AAC Football: Top 8 Running Backs To Watch in 2025

While the offseason is still very much in full swing, the countdown till the 2025 college football season is on as we’re less than 80 days until all 14 American Athletic Conference teams kickoff the season on August 30.

The league will look to capitalize off last year’s success.

The American sent eight teams to Bowl Season and captured the Bowl Challenge Cup by virtue of a 6-2 postseason record. Teams from The American scored bowl wins against opponents from the SEC, Big 12, ACC, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Conference USA. The American was one of only five leagues (joining the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC) to have three teams finish with 10 wins last season.  

This feature runs down the list of the top-eight running backs in the AAC, which features a former 1,000-yard rusher in the MAC and a talented riser who is looking for his breakout season.

Here’s an offseason ranking of backs who will tote the rock in the American.  

1.       Robert Henry – UTSA

The Roadrunners return their leading rusher from last season. Henry carried 130 times for 706 yards in 2024, adding seven rushing scores. Henry was also a weapon in the passing game, catching 21 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown.

2.       Maurice Turner – Tulane

A transfer from Louisville, Turner has the potential to jumpstart his career after an injury-plagued season in the ACC last year. Turner finished his three years with the Cardinals with 154 carries for 734 yards.

3.       Alex Tecza – Navy

Tecza is expected to be the Midshipmen's starting running back in a year where Navy have their highest expectations (at least offensively) of the Brian Newberry era. Tecza was Navy's second-leading rusher last season with 576 yards and eight touchdowns in addition to 12 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

4.       Cartevious Norton – South Florida

A 5'11" 225-pound back from Waycross, Georgia, Norton played his first two seasons at Iowa State before spending 2024 at Charlotte. In total he has appeared in 31 games in total during his college career. He carried the ball 129 times for 525 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns last season for the 49ers.

5.       Hayden Reed – Army

Several of Army's critical offensive pieces from their 2024 AAC title run have either graduated or transferred. In terms of replicating the success that Kanye Udoh and the rest of the Army running game found last season, Reed seems ready for the challenge in his senior season. He rushed 40 times for 207 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown last year.

6.       Quinton Jackson – Rice

Expect this speedster to be a bigger weapon for the Owls this year. Jackson was one of the better return men in the AAC each of the last two seasons. The former high school quarterback can be used in the Owls' offense in a variety of ways.

7.       Jay Ducker – Temple

This season, Ducker follows his old Sam Houston coach K.C. Keeler to new stomping grounds in Philadelphia. The redshirt senior led the Bearkats in rushing last season with 745 yards and seven touchdowns.

8.       London Montgomery – East Carolina

Montgomery will be a redshirt sophomore in 2025 after the Penn State transfer joined the Pirates prior to last season. He had 71 carries for 359 yards last season, mostly playing backup to the now graduated Rahjai Harris.

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