HOOVER, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference was mesmerized by a pair of freshmen running backs last season. Georgia’s Nick Chubb stepped up in Todd Gurley’s absence and recorded more than 1,500 rushing yards. LSU’s Leonard Fournette proved the hype surrounding him was real, taking 187 carries for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Even though these two tailbacks garnered most of the attention, they weren’t the only talented SEC newbies in 2014. Among those overlooked was Vanderbilt Commodores running back Ralph Webb, who has his attention set on even more success.

 

Webb had a solid season in what was a forgettable year for the Commodores. After Jerron Seymour missed the season opener against Temple, Webb took advantage of the situation and did not relinquish the lead role. He ended the season with a team-high 907 rushing yards along with 4.3 yards per carry and four touchdowns.

Webb doesn’t bother comparing himself to Chubb, Fournette or any other player. He’s more focused on getting better and making a dent in Vanderbilt’s record books.

“I just look forward to being the best running back that I can be,” Webb said. “I think there’s always room for improvement. I want to be the best to ever do it, in college and the National Football League. I want to be the best player to ever come out of Vanderbilt and be legendary.”

The numbers show that he’s off to a solid start. Webb finished 2014 ranked 12th in rushing yards among freshmen, beating out players like Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd. He proved himself durable as well and finished the season with 212 carries, third among SEC running backs. This consistency will be required for Webb to meet his lofty goals.

His success did not go unnoticed by Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason, who saw Webb shine on offense last season.

“There are special players all across the country, and I believe Ralph Webb is a special player for our team,” Mason said. “I believe Ralph is going to be better than he was a year ago. Ralph will show us how good he’s going to be when we have a chance to line up and play between the white lines.”

Webb still has plenty of room for improvement. In order to reach the level of what Mason called “a three-dimensional back”, he has to improve his pass-blocking ability. Webb is the first to admit it is a weak point, but his acknowledgment is the first step to better results. He will also have to improve his receiving; he managed just 10 catches for 30 yards one year ago. While it may have been a product of departed offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell’s offensive scheme, it will nevertheless need work in the upcoming years.

The Commodores will need players to step up if they want to compete in 2015 and Webb needs to be one of them. He has already done so from a leadership role, putting aside his own comfortability to voice what needs to be said for the team. If he can couple that with even more success from the backfield, Vanderbilt may be a surprise contender this fall.

“It’s great to have a running back like Ralph Webb,” senior center Spencer Pulley said. “I’ve blocked for some great running backs through the years, some that played in the NFL. Ralph is the kind of guy that you want on your team. He’s got the talent to be a great running back.”