No. 20. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
2011 stats: He had seven games of 100 or more rushing yards and finished with 1,272 on 227 carries. He finished second in the ACC with 106.0 rushing yards per game, ranking 19th nationally.
Previous ranking: No. 20
Making the case for Miller: He had one of the most impressive seasons in school history for a running back, joining the likes of Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis. Miller had 166 rushing yards on 18 carries against Coastal Division champ Virginia Tech for his fifth-straight game with at least 100 yards rushing. Miller was the first Cane to open the season with five-straight 100-yard rushing games. He was a home run threat and had 12 plays of 25 yards or more. He was at his best in the second half of games when it mattered most, and he surpassed former Cane Frank Gore (2001-04) with nine career 100-yard rushing games.