Unga. And yes, he was better than Staley and Williams.

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Apr 21, 2021
10:04:04am

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Backcountry

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Messages

Author

Time

Who is BYU's RB GOAT? Debating Harvey vs Luke vs Jamaal one more time

climps

4/21/21 9:48am

This wouldn't even be a question if Harvey had played four years

Coop

4/21/21 9:50am

To this I would add...GIANT "what if..." for Ronny Jenkins

Michael McQuain

4/21/21 9:59am

3rd best season by any BYU player (behind Luke '01 and Harvey '07). Big what if

climps

4/21/21 10:18am

I'm with you. When eligible he was great.

oldrugger

4/21/21 10:39am

but he didn't

Pangare

4/21/21 11:30am

And yet he's still with the same girl...& still with BYU.

SinkingQuffa

4/21/21 11:47am

RE: And yet he's still with the same girl...& still with BYU.

Pangare

4/21/21 12:12pm

Anyone who watched Luke Staley play knows he’s the best.

Ham

4/21/21 9:53am

When healthy, Luke Staley was the best. Jamaal and Harvey

Goatnapper'96

4/21/21 9:58am

I think the best requires consistency, duration. Can't be a one hit wonder.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 10:08am

Luke was not really a one hit wonder

Dan

4/21/21 11:32am

Agreed. Freshman year is better than we remember

climps

4/21/21 11:38am

unless that one year was truly spectacular

icecougar

4/21/21 12:17pm

The best for that system built for him.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 10:04am

Also, made of glass

Backcountry

4/21/21 10:04am

Luke was a one season wonder

donnerstag

4/21/21 10:04am

if you ding Luke because of scheme you have to ding Detmer, Young, McMahon..

icecougar

4/21/21 12:13pm

GOAT status requires career achievements

donnerstag

4/21/21 1:38pm

yes but it's not limited to career achievements only especially when...

icecougar

4/21/21 3:08pm

If you have the 9th best scoring season in NCAA history ...

climps

4/21/21 3:29pm

Doak Walker

(Private)

4/21/21 4:26pm

No he wasn't.

idacoug

4/21/21 2:48pm

If you start ranking the best seasons by a RB in BYU history

donnerstag

4/21/21 2:58pm

Zach is a covid season wonder and he's worshipped on here.

MrClark

4/21/21 7:47pm

No question. Luke was the greatest talent, then Jenkins

fulano

4/21/21 10:05am

Staley gets my vote.

oldrugger

4/21/21 10:39am

You nailed it. It isn't even a legit debate in my mind.

ALUF 1990

4/21/21 10:51am

Luuuuuuuke. 7 yards per carry or something like that. And it was legit.

Dr MoBYU

4/21/21 11:34am

Staley has the hardware. Doak. End of discussion

bad84cougar

4/21/21 5:53pm

Harvey

Kama'aina

4/21/21 9:55am

The opinion of a Ute fan: Luke and Harvey tie. Very different

UpperCirqueUte

4/21/21 9:58am

I was very curious about a Ute's opinion, thanks for sharing.

climps

4/21/21 10:11am

Harvey and Luke struck fear in my heart, Jamal not as much. Just my take.

UpperCirqueUte

4/21/21 10:32am

I would also say Luke & Harvery had superior olines

LakeshowCougs

4/21/21 10:16am

I can’t comment on that, but obviously you know a lot better than me, and

UpperCirqueUte

4/21/21 10:31am

Did you play on Utah's team? Staley's 8.1 yards per carry is ridiculous. He did

ALUF 1990

4/21/21 10:55am

His sideline scamper for a TD to beat the Utes was unreal!

lbmango

4/21/21 11:11am

2 TD's and a 2pt conversion in the last couple of minutes to win it

icecougar

4/21/21 12:43pm

Sorry what I wrote was misleading. I was not a player. Edited it to make that

UpperCirqueUte

4/21/21 11:39am

So your college playing career lasted seven years?

CougarThug

4/21/21 11:23am

Unga. And yes, he was better than Staley and Williams.

Backcountry

4/21/21 10:04am

Luke Staley is the best, but the most durable and powerful is Unga.

idacoug

4/21/21 2:46pm

^^^^^these are the words I was looking for to differentiate Staley and Unga.

Pangare

4/21/21 3:23pm

Luke was more explosive, Unga more durable seemed to be the best at always

kotacoug

4/21/21 10:05am

Jamaal Williams. His senior yr tipped him over the top for me

D.T. Survivor

4/21/21 10:21am

Doesn't Pete VonValkenberg still hold the season record. No. 1 in the nation?

oldrugger

4/21/21 10:41am

My long take on Pete, fwiw

climps

4/21/21 11:16am

IMO, 6 backs belong in tier 1: Unga, Williams, Staley, Jenkins, Willis, Brown

The Y's Insider

4/21/21 10:43am

This is pretty much how I ended up thinking about it too

climps

4/21/21 12:08pm

I love all those guys, but it’s Luke Staley by a mile. He had an extra gear.

TunaNoCrust

4/21/21 10:44am

Jenkins was faster and shiftier than Luke

donnerstag

4/21/21 10:54am

factor in size and goal line ability and it starts to tilt this in Luke's...

icecougar

4/21/21 12:25pm

And everything else to go with it as far as system and personnel.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 3:37pm

Staley...no question

zerome4sooners

4/21/21 11:07am

FYI here's a rapid fire summary of the post with my answers to the questions

climps

4/21/21 11:12am

if you could pick either Luke, Harvey, or Jamaal as a 2022 recruit signee ...

Dan

4/21/21 11:26am

and my second RB recruit would be Ronny Jenkins, by the way

Dan

4/21/21 11:27am

We aren't talking about potential. We are basing this on perform & reality.

The Y's Insider

4/21/21 11:34am

Oh, I still believe Luke is the GOAT based on actual results. My point was ...

Dan

4/21/21 12:24pm

I mean this the same way in a debate on who is the GOAT at QB for BYU

Dan

4/21/21 12:33pm

I would love to see people's RB ranking stratified by the fan's age

D.T. Survivor

4/21/21 12:47pm

You can't toss out their injury history or schematic strengths/weaknesses

D.T. Survivor

4/21/21 11:38am

I am not tossing out those things

Dan

4/21/21 4:37pm

I take Harvey because Luke was just injury prone. I want a guy for four seasons

(Private)

4/21/21 4:28pm

And yet, ironically, BYU did not have Harvey for four seasons

Dan

4/21/21 4:41pm

Yep. But easier I believe to help with HC issues rather than injuries.

(Private)

4/21/21 4:48pm

Yes, but if people are ok considering someone with a career less than 4 years

Dan

4/21/21 4:59pm

Jamaal. Luke had the best single season. Harvey could have been the best if

LifeLongLakerFan

4/21/21 11:40am

Thanks for the thoughts. Been enough interest I'll post the link to part 2

climps

4/21/21 11:50am

Staley averaged 8 yds per touch and the goalline cut a lot of runs short!

Hill4Heisman

4/21/21 11:51am

and he was the best goal line back of the bunch and it's not even close...

icecougar

4/21/21 12:40pm

Peak Staley is clearly the best, but Jamaal had the best career. Unga is #2.

Hill4Heisman

4/21/21 11:52am

Yet Staley w/out a special pitch guy like Doman - woulda struggled within space.

SinkingQuffa

4/21/21 11:57am

and would Jamaal have been as successful w/o defenses 100% focused on Taysom...

icecougar

4/21/21 12:29pm

Probably not. I think Harvey did the most on his own of the 3, probably.

SinkingQuffa

4/21/21 1:15pm

I think even Harvey benefited greatly by the OC's scheme...

icecougar

4/21/21 2:01pm

I think he woulda thrived in that as good as Jamaal. Only less finesse &

SinkingQuffa

4/21/21 3:46pm

100% focused on Taysom? Please.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 3:20pm

I agree except that Unga's consistency isn't enough to put him above Staley

D.T. Survivor

4/21/21 12:48pm

Jenkins. Best pure back BYU has had.

Mathew

4/21/21 12:34pm

Sorry Staley has the hardware

BYU Grounds

4/21/21 12:37pm

Excellent read! Impressive information and love the funny jabs at Utah.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

4/21/21 1:16pm

Between Harvey and Jamaal I think Harvey was better up through their Jr seasons.

CougarBreath

4/21/21 1:35pm

an interesting angle to consider is...

icecougar

4/21/21 2:47pm

Correct, rivalry performance is a knock on Jamaal for sure.

climps

4/21/21 2:59pm

No, it's literally not.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 3:43pm

The rivalry game matters to me. And Jamaal never factored in one.

climps

4/21/21 3:57pm

your argument could be applied to just about every comparison of players..

icecougar

4/21/21 6:22pm

It's not an angle to consider at all. It carries no weight here.

Lip Gallagher

4/21/21 3:20pm

Sure it is. Running style and individual ability to get yards after initial...

icecougar

4/21/21 6:44pm

Had Harvey played his final year he would be the goat. My pick is Luke.

CT98

4/21/21 4:21pm

Staley and it's not close. Luke was the best running back in the country.

AFitisemanu

4/21/21 4:25pm

The world may never know how good Harvey was since the mtn. network looked like:

flyonawall

4/21/21 7:00pm

Staley highlights were bad. Trying to identify players was like looking at this

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