Sunday Poll: What Should The Running Back Situation Be When Everyone Is Healthy?

The Oregon State Beavers are 1-4 to start the season. Despite the overall rocky start, the running game has been something to be optimistic about. The Beavs are third in the league in team rushing yards with 995 and backs Artavis Pierce and Jermar Jefferson have actually been a big part of the national conversation in the first few weeks. So with two backs looking like they’re in great shape (after Pierce returns from an elbow injury, of course), the question is...who do you make the focal point of the run game?

On the one hand...OSU has two running backs with remarkable ability for getting the ball downfield. If they split the carries, the injury risk for both goes down and opposing defenses theoretically need to be on their toes the entire game in order to contend against both Jefferson and Pierce.

On the other hand, constantly rotating out the backs doesn’t give much of a chance for either to really get in a rhythm. So would it be better to make one or the other the definitive RB1?

Jefferson is up to 727 yards on the season with eight rushing touchdowns. Both of those totals are the most in the Pac-12. With a run of at least 20 yards in each of the five games we’ve seen him in, Jefferson’s abilities to get big yardage are impressive for a true freshman.

Pierce, on the other hand, looked to be off to a similar start prior to an elbow injury in the second game of the season. Against Ohio State, Pierce had 168 yards on the ground, scored two touchdowns, and broke off an eighty yard run. The junior had another 91 rushing yards and a touchdown the next week against Southern Utah.

So what’s to be done about this?

Let us know what you think by voting in the poll (if you didn’t come to this link via Twitter on your phone because technology), letting us know in the comments, or tweeting at us. Go Beavs!