Greatest RBs in MS history

[Madisonmd]

Was wondering peoples thoughts on the greatest HS running backs in the history of MS football?
My list in order: 1. Dupree
2. Payton
3. Walker (Dontae)
4. Norwood
5. Fair
P.S. Didn't include Akers due to him being HS QB

[dawgday166]

Top 2 look right. Not sure about the others ... just know what 3 & 4 did in college.

[Rick Danko]

I think Zo has to be on there somewhere. Set td record in HS that may still stand (not positivs if he still has it) and was great all around back

[Madisonmd]

Definitely hard to leave Dicenzo out! What about Mcallister?

[Liverpooldawg]

Was wondering peoples thoughts on the greatest HS running backs in the history of MS football?
My list in order: 1. Dupree
2. Payton
3. Walker (Dontae)
4. Norwood
5. Fair
P.S. Didn't include Akers due to him being HS QB

Only one has ever won a Heisman, Doc Blanchard.

[Jack Lambert]

Walker.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Brian Darden has to be in your top 3.

[Madisonmd]

Honestly, forgot about Darden. There are an amazing amount of great RBs in our history!

[1bigdawg]

Was wondering peoples thoughts on the greatest HS running backs in the history of MS football?
My list in order: 1. Dupree
2. Payton
3. Walker (Dontae)
4. Norwood
5. Fair
P.S. Didn't include Akers due to him being HS QB

I saw all of your top five in HS. None were as good as Marcus Durpree. From memory, he only returned 3 kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior, because they kicked it out of bounds every other time. He played on a worse than average team, but was amazing. He had incredible size, speed, change of direction and vision.

[KentuckyDawg13]

What about Don Smith? RB in NFL.

[Madisonmd]

Was a HS QB. Doesn't qualify for this list

[Mjoelner34]

I would definitely add Jason McNair (Steve's nephew) to the list if you extend it to the Top 10. 120 TDs (MS record) and 7,781 yds. Also put up 122 against us for UT Martin. Counting KO returns, punt returns, runs from scrimmage and recieving, he averaged 39yds per TD his senior season in highschool.

[maroonmania]

Was wondering peoples thoughts on the greatest HS running backs in the history of MS football?
My list in order: 1. Dupree
2. Payton
3. Walker (Dontae)
4. Norwood
5. Fair
P.S. Didn't include Akers due to him being HS QB

Your list looks about right though I am curious what Walter Payton accomplishments were in HS. Hard to believe JSU would have been his best offer if he was the 2nd most accomplished HS RB in the history of the state.

Here is an article on this topic from the CL back in 2014 with some other backs listed including Keffer McGee.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/prepsreport/2014/10/22/top-five-high-school-running-backs-mississippi/17715963/

[starkvegasdawg]

Fitz.*

[BulldogBacker]

Was wondering peoples thoughts on the greatest HS running backs in the history of MS football?
My list in order: 1. Dupree
2. Payton
3. Walker (Dontae)
4. Norwood
5. Fair
P.S. Didn't include Akers due to him being HS QB

!. "Shodeless" Ode Burrell. (Durant) 5-11 1/2 205 and ran a 9.5 100 effortlessly.
2. "Blondy" Black 6-0 200 TB (Philadelphia) when OL and DL were 190. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._%22Blondy%22_Black
3. Tom "Shorty" McWilliams (Meridian)....finished highest in Heisman voting.

Don't forget these older Dawgs!

[ATTILLA THE DOG]

Sammy Winder

[Madisonmd]

Excellent point!

[archdog]

Deuce was pretty good.

[War Machine Dawg]

Tig Barksdale deserves some love. Believe Pig Prather was a RB in HS as well, although I wouldn't put him in the Top 5 category. Clarence McDougal deserves a mention as well.

[basedog]

Walter Payton all day and everyday. Talent, leadership, dedicated, desire, smart, tough, hustle and loved Mississippi. He proved himself from the start to the finish. Dupree, talented but lacked what Walter had.

[DeviousDawg]

Deuce was pretty good.

Deuce has as to be in the top 5. One of the most likable rebs in my opinion, didn't hurt that he went to the saints. Dude could run the rock.

[DeviousDawg]

Tig Barksdale deserves some love. Believe Pig Prather was a RB in HS as well, although I wouldn't put him in the Top 5 category. Clarence McDougal deserves a mention as well.

Man Clarence McDougal was one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my life. I remember watching him single handedly beat Madison Central back in their hay day before the Ridgeland split. Injuries kept him from being one of the best ever out of MS imo. Dude was a hell of an athlete.

Off topic, but I also remember watching Beaver Gotskowski boom kick off after kick off through the uprights. Never understood why he didn't get an offer from State/OM. He will end up being one of the best kickers in NFL history.

[drunkernhelldawg]

Amazing how many great players are Mississippians. We're about number one in that category.

[Bubb Rubb]

Man Clarence McDougal was one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my life. I remember watching him single handedly beat Madison Central back in their hay day before the Ridgeland split. Injuries kept him from being one of the best ever out of MS imo. Dude was a hell of an athlete.

Off topic, but I also remember watching Beaver Gotskowski boom kick off after kick off through the uprights. Never understood why he didn't get an offer from State/OM. He will end up being one of the best kickers in NFL history.

Gostkowski was inconsistent in high school and was more focused on baseball than football. I think he may have even lost his kicking job in high school. Actually went to Tiger High on a baseball scholarship. He walked on to kick for the football team. We've had a lot of big-time misses recruiting-wise, but I will give us a pass on Gostkowski.

[basedog]

Deuce has as to be in the top 5. One of the most likable rebs in my opinion, didn't hurt that he went to the saints. Dude could run the rock.

No way, good player but not even close to a top 5.

[DeviousDawg]

Gostkowski was inconsistent in high school and was more focused on baseball than football. I think he may have even lost his kicking job in high school. Actually went to Tiger High on a baseball scholarship. He walked on to kick for the football team. We've had a lot of big-time misses recruiting-wise, but I will give us a pass on Gostkowski.

He could kick a 60 yarder in high school. I've never seen leg strength like that from a high schooler, I wish I could find some old video. He may have been inconsistent but the potential was clearly there. He was a hell of an athlete too. I want to say he was all-state in 3 sports at some point in his career in football, baseball and soccer.

Those MC teams in he late 90s/early 00s were stacked with talent. Buckles, Beav, Harrelson, Bobo, Mike Espy, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others.

In fact, Bobo Brown deserves a mention for top 5 MS running backs. From his Michigan State bio:

"rushed for a Class 5A state record 7,130 career yards, breaking the mark previously held by NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton...Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 2,652 yards (345 carries) and 32 TDs in 2000...earned all-state and all-metro honors from The Clarion-Ledger as a sophomore and junior...ran for a Class 5A-record 2,687 yards (314 attempts) and 31 TDs as a junior...rushed for a career-best 467 yards (44 carries) and seven TDs vs. Gentry...helped Madison Central to a combined record of 25-3 (.893) over his final two seasons, including a perfect 15-0 mark in 1999 and the Class 5A state crown"

[Jack Lambert]

I don't know if you could put Payton in there. He only played I think two seasons or maybe only one. No doubt he is the best college running back to come out of Mississippi.

[tcdog70]

1. WALTER PACKER
2. WAYNE JONES
3. PAUL OTT CARRUTH
4. BUBBA PHILLIPS
5. ZO MILLER
6. KEIFFER MEGEE
7. BUFORD MEGEE
8.MARCUS DUPREE
9.DOUG CUNNINGHAM
10.DUCKSWORTH--CAN'T REMEMBER HIS FIRST NAME

[tcdog70]

I think Zo has to be on there somewhere. Set td record in HS that may still stand (not positivs if he still has it) and was great all around back

HE BROKE BUBBA PHILLIPS RECORD WHICH LASTED FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS

[M.Fillmore]

I confess that I never saw Dupre or Walter Payton (not old enough), but I've seen 20 high school games a year for the past 25 years. Brian Darden is the best these eyes have seen. A true waste of talent. Million dollar body with a 10 cent head.

Clarence McDougal and Coco Hodge will never be appreciated for the talent they had due to injuries. I love Jerious Norwood but McDougal was better, and I mean a lot better. I have an old film of a Clinton-Brandon game where McDougal was playing cornerback and they would toss sweep to Norwood and McDougal would cross the field and shut Jerious down at the line. Hard to believe until you see the film. The guy was incredible. Coco Hodge was committed to MSU and had a freak injury against Indianola when Clinton was leading 49-0 late in the game. Coco should have never been in the game and he never played again. Oh, what could have been...

Beaver Gotkowski would boom a 55 yard FG and then boink a PAT off the upright. He had a fabulous leg (still does) but he was incredibly inconsistent in high school.

I remember seeing Kevin Henry at Mound Bayou. He was a fabulous talent that nobody but Jackie recognized. Jackie turned him into an NFL talent. I think he had eight years in the NFL.

I saw Jerrel Powe each of his three years in high school. He actually regressed. Powe was incredible as a 10th grader and then he regressed. In Powe's sophomore season, Wayne County beat South Panola. Powe was clearly the best player on the field. Big, strong, and super quick. In his junior and senior years, he didn't look as good as the two times I saw him in his 10th grade year.

I'm an old fart but I have seen a lot of high school talent in Mississippi. I've seen a lot of great Ms Juco talent as well.

[Liverpooldawg]

!. "Shodeless" Ode Burrell. (Durant) 5-11 1/2 205 and ran a 9.5 100 effortlessly.
2. "Blondy" Black 6-0 200 TB (Philadelphia) when OL and DL were 190. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._%22Blondy%22_Black
3. Tom "Shorty" McWilliams (Meridian)....finished highest in Heisman voting.

Don't forget these older Dawgs!
Doc Blanchard won a Heisman. He went to St. Stanislaus on the coast.

[Cooterpoot]

The most physically gifted I saw were (1) Dupree (2) Fair (3) McAllister (4) Autry (5) Walker

[Saltydog]

of HS RB's outta this State. He was 6'2" and about 230 pounds and that SOB could run. He came along a year or two after Dupree so it had to be around '82 or '83 but he was a helluva RB and a Parade AA and MS Mr. Football. Think he ended up at a Juco or something but he was a bad mofo. Rumor had it that he wore two different colored sweat bands on his wrist and they would tell him the color and he would run to that side. His is a tragic story but he ended up getting into some trouble and was killed robbing a liquor store somewhere out West I believe. He was cut in the mold of the big backs of that era (Dupree, Jackson, Walker) and was damn talented.

[Coursesuper]

of HS RB's outta this State. He was 6'2" and about 230 pounds and that SOB could run. He came along a year or two after Dupree so it had to be around '82 or '83 but he was a helluva RB and a Parade AA and MS Mr. Football. Think he ended up at a Juco or something but he was a bad mofo. Rumor had it that he wore two different colored sweat bands on his wrist and they would tell him the color and he would run to that side. His is a tragic story but he ended up getting into some trouble and was killed robbing a liquor store somewhere out West I believe. He was cut in the mold of the big backs of that era (Dupree, Jackson, Walker) and was damn talented.

It was 81 season that he had a huge year, he went to West Jones. Big fast dude.

[Coursesuper]

The most physically gifted I saw were (1) Dupree (2) Fair (3) McAllister (4) Autry (5) Walker

I officiated games for Fair, McAllister, and Walker saw Dupree play in person he was a physical freak and the best I ever saw but behind him was McGee he was the best running back that ever played at State, unbelievable vision, I swear that kid could see out of his ear holes. He had speed power and vision all in one package.

[Mjoelner34]

HE BROKE BUBBA PHILLIPS RECORD WHICH LASTED FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS

And McNair broke Miller's record.

[Cooterpoot]

It was 81 season that he had a huge year, he went to West Jones. Big fast dude.

His son or nephew (not sure which) was the big stud RB at Seminary back in the early 2000s. Sadly, he couldn't stay out of trouble either.

[Cooterpoot]

I officiated games for Fair, McAllister, and Walker saw Dupree play in person he was a physical freak and the best I ever saw but behind him was McGee he was the best running back that ever played at State, unbelievable vision, I swear that kid could see out of his ear holes. He had speed power and vision all in one package.

Gary McGill at Taylorsville had the best vision I've ever seen. He wasn't 185 soaking wet, but he was something else. He actually broke Dupree TD record. Zo broke his record.

[Cooterpoot]

Fred McAfee is another guy people forget about. Had a nice pro career.
Andrew Autry is a guy people forget about. Was 6'2, 230 and had offers from several SEC schools but blew his knee out his SR year.
Noah Ingram holds the yardage record.
Eric Booth at Bassfield could fly.
Cooper kid from Raymond is another guy.

[Saltydog]

route.

[FISHDAWG]

of HS RB's outta this State. He was 6'2" and about 230 pounds and that SOB could run. He came along a year or two after Dupree so it had to be around '82 or '83 but he was a helluva RB and a Parade AA and MS Mr. Football. Think he ended up at a Juco or something but he was a bad mofo. Rumor had it that he wore two different colored sweat bands on his wrist and they would tell him the color and he would run to that side. His is a tragic story but he ended up getting into some trouble and was killed robbing a liquor store somewhere out West I believe. He was cut in the mold of the big backs of that era (Dupree, Jackson, Walker) and was damn talented.

yep - I played against him ... he had a brother that played there also named Adolf ..... If I remember correctly - Michael Haddix was drafted as the # 8th pick in the draft ... not sure any of our RB's were drafted higher

[parabrave]

One under the radar is a guy named Gene Lang from Pass Christian. Was one tough SOB. Went to LSU then played for the Broncos as a fuulback for Sammie Winder in the 80's.

[dawgman]

James Otis Doss West Point

Rooster Jones Pascagoula

[parabrave]

Might need to break this down under best RBs in each decade.