In a sports society fueled by a me-first attitude and sanctimonious nonsense, Arkansas' dynamic running back duo strives to be different.

Jonathan Williams led Arkansas in rushing yardage last season, netting 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

Two monstrous running backs (combining for 448 pounds of pure pain) shelved the greed scene to work together inside the Razorbacks' backfield with the same goal of mercilessly thrashing their opponents with the SEC's -- and maybe the nation's -- best one-two punch at running back.

Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins are not in this for the individual fame. No, they started off together as a tenacious tag team and want to barrel into the 2015 season with the same label.

"It's not all about being the guy, the go-to guy," said Williams, who led the Razorbacks with 1,190 rushing yards and carried the ball just seven more times than Collins (211-204) last season. "It's about production ... To me, the end result is the most important."

The end result was more than satisfying for Arkansas' backs in 2014. Williams, a rising senior, added 12 touchdowns to his rushing yards, while Collins, a junior-to-be, hit 1,100 rushing yards and 12 scores. Now, these two are back for a team that will be counting on them heavily to steer Arkansas' offensive ship.

These two are bucking the trend of being egomaniacs, despite having the ability to hog the glory at just about any other school they wanted. They have fully embraced the two-back system that has made Arkansas coach Bret Bielema so successful in the past, and truly cherish the opportunity to work together in such a special and unique way.

"We don't have a problem with it at all. It's kinda selfish if you want to be the main show," Collins said. "I don't mind it at all. There's no favoritism, we both want to get over 1,000 yards. It's a pretty good rotation and it works."

It would have been so easy and acceptable for either one to leave Fayetteville following either of the past two seasons. When you combine for 1,926 one season and then a gaudy 2,290 the next to become the only running back duo in the nation with two 1,000-yard rushers, it would have been hard for someone to step in the way of either one's transfer requests or desire to jet for the NFL.

But they never came.

Both are risking individual acclaim and possible early NFL momentum by sharing carries, but neither cares. They understand it makes the team better, keeps them fresh and wears down defenses.

"It takes a lot of pressure off me and everyone on the offense when you know you have two guys back there that you know at any time can get one hand-off and go the distance for a touchdown," quarterback Brandon Allen said.

"There's no jealousy of who's getting more touches, of who's getting the start. There's none of that going on, which is huge because you see that at a lot of places. They work so hard together and they know they're going to get their touches and it's what they do with it that is so special to this team."

Instead of bickering over carries, Williams and Collins motivate each other with positive reinforcement. There's zero trash talk between the two -- until they start arguing about Florida and Texas high school football -- but there is a lot of motivating. These two, who have their own celebration dance together and keep each other's stats (in-game and on the season) truly care about each other and want to see the other succeed, even at the risk of losing out on personal goals.

Happy to share carries out of the backfield, Alex Collins also rushed for 1,000-plus yards in 2014. AP Photo/Sarah Bentham

Case in point: When Collins was closing in on 1,000 yards for the season before the Missouri game, Williams advised then running backs coach Joel Thomas to start Collins. Collins didn't get the start, but Williams later pleaded with his coaches to replace him with the youngster when Collins got about 15 or 20 yards away from 1,000.

"That just goes to show you there's no selfishness behind it," said Collins, who made a similar gesture for Williams late in the 2013 season. "For him to do that for me, I really appreciate him, and that's how I know he's not selfish and it's not all about him because he's willing to give me his carries so I can get the same recognition and reach the same goal as him."

On a Bielema-coached team, you can't be selfish at running back. It just doesn't work for a guy who's coached 19 300-plus-yard rushing performances and engineered deadly multi-back systems at Wisconsin, including being 4 yards away from having three 1,000-yard running backs in 2010. Bruising Bielema ball needs fresh legs churning out of the backfield, and both guys know they have to check their egos at the door at pivotal points in the game.

"I think it's amazing that they're able to coexist this way," new running backs coach Jemal Singleton said.

This relationship has blossomed over the past two years into an inseparable bond between Collins and Williams. They resemble brothers with their affection for one another, and let their competition breed excellence on the field.

"We don't want to stay the same because everybody else in the country is trying to be better than us and trying to beat us," Collins said. "So we're always pushing each other to be better and get better, but it's all out of love."