There once was a man named Reggie Bush who, about ten years ago, took college football by storm. He ran faster than your fastest player. He jumped however high and however far he needed to jump, to score the next touchdown. Bush was a Paul Bunyan like figure; a myth of a man. I’m still not sure if he was real or if I dreamed the whole thing. Yet, have we forgotten that Bush wasn’t the only great tailback that took the field for USC back then? There was a mountain of a man who could run over your defensive lineman and run by your linebackers. His name was LenDale White. The pair were known as “Thunder and Lightning.” The smash mouth style of White gave Southern Cal the thunder; while the lightning quick Reggie Bush could turn what should be a mediocre gain into huge run. We haven’t seen anything in college football like the Thunder and Lightning USC backfield since it’s conclusion in the mid-2000’s. But that’s going to change very soon.
Urban Meyer and Tony Alford have pieced together what could be the next great runningback duo in college football and possibly a backfield that will be remembered for generations. Who is this potentially legendary duo? Kareem Walker and Antonio Williams.
The top ranked tailback in the country, Kareem Walker has 4.40 speed and a big play ability that is going to be dynamic in Ohio State’s offense. The 6’1 208lb runningback from Wayne, New Jersey has recently been compared to Leonard Fournette, with respect to his raw talent. He will be OSU’s lightning.
That would make Antonio Williams, the thunder. Standing at 5’11, Williams is a bulky 210lbs. He is a guy that thrives on contact. Williams also has great field vision, which is going to allow him to get into open space, where he possesses the speed to break away from defenders. He is a top ten back in the nation, and a special talent.
Walker and Williams are both elite guys that thrive in competition. A place like Ohio State, that focuses on hard work, always putting the team first, and a competitive spirit where competition is introduced in almost every facet of the program, will bring the best out of both of these players. Once Walker and Williams reach their full potential, watch out college football, this will be a lethal combination.
Leave a Reply