Most recruiting experts have known the running back group in the 2011 class in the state of Texas would be a special group of players. TheOldCoach.com recruiting analysts predicted a bumper crop of running backs would sign with FBS schools. The final tally is an astounding 40 running backs signed with FBS schools.

The headliners of this class of running back are Rivals.com five star recruits Malcolm Brown out of Cibolo Steele just north of San Antonio and Brandon Williams from Brookshire Royal which is just west of Houston. The two superstars signed with Big 12 rivals as Brown inked with Texas and Williams went north of the Red River to Oklahoma.

The premiere edition of THE OLD COACH FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL magazine highlighted "The Year of the Running Back," and featured Brown along with four star talents Herschel Sims from Abilene who committed to Oklahoma State and San Antonio Madison's Aaron Green who is headed to Nebraska.

As usual the state of Texas has big time talents at running back and there's no question the four listed above have had plenty written about them, but the real key to this class has been the depth.

From the Red River, down to San Antonio, from points east to west, the state was loaded with guys who have the ability to break open a game at any moment. Our records only go back to the class of 2002 but this group is the deepest group to come out of Texas since 2005 when 39 backs inked with Division 1-A programs.

Of course the in state schools got their fair share of the talent as Texas Tech landed three backs, Texas, Baylor and North Texas landed a pair, while Houston, SMU and Texas A&M landed one back each.

The out of state schools got their fair share as well with Oklahoma taking a pair of backs along with California, West Virginia and Tulsa. The service academies even landed some Texas talent with Army and Air Force landing a back.

Schools who normally don't go into Texas much for recruiting even dipped into the Texas talent pool as Illinois picked up Katy's Donovonn Young, Memphis landed Dallas Wilson's Carl Harris and Pittsburgh landed Gladewater speedster Corey Davis.

Not all of these backs will wind up playing running back at the next level, one example is Austin McCallum's Michael Sorrells (Tulsa) who could wind up at a number of positions or back at running back.

Arlington Martin's Danzel Williams who signed with Oklahoma and LaPorte's Anthony Webb who has signed with Baylor could also switch positions.

Malcolm Brown, Cibolo Steele; TEXAS

Brandon Williams, Brookshire Royal; OKLAHOMA

Herschel Sims, Abilene; OKLAHOMA STATE

Aaron Green, San Antonio Madison; NEBRASKA

B.J. Allen, Tatum; BAYLOR

Danzel Williams, Arlington Martin; OKLAHOMA

Kenny Williams, Pflugerville Hendrickson; TEXAS TECH

DeAndre Washington, Fort Bend Hightower; TEXAS TECH

Daniel Lasco, The Woodlands; CALIFORNIA

Bradley Marquez, Odessa; TEXAS TECH

Joe Bergeron, North Mesquite; TEXAS

Jarrell Oliver, Fort Bend Dulles; UTAH

K.C. Nlemchi, Katy Cinco Ranch; SMU

Jay Ajayi, Frisco Liberty; BOISE STATE

Jermichael Selders, Cypress Creek; BAYLOR

Tra Carson, Texarkana Liberty-Eylau; OREGON

Damon Bullock, Mansfield; IOWA

Xavier Williams, Carrollton Ranchview; UTEP

Davon Riddick, Abilene Cooper; COLORADO STATE

Darren Ervin, Houston Lamar CALIFORNIA

Kenneth Farrow, Hurst Bell; HOUSTON

Devontae McNeal, Quitman; LOUISIANA-MONROE

Desmond Roland, Richardson Lake Highlands; OKLAHOMA STATE

Corey Davis, Gladewater; PITTSBURGH

Donovonn Young, Katy; ILLINOIS

Storm Woods, Pflugerville; OREGON STATE

Treyvon Green, Rowlett; NORTHWESTERN

Will Randolph, Copperas Cove; TEXAS A&M

Dustin Garrison, Pearland; WEST VIRGINIA

Cam McDaniel, Coppell; NOTRE DAME

Lamarse Lafayette, Daingerfield; AIR FORCE

Zach Whitfield, Sherman; NORTH TEXAS

Carl Harris, Dallas Wilson; MEMPHIS

Antoinne Jimmerson, DeSoto; NORTH TEXAS

Anthony Webb. LaPorte; BAYLOR

Ja'Quail Haskins, Killeen; ARMY

Michael Sorrells, Austin McCallum; TULSA

Kody Sutton, Texarkana Texas; WYOMING

Doug Gentry, Mexia; PURDUE

Erick Evans, Seagoville; AIR FORCE

[rl]