Herschel Walker vs Bo Jackson

#51
#51
My personal bias can't be set aside here.

Florida held Bo in check in 1984 and 1985.

Herschel is still running wild in the Gator Bowl. Over, around, through, and past any Gator defender that comes near him.
 
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#54
#54
UGA hasn't been a consistent national title contender since Herschel Walker.

Auburn's won a national title and played for another last year.

For as great as Bo Jackson was in college, he took plays off and games off when the stakes were high.

Herschel balled out every game for three seasons. I have NO love for UGA, but I give credit where credit is due.
 
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#61
#61
Bo was a supremely talented athlete. Like a Ferrari, however, he was a finely tuned machine, one subject to mechanical breakdown. That propensity for injury manifested itself on both the collegiate and professional levels. Herschel was just as big, just as strong, and only a smidgen slower. However, he was FAR more durable than Jackson.
 
#62
#62
Lawrence Wright said:
UGA hasn't been a legit national title contender since Herschel Walker.

Auburn's won a national title and played for another last year.

For as great as Bo Jackson was in college, he took plays off and games off when the stakes were high.

Herschel balled out every game for three seasons. I have NO love for UGA, but I give credit where credit is due.
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UGA came within 8 yards from playing in the National championship in 2012. So you're wrong. Both were great. Bo was the MVP of the 1983 sugar bowl and the 1984 liberty bowl. In the 1983 Iron bowl he rushed for 256 yards. Those are pretty good performances when the stakes were high. Debating as to which was better is as dumb as debating if too much cheese can be put on a pizza.
 
#63
#63
Lawrence Wright said:
Oh I know what he's referring to.

Finebaum was asking for opinions who the better college RB was, so that Raiders-Seahawks game doesn't exactly factor into this discussion.

There's no debating who was the better pro. Bo wins that hands down.
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Is the latter conclusion based exclusively on Bo's two-sport career? If not, it simply does not hold up to cold, hard statistical scrutiny of their respective careers in pro football. Yes, Bo showed flashes of absolute brilliance in the NFL, but that hip injury ended his NFL career after only four seasons, with 515 carries for 2,782 yards (5.4 YPC) and 16 touchdowns, with 40 receptions for 352 yds. (8.8 ave.) and 2 touchdowns.

You can certainly discount Herscel's stats in the USFL if you wish, because of the inferior competition, but he carried the ball 1,143 times for 5,562 yards (4.9 ypc) and 54 touchdowns. He also accounted for 130 receptions for 1,484 yards and 7 touchdowns. That workload undoubtedly took a toll on his NFL productivity, but he still compiled 8225 yards in the senior circuit on 1954 carries (4.2 YPC) and 61 touchdowns. He was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield, amassing 512 receptions for 4,859 yards (9.5 ave.) and 21 more touchdowns.

Walker's NFL legacy was one of highly diversified productivity. His "combined rushing numbers for the USFL and the NFL (13,787 yards) would place him 5th All-Time on the NFL's career rushing list. In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. for 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL's all-time leaders in total yardage as of his retirement . . . ten years later, he still ranked eighth. He scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and returned two kick-offs for touchdowns. Walker is the only other player besides Derrick Mason to have 10,000+ yards from scrimmage and 5,000+ return yards (all of which were on kickoff returns).

He is the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways: rushing, receiving and kickoff returns. He is one of six players (Jim Brown, Lenny Moore, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk and Thurman Thomas) to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving. He is the only NFL player with a 90+ yard reception, 90+ yard run and a 90+ yard kickoff return in one season (1994). He is the only player to record an 84+ yard touchdown run and an 84+ yard touchdown reception in the same game (December 14, 1986)" (Herschel Walker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

So, in terms of success on the professional gridiron, you're right; it isn't close. Herschel's achievements tower over those of Bo Jackson, who, unfortunately, was a meteor passing across the NFL landscape.
 
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#64
#64
Volosaurus rex said:
Is the latter conclusion based exclusively on Bo's two-sport career? If not, it simply does not hold up to cold, hard statistical scrutiny of their respective careers in pro football. Yes, Bo showed flashes of absolute brilliance in the NFL, but that hip injury ended his NFL career after only four seasons, with 515 carries for 2,782 yards (5.4 YPC) and 16 touchdowns, with 40 receptions for 352 yds. (8.8 ave.) and 2 touchdowns.

You can certainly discount Herscel's stats in the USFL if you wish, because of the inferior competition, but he carried the ball 1,143 times for 5,562 yards (4.9 ypc) and 54 touchdowns. He also accounted for 130 receptions for 1,484 yards and 7 touchdowns. That workload undoubtedly took a toll on his NFL productivity, but he still compiled 8225 yards in the senior circuit on 1954 carries (4.2 YPC) and 61 touchdowns. He was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield, amassing 512 receptions for 4,859 yards (9.5 ave.) and 21 more touchdowns.

Walker's NFL legacy was one of highly diversified productivity. His "combined rushing numbers for the USFL and the NFL (13,787 yards) would place him 5th All-Time on the NFL's career rushing list. In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. for 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL's all-time leaders in total yardage as of his retirement . . . ten years later, he still ranked eighth. He scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and returned two kick-offs for touchdowns. Walker is the only other player besides Derrick Mason to have 10,000+ yards from scrimmage and 5,000+ return yards (all of which were on kickoff returns).

He is the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways: rushing, receiving and kickoff returns. He is one of six players (Jim Brown, Lenny Moore, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk and Thurman Thomas) to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving. He is the only NFL player with a 90+ yard reception, 90+ yard run and a 90+ yard kickoff return in one season (1994). He is the only player to record an 84+ yard touchdown run and an 84+ yard touchdown reception in the same game (December 14, 1986)" (Herschel Walker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

So, in terms of success on the professional gridiron, you're right; it isn't close. Herschel's achievements tower over those of Bo Jackson, who, unfortunately, was a meteor passing across the NFL landscape.
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Herschel Walkers legacy in the NFL was being a huge part of the Cowboys superbowl run in the 90's. That one trade turned that franchise around.
 
#65
#65
'twas a monumental trade . . . and a bad investment by the Vikings. People don't realize just how much mileage Herschel already had on him by the time he reached the NFL. If you count his three years in the SEC and three in the USFL, he toted the pigskin 2137 times in six years for 10,811 yards and 103 touchdowns. He only had one monster year for the Cowboys (1988), when he rushed for 1514 yards and gained another 505 yards on 53 receptions. And that was, of course, the year immediately prior to the trade. To be perfectly honest to Walker, however, he rather quietly amassed over 1500 yards from scrimmage in each of the two previous seasons with the Cowboys, splitting time between the running back and receiver positions.
 
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#67
#67
Lawrence Wright said:
UGA hasn't been a legit national title contender since Herschel Walker.

Auburn's won a national title and played for another last year.

For as great as Bo Jackson was in college, he took plays off and games off when the stakes were high.

Herschel balled out every game for three seasons. I have NO love for UGA, but I give credit where credit is due.
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Bo said several times in interviews he'd rather be fishing than playing either football or baseball. He also said he didn't really work at either. Just came natural.

Hershel, on the other hand, did like 1000 push-ups and sit-ups every single day (most likely I have exaggerated that number for effect).
 
#68
#68
ZZ13 said:
Bo said several times in interviews he'd rather be fishing than playing either football or baseball. He also said he didn't really work at either. Just came natural.

Hershel, on the other hand, did like 1000 push-ups and sit-ups every single day (most likely I have exaggerated that number for effect).
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That could explain why Herschel was far better than Bo. The talent both had was something that could not be taught, fundamentals yes talent not.

I personally think Tony Dorsett was a better college running back than Bo.
 
#69
#69
ZZ13 said:
Hershel, on the other hand, did like 1000 push-ups and sit-ups every single day (most likely I have exaggerated that number for effect).
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In the SEC storied about him it said he did like 5,000 push-ups and 5,000 sit-ups every single day because he was bullied in elementary school
 
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#70
#70
BigOrangeTrain said:
UGA came within 8 yards from playing in the National championship in 2012. So you're wrong. Both were great. Bo was the MVP of the 1983 sugar bowl and the 1984 liberty bowl. In the 1983 Iron bowl he rushed for 256 yards. Those are pretty good performances when the stakes were high. Debating as to which was better is as dumb as debating if too much cheese can be put on a pizza.
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Never said both weren't great, I said Herschel was better. And I should have said UGA hasn't been a CONSISTENT national title contender since Herschel was on campus.

Herschel single-handedly put UGA in national title contention for three straight years while winning three straight SEC titles.

Bo could have rushed for 600 yards in the Liberty Bowl and another 800 in the Iron Bowl. Herschel had the stats and rings.

And sure, maybe I'm biased because Bo went 1-3 against UF, and I personally saw Bo take himself out of our 1985 game when it didn't appear as though he was injured.

In 1982 UGA could have brought only Herschel and the Red Coat Marching Band to Jacksonville, and they still would have beaten us 24-0.
 
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#71
#71
Volosaurus rex said:
Is the latter conclusion based exclusively on Bo's two-sport career? If not, it simply does not hold up to cold, hard statistical scrutiny of their respective careers in pro football. Yes, Bo showed flashes of absolute brilliance in the NFL, but that hip injury ended his NFL career after only four seasons, with 515 carries for 2,782 yards (5.4 YPC) and 16 touchdowns, with 40 receptions for 352 yds. (8.8 ave.) and 2 touchdowns.

You can certainly discount Herscel's stats in the USFL if you wish, because of the inferior competition, but he carried the ball 1,143 times for 5,562 yards (4.9 ypc) and 54 touchdowns. He also accounted for 130 receptions for 1,484 yards and 7 touchdowns. That workload undoubtedly took a toll on his NFL productivity, but he still compiled 8225 yards in the senior circuit on 1954 carries (4.2 YPC) and 61 touchdowns. He was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield, amassing 512 receptions for 4,859 yards (9.5 ave.) and 21 more touchdowns.

Walker's NFL legacy was one of highly diversified productivity. His "combined rushing numbers for the USFL and the NFL (13,787 yards) would place him 5th All-Time on the NFL's career rushing list. In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. for 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL's all-time leaders in total yardage as of his retirement . . . ten years later, he still ranked eighth. He scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and returned two kick-offs for touchdowns. Walker is the only other player besides Derrick Mason to have 10,000+ yards from scrimmage and 5,000+ return yards (all of which were on kickoff returns).

He is the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways: rushing, receiving and kickoff returns. He is one of six players (Jim Brown, Lenny Moore, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk and Thurman Thomas) to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving. He is the only NFL player with a 90+ yard reception, 90+ yard run and a 90+ yard kickoff return in one season (1994). He is the only player to record an 84+ yard touchdown run and an 84+ yard touchdown reception in the same game (December 14, 1986)" (Herschel Walker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

So, in terms of success on the professional gridiron, you're right; it isn't close. Herschel's achievements tower over those of Bo Jackson, who, unfortunately, was a meteor passing across the NFL landscape.
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My claim that Bo was the better athlete was based on his two sport career.

I take USFL stats with a grain of salt due to watered down competition, but you make a compelling argument in favor of Herschel having the more accomplished pro football career.
 
#72
#72
ZZ13 said:
Bo said several times in interviews he'd rather be fishing than playing either football or baseball. He also said he didn't really work at either. Just came natural.

Hershel, on the other hand, did like 1000 push-ups and sit-ups every single day (most likely I have exaggerated that number for effect).
Click to expand...

Bo said playing in the NFL was a hobby lol.
 
#75
#75
The Ron Mexico said:
Too tough to call. Probably the two best RB's to ever play in the SEC.

And I think Jamal Lewis had the potential to be in that conversation. But it never came to fruition.
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I don't think Jamal would have been included, simply due to the fact that TENN had Henry and Stephens in the rotation as well.

Hypothetically, even if Jamal stays healthy in 1998, I just don't see him attaining Bo/Herschel like numbers.
 
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