Blum: Breece vs. Troy

Great job Blum! Again, I can't stress this enough, not only did Troy get robbed of the Heisman, but he did not even win the Doak Walker award for best RB either year after rushing for over 2k. SMH! I also feel like fans sometimes forget how special Darren was at ISU. His senior year was special! Breece has been great this year, and like you said he is just getting started.
 
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Staggering to think that TD averaged 36 carries per game in 1996. This means he was used in easily over half the plays from scrimmage in every game. Defenses had to be keying on him, and yet he produced.

I have never in my lifetime seen a back who could cut through a sliver of an opening - in the blink of an eye! - like Davis could. And he was certainly no Derrick Henry, at 5' 8" and maybe 185 pounds. That he took a pounding was inevitable, and yet he didn't miss a game.
 
Troy was amazing, because ISU literally had nothing else. Everyone knew he was going to get the ball, even on 3rd and 15. Sure they threw a pass or two here or there, but most of the action was Troy hiding behind OL until he could find a hole. I would argue that Davis had a better OL than Hall. If ISU could get everyone healthy on the OL, that would help out Hall.
 
Any Tavern Hok that thinks Davis got those yards vs. backups needs to look at the scores, especially in '96. ISU wasn't good but the culture was shifting and with Davis they garnered attention.

A couple were wide margins but after 1992 Osbourne wasn't going to take the foot off the gas at all.

Uh, yah this is also in the article that I'm sure you read..

The notion is that Davis racked up yards in blow-outs when Iowa State was going against second-teamers. Not remotely true.

In fact (thanks to Chris Andringa), Davis ran for more first-half yards than second-half yards in his career, which crushes the idea that it was only the 4th quarter when he put up meaningless yards. Davis was dominant at all times for a team that went 5-17 in those two seasons.
 
Staggering to think that TD averaged 36 carries per game in 1996. This means he was used in easily over half the plays from scrimmage in every game. Defenses had to be keying on him, and yet he produced.

I have never in my lifetime seen a back who could cut through a sliver of an opening - in the blink of an eye! - like Davis could. And he was certainly no Derrick Henry, at 5' 8" and maybe 185 pounds. That he took a pounding was inevitable, and yet he didn't miss a game.

Yeah, I remember a lot of defenses with 7 or 8 men in the box.
 
Any Tavern Hok that thinks Davis got those yards vs. backups needs to look at the scores, especially in '96. ISU wasn't good but the culture was shifting and with Davis they garnered attention.

A couple were wide margins but after 1992 Osbourne wasn't going to take the foot off the gas at all.


1995 and 1996 were very different, though the records didn't reflect it. Troy's first 2000 yard year in 1995 had a lot of games that were blowouts I vaguely recall. There were plenty of yards in meaningless moments, probably against reserves

You are absolutely right about 1996. ISU was competitive most weeks and most games were still undecided in the 4th quarter. Despite their record, ISU was a vastly improved team. It's really too bad they couldn't have pulled out even a few of those closer games and got the win.
 
1995 and 1996 were very different, though the records didn't reflect it. Troy's first 2000 yard year in 1995 had a lot of games that were blowouts I vaguely recall. There were plenty of yards in meaningless moments, probably against reserves

You are absolutely right about 1996. ISU was competitive most weeks and most games were still undecided in the 4th quarter. Despite their record, ISU was a vastly improved team. It's really too bad they couldn't have pulled out even a few of those closer games and got the win.
I remember that 1996 season well. Being a kid and feeling super excited that they were close. Also, I remember being at the Wyoming game. That was a weird one to say the least. I believe the first OT in ISU history.
 
This will make for a good trivia question someday

Who played in more games: Breece Hall in the 2020 season or Troy Davis in the 1996 season?

Anyone want to wager who will come out ahead?
 
This will make for a good trivia question someday

Who played in more games: Breece Hall in the 2020 season or Troy Davis in the 1996 season?

Anyone want to wager who will come out ahead?

Could be a tie if ISU plays all their games and goes to a bowl. Covid will be the determining factor, once again.
 

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