With the Dallas Cowboys struggling to find their identity in 2011, they find themselves unable to establish a solid ground game. While it is true that most of the NFL is growing into a more pass hungry league, Dallas has to find a way to balance their play calling. To do so, they have to have one of their three running backs to step up and prove they are more than just a complimentary running back.
This is a strange situation for the Cowboys to be in, considering the quality running backs over the Dallas Cowboys illustrious history.
1. Emmitt Smith
Smith is the leading rusher in NFL history. It is a no-brainer to put him in the No. 1 spot on a list of Dallas Cowboys running backs. Forget the offensive line, Smith was a dominating runner between the tackles, picking up hard yards and never quitting on a play. He was durable and never said die. He was one of many weapons for the Cowboys offense at the time, playing alongside Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin. However, he was the lead runner for three Super Bowl titles and there should be no argument that he is one of the best the NFL has ever seen.
2. Tony Dorsett
While Emmitt Smith was the best ever, my all-time favorite was easily Tony Dorsett. He won a Heisman Trophy in his final year at Pittsburgh, was the first draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys the next year and won Rookie of the Year while helping lead Dallas to a Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos. Dorsett ran for over 12,000 yards in his career, played in two Super Bowls and owns the NFL record for longest run from scrimmage, with a 99-yard burst against the Minnesota Vikings.
3. Calvin Hill
Hill was the first Dallas Cowboys running back to ever run for 1,000 yards in a season. The Cowboys drafted him in 1969 and he went on to start in his rookie year after Don Perkins retired. He won Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl despite breaking his toe in the ninth game that year. He suffered through numerous injuries (back, ACL), causing Dallas to draft Duane Thomas. Dallas ended up trading the malcontent Thomas and Hill rewarded them with back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons.
4. Don Perkins
Don Perkins was the man Hill replaced in the Dallas lineup. Perkins came to Dallas in the team's first season in 1960, although he didn't play until 1961. He was the first Cowboys player to run for 100 yards in a game and the first to earn All-NFL honors. He ended up playing eight seasons and retired as the No. 5 rusher in NFL history.
5. Walt Garrison
Walt Garrison was The Cowboy. He was an Oklahoma State Cowboys star before going to the Dallas Cowboys in 1966. He was one of the Cowboys' stars the year after Perkins retired and finished with career best numbers. While working alongside Hill, he became a solid fullback, catching lots of passes while also filling in during Hill's numerous injuries. In the Cowboys' Super Bowl win over Miami, the team rode Hill, Garrison and Duane Thomas, one of the best all-around running back combinations in NFL history.
Honorable Mentions: Preston Pearson, Robert Newhouse, Duane Thomas, Daryl Johnston
Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the '90s and the hard times of the '80s, Shawn never turned his back on America's Team.
Source: Dallas Cowboys official website
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