Per Matt Porter....although he said "May" I say WILL!
If Mark Walton has a repeat performance, he will be in rare air among Miami running backs.
Given his expected workload, there’s a good chance he will get there.
Walton, who rushed for 14 touchdowns last year and has 23 in his two-year career, needs 13 as a junior to pass Stephen McGuire for No. 1 in program history.
McGuire scored 35 in four seasons (1989-92). Edgerrin James, who rushed for 32 scores from 1996-98, is second all-time and holds Miami’s three-year record. Willis McGahee is third with 31, which he did in an electric two-year stretch (2001-02). Walton, who enters this season ninth in Miami history, has the second-most rushing touchdowns by any Hurricane in a two-year career.
Also ahead of him on the overall list: James Jackson (29, fourth place), Mel Bratton, Tyrone Moss and Duke Johnson (26 each, tied for fifth) and Eddie Dunn (25, eighth).
Last year, Walton passed Danyell Ferguson, Alonzo Highsmith and Javarris James (18 each) for 10th place and Clinton Portis (21) for ninth.
No returning ACC running back rushed for more yards (1,117) or touchdowns than Walton, who also caught a pass for a touchdown in 2016. He has two receiving touchdowns for his career, bringing his total to 25.
Entering this year, Walton is tied for 10th with Dunn and Highsmith on Miami’s all-purpose touchdown list.
McGuire and James (35 each) are first on that registry, followed by Johnson, Bratton and Jackson (32 each), McGahee (31), Santana Moss (29), Michael Irvin and Tyrone Moss (26 each).
Another 1,000-yard season would move Walton into fifth place on Miami’s all-time rushing list, with 2,578 yards. He is currently 19th.
If Mark Walton has a repeat performance, he will be in rare air among Miami running backs.
Given his expected workload, there’s a good chance he will get there.
Walton, who rushed for 14 touchdowns last year and has 23 in his two-year career, needs 13 as a junior to pass Stephen McGuire for No. 1 in program history.
McGuire scored 35 in four seasons (1989-92). Edgerrin James, who rushed for 32 scores from 1996-98, is second all-time and holds Miami’s three-year record. Willis McGahee is third with 31, which he did in an electric two-year stretch (2001-02). Walton, who enters this season ninth in Miami history, has the second-most rushing touchdowns by any Hurricane in a two-year career.
Also ahead of him on the overall list: James Jackson (29, fourth place), Mel Bratton, Tyrone Moss and Duke Johnson (26 each, tied for fifth) and Eddie Dunn (25, eighth).
Last year, Walton passed Danyell Ferguson, Alonzo Highsmith and Javarris James (18 each) for 10th place and Clinton Portis (21) for ninth.
No returning ACC running back rushed for more yards (1,117) or touchdowns than Walton, who also caught a pass for a touchdown in 2016. He has two receiving touchdowns for his career, bringing his total to 25.
Entering this year, Walton is tied for 10th with Dunn and Highsmith on Miami’s all-purpose touchdown list.
McGuire and James (35 each) are first on that registry, followed by Johnson, Bratton and Jackson (32 each), McGahee (31), Santana Moss (29), Michael Irvin and Tyrone Moss (26 each).
Another 1,000-yard season would move Walton into fifth place on Miami’s all-time rushing list, with 2,578 yards. He is currently 19th.
