Just to recap; You guys say Rex is just as good as Ball or they are somehow comparable. I say they're not and ask you to prove why you think Rex is better..the only thing you can muster is that Ball plays behind a good O-Line.
I'll reiterate my thoughts on the subject. If I had to choose between the two
right now, I'd take Ball. He's got better athleticism than Burkhead.
That said, from a character and toughness standpoint, Burkhead is awesome. I don't know enough about Ball to accurately compare the two players from a character perspective, but Burkhead is definitely that type of guy you'd be more than proud having your daughter marry. He's humble, has a ton of heart, passion and does everything on the field and off the field you'd want a football player to do. If he had Ball's athleticism, he'd be a fantastic college football player. And
if he had Ball's athleticism, I'd take Burkhead in a heartbeat over Ball. But given that he doesn't, I'd still want Ball I think. Furthermore, you don't compete with Barry Sander's record just because of the guys around you - you have to be a good player in and of yourself.
That said, I do think Ball got a lot more help from those around him than Burkhead did. Whether you look at quarterback play, the passing game or his offensive line, Ball has more around him to succeed. Does that mean everything though? Absolutely not. Iowa State's 1995 running back
Troy Smith was an absolutely superb running back, and had he been on just about any other team might have been a Heisman winner. His offensive line wasn't great and his supporting cast wasn't either, but his athleticism and skill at the position made him a fantastic running back.