|
September 12, 2000
AUBURN- Rudi Johnson is doing exactly what he was expected to do. After Auburn's first two games, Johnson leads the SEC in rushing with 169.5 yards per game, good for seventh-best in the nation. Rudi has rushed for 339 yards and five touchdowns on 56 carries this season.
Johnson, a junior from Ettrick, Virginia, is the first Auburn back to rush for back-to-back 100-yard games since Stephen Davis in 1995. He's also the first Tiger back to have back-to-back 150-yard games since Brent Fullwood in 1986. With 339 rushing yards through two games, Johnson has surpassed Auburn's 1999 rushing leader, Heath Evans, who totalled 330 yards in 93 attempts. Rudi's five touchdowns after two games in the most since Stephen Davis had six rushing touchdowns in the first two games of 1995. 128 of Johnson's 339 yards have come on 14 fourth-quarter carries, an average of 9.1 yards per carry.
Johnson's 174-yard performance against Wyoming was the most yards ever by an Auburn player in his Auburn debut. It also ranked as the 28th most yards all-time in a single game. Johnson gained more rushing yards against Wyoming than the Tigers had gained as a team in each of the last 18 games dating back to the 1998 Tennessee game when Auburn rushed for 181 yards. Rudi is averaging 31.6 yards per touchdown carry and he has four runs over 20 yards, three over 30 and two over 40.
|
