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Jahvid Best was a great running back at Cal but for the "greatest", he needed to have more production by staying healthy. Other than that unforgettable (in a bad way) concussion that ended his Cal career, Best also took a big hit (and was puking out stuff on the field) at the Maryland game on the road (also the lone Cal game during that era that I saw in person) and was not effective for the rest of that game (or the following week, IIRC). He also dislocated his elbow and somehow only missed just one game later that season in 2008.

When he was healthy, Jahvid Best embodied the rare and since missing optimism of what Cal Football could be. The reality was a lot harsher, unfortunately.

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Chuck Muncie, who could do it all. And his single-handed demolishment of Stanford in 1975 on The Farm caps to WIN the Pac. (when's teh last time that has happened?) Chuck had 166 yards & 4 TDS rushing, and even thru a HB option for a TD. https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/SPIRIT-OF-75-Chuck-Muncie-starred-as-Cal-2896732.php

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YOU CRAZY FOR THIS ONE NICK

But offensive line aside, QB aside - if I needed 4 yards for a first, or absolutely needed grind out the clock for 4 minutes with running plays, I'm going to give the ball to Marshawn "Money" Lynch.

I think Marshawn is the most versatile, who could blown up defenders, make defenders miss, move a pile, had break-away speed, could catch coming out of the back-field, could throw a touchdown on a halfback pass, could go on Conan O'Brian, who best represents Oakland, who can gas, brake, dip a golf cart, who can organize large bike rides from Oakland to Berkeley, who can wander around Oakland handing out masks to people who aren't wearing them, who will run through a motherfucker's face over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. . . and over and over.

Shining! 365 days a week! Shining!

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Chuck Muncie! Boom! We've had our share of greats, but none better than Chuck. He was a man amongst boys.

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I am to young to have seen Muncie and have only vague memories of Russell White.

I would pick Marshawn. When Best was at 100% he was amazing, but he was not durable and a lot of his yards-per-carry average was based on big home run plays. Snap to snap I think Marshawn was more the kind of player who could put the team on his back when nothing else was working (and he also had his share of home run plays).

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This was my freshman year, and being in the stands makes it stand out that much more. Hard for me to argue against Marshawn being #1.

https://youtu.be/lnWHRERvnaE

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I've seen Cal running backs in person since the Sixties and I'd go like this: 1) Muncie 2 )Best 3) Lynch 4) White. No one close to that top four and not much to separate them from each other.

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I agree that Best was the best of the bunch. No disrespect to Marshawn, who I think is number two followed by Chuck Muncie.

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Chuck Muncie all the way. He was the LeBron James of Cal's football history. In a league of his own.

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It is a great list and I have been a season ticket holder for decades, the fall of 1969 was my freshman year at Cal. No one was ever better than Chuck Muncie! It is very cool that his debate has so many great names, though. The comment that Muncie was a man among boys on the field is very accurate. He had it all. Speed , moves, power and was an excellent receiver. I knew Chuck and he was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet, but he got as lot of bad press in the NFL. Unfortunately, he was a first million dollar, very high draft pick, to a team in the deep south, you do the racist math... Like just about everyone back then around Berkeley, Chuck liked to party and have a good time, and New Orleans was a bad fit. He should have won the Heisman that year, but "West Coast Berkeley" thing may have cost him. We need another name to debate over very soon, I hope. Go bears.

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Being a HUGE fan of our Cal running backs, and while I do believe you have different types of backs for different jobs, no one electrified the field and terrified opposing coaches more than Best. His quickness, intelligence, agility, receiving hands, and then break-away speed were the greatest I ever [personally] witnessed.

I can appreciate ALL of the counter-arguments about durability, limited production, and so forth. But every time he was on the field there was a good possibility he could score.

I don my hat to ALL of our great ones: Muncie, Marshawn, White, Arrington, and Foresett - love them all to this day - great individuals and AMAZING BEARS! But I could not agree more with this writing. Best would be my pick (followed very closely by Marshawn) to anchor a backfield.

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Didn't get to see Muncie, but Russell White is my choice and it's not even close. He had Marshawn's power and was faster than any Cal rb not named Jahvid, and was more athletic than both of them. A special talent.

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We were blessed with a number of great running backs throughout Cal history, but from my time at Cal (1984 on), and with no disrespect to any of the other GREAT Running Backs we had, Jahvid was my favorite. Watching him cut through the box and then put it into passing gear was incredible.

I was at that 311 yard day against Washington, and what people fail to mention is that he was taken out after the first drive in the 2nd half. If he had played the whole game, 500 yards would have been a given.

If you haven't fallen into the Jahvid Best YouTube vortex, treat yourself. You'll be glad you did.

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