Although the pass game is more important than ever in the German Football League, with passing records being broken all over the league, a team cannot excel through the air without a great run game.
This season has seen many running backs put on great shows and big numbers, but a few sit above the rest.
Let’s take a look at some of the best rushing performances so far.
1. Kamal Cass – Straubing Spiders (Week 4 vs Ravensburg Razorbacks)
24 ATT, 232 YDS, 2 TDs, 9.7 y/a
In the Spiders’ very first win of the year, Kamal Cass contributed massively, putting up a ridiculous 232 yards on 24 carries. The opening drive saw Cass run in a 17-yard touchdown, breaking multiple tackles to open scoring.
Although Cass hasn’t come close to replicating this mind-boggling number, he managed to assert himself within the top two backs in the league and stay there, putting up five 100-yard performances so far.
2. D’wayne Obi – Braunschweig New Yorker Lions (Week 2 vs Paderborn Dolphins)
22 ATT, 203 YDS, 2 TDs, 9.2 y/a
British RB D’wayne Obi has proven himself as the best back in the league week-in and week-out, and week two was no different. Obi went off for just north of 200 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. His aggressive run style proved a massive problem for the Dolphins’ defense, breaking through countless tackles and finding himself in the endzone twice.
3. Kamal Cass – Straubing Spiders (Week 14 vs Allgäu Comets)
17 ATT, 178 YDS, 2 TDs, 10.5 y/a
Kamal Cass finds himself on the list yet again, this time with a dominant performance against the Allgäu Comets. The Spiders caused one of the biggest upsets of the year, handing the Comets their second loss of the year.
Cass was instrumental in this win, averaging an extremely impressive 10.5 yards per carry and running in two scores. He also scored through the air and scored points crucial to Straubing’s comeback.
Germany: Straubing Spiders upset Allgäu Comets with fourth quarter comeback at home
4. Robby Rowell – Saarland Hurricanes (Week 13 at Ingolstadt Dukes)
21 ATT, 167 YDS, 3 TD, 8.0 y/a
While Robby Rowell’s impressive rushing performance has a lot in common with the others on this list, one major difference stands out; Rowell plays quarterback. The Hurricanes QB put on one of, if not the best, dual-threat performances of the year, complementing his 167 yards and three scores on the ground with a further 341 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Where Rowell differs from other mobile passers is his ability and willingness to run behind his pads, sometimes seemingly seeking out contact for extra yards, and this game was no different.
5. D’wayne Obi – Braunschweig New Yorker Lions (Week 6 vs Berlin Rebels)
21 ATT, 162 YDS, 1 TD, 7.7 y/a
Yet again D’wayne Obi finds himself on the list. Against the Berlin Rebels, Obi churned out 162 yards and a score, doing the majority of the lifting for the rest of the offense to drive them downfield.
The Great Britain Lions standout currently sits atop the rushing leaderboards with 1,219 rushing yards – 308 yards clear of Kamal Cass in second. Obi also holds second place in rushing touchdowns with nine, one behind Robby Rowell’s 10.