs. 3rd, but he was the 1st back off the board in this year's draft. Clearly, he was more highly regarded by NFL scouts in an era where RB is not valued nearly as much. Breece has physical gifts (size: 5-8 v. 5-11, 181 v. 217; speed: 4.56 v. 4.39, ) that Troy did not.
However, I voted Troy in this match up.
The reason is because of what Troy's performance meant to ISU and to college football in general.
ISU:
I grew up in Ames and started going to games as a kid during the Walden era. People do not understand how low the program was at that point unless you were there... in the middle of a 15 game skid to our rival, never really coming close to a bowl game. It was brutal. When Mac came to ISU Troy Davis was the shot in the arm the program needed, it was the positive story that Mac needed to sell kids on coming to Ames. Even when the last hope for a bowl game was gone, Troy gave fans something to cheer for, something to celebrate, a reason to keep coming back, a reason to watch ISU football in November. It may seem insignificant to young ISU fans who are getting used to going to bowls every year. But Troy was a positive story that brought fans back to ISU. It took more than Troy for Mac to turn the program around but TD helped in those early years.
National:
Troy was the first player to run for over 2000 yards in two different seasons and did it in 22 games (11 per season). Ron Dane (1996, 1999) and Jonathan Taylor (2018, 2019) did it in 25 games and 27 games. Dane only played 11 games in 1997 and 1998 and only had about 1500 yds in each of those seasons. Troy finished 2nd in the Heisman voting despite playing on a team that was 2-9. Paul Hornung is the only player to win the award while playing for a team with a losing record (ND was 2-8 in 1956). National media that never talked about the Cyclones talked about Troy Davis and he brought a positive national story line to the Cyclones. When you got score updates on games they would also give you updates on how many yards Troy Davis had. I don't think there is much of an argument who the bigger college story was when they were playing. Yes, Breece was more talented. But Troy was the bigger story during his time and left a greater college football legacy. (NOTE: I fully expect Breece to have more impact in the NFL).
At the end of the day, I would argue that Troy was more important to Iowa State than Breece Hall. Not that I don't appreciate Breece - he is the most talented back I ever saw play at ISU. But Troy was the light at the end of a very long tunnel. I don't think many fans that were not in that tunnel will ever really understand or appreciate that.
Combine Numbers for Reference:
nflcombineresults.com
nflcombineresults.com
Heisman Trophy Winners and Team Records for Reference:
However, I voted Troy in this match up.
The reason is because of what Troy's performance meant to ISU and to college football in general.
ISU:
I grew up in Ames and started going to games as a kid during the Walden era. People do not understand how low the program was at that point unless you were there... in the middle of a 15 game skid to our rival, never really coming close to a bowl game. It was brutal. When Mac came to ISU Troy Davis was the shot in the arm the program needed, it was the positive story that Mac needed to sell kids on coming to Ames. Even when the last hope for a bowl game was gone, Troy gave fans something to cheer for, something to celebrate, a reason to keep coming back, a reason to watch ISU football in November. It may seem insignificant to young ISU fans who are getting used to going to bowls every year. But Troy was a positive story that brought fans back to ISU. It took more than Troy for Mac to turn the program around but TD helped in those early years.
National:
Troy was the first player to run for over 2000 yards in two different seasons and did it in 22 games (11 per season). Ron Dane (1996, 1999) and Jonathan Taylor (2018, 2019) did it in 25 games and 27 games. Dane only played 11 games in 1997 and 1998 and only had about 1500 yds in each of those seasons. Troy finished 2nd in the Heisman voting despite playing on a team that was 2-9. Paul Hornung is the only player to win the award while playing for a team with a losing record (ND was 2-8 in 1956). National media that never talked about the Cyclones talked about Troy Davis and he brought a positive national story line to the Cyclones. When you got score updates on games they would also give you updates on how many yards Troy Davis had. I don't think there is much of an argument who the bigger college story was when they were playing. Yes, Breece was more talented. But Troy was the bigger story during his time and left a greater college football legacy. (NOTE: I fully expect Breece to have more impact in the NFL).
At the end of the day, I would argue that Troy was more important to Iowa State than Breece Hall. Not that I don't appreciate Breece - he is the most talented back I ever saw play at ISU. But Troy was the light at the end of a very long tunnel. I don't think many fans that were not in that tunnel will ever really understand or appreciate that.
Combine Numbers for Reference:
Troy Davis | Combine Results | RB - Iowa State
NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day scores, percentiles and metrics for Troy Davis, RB, Iowa State.
nflcombineresults.com
Breece Hall | Combine Results | RB - Iowa State
NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day scores, percentiles and metrics for Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State.
nflcombineresults.com
Heisman Trophy Winners and Team Records for Reference:
Last edited:
Other than that one thing, Mrs. Lincoln really enjoyed the show.
If Troy Davis scored a 6 on the Wunderlic, and Darren scored a 4, what would Mrs. Lincoln's score have been?
This is a topic that can go round and round. Hall didn't have a very good OL, but an all conference QB, WR, all American TE, not to mention the rest of the skill position players are better than anything Davis ever played with. Don't get me wrong, love em both. Not discounting anything Hall has done. He proved that he was the best RB in the country the last two years and maybe the best ever at ISU.
It’s kind of like James and Jordan. It’s just different eras and the games are changed. It’s hard to compare. All are GOATS.
Completely disagree. Darren was solid but not a feature back. I think Haywood had a good career in the NFL if he didn't have his tragic health issue.
I’m old enough that I remember Troy Davis. Never saw him in person since I’m from DC and didn’t get into ISU athletics until I applied there my senior year of high school. Davis was an absolute stud in college but Breece is a more complete guy in my opinion.
Crutchfield carried the ball about 40 times per game and might never have found a seam once. Don't think he tried to, he just bulldozed defenders.
Donnie Duncan came from Oklahoma and went back to be their AD, seemed to be a much better AD than he ever was a coach. But that was easy, because he wasn't much of a coach IMO.
Point of fact, the trench Troy ran behind was coached by the best OL coach I’ve seen in over forty years of watching Cyclone football. By far.
We’ll see what Jeff Myers looks like after another twenty years of experience.
Because I came here to post it, here is the roster:
1996 Iowa State Cyclones Roster | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
1996 Iowa State Cyclones Roster
www.sports-reference.com
These are all guys who played at ISU during and after the time I was a student so I know about them, but I'd like to hear more of the older fans chime in as to who were the great RBs before Troy.
Last edited:
I remember the old south end zone scoreboard that showed the rushing yards versus passing yards during '95 and '96- it could be called "a period piece" for football statistics.
Schemes may have been tough for him, but he actually was fairly decent in pass protection. He didn't mind hitting a linebacker head on. I can remember coaches praising him for that latter part.
Yes, Dayne did it in 13 games (including a bowl game) and 12 games (including a bowl game). Only by including the extra game plus two bowl games did he make it those two years. Troy did it in two 11 game regular seasons.
My friend tried one of those sample tests at home and scored a 12 by just guessing on all 50 questions.
I had a cousin who would actively choose all the wrong answers on those standardized tests in high school. Or just make patterns that he liked on the answer sheets.
