Forget rushing average or yards per game.

We decided to crunch the numbers and check out some lesser-known stats for the Big Ten's returning running backs. Who picked up the most yards after getting hit? Who was the biggest nightmare in the fourth quarter? And who was always a lock to pick up a first down on third-and-short?

Those numbers are a bit harder to find but, thanks to ESPN Stats & Info, we were able to answer all those questions.

Granted, the stats are still imperfect. Variables like opponent, offensive line and score weren't taken into account, so some numbers may appear inflated or deflated. But it's still an interesting glance at who was most effective on paper in 2015 -- and who might be a force in 2016.

Take a look:

Who averages the most yards after getting hit? (min: 50 carries)

Rutgers' Robert Martin was effective after contact regardless of the opponent or situation. AP Photo/Doug McSchooler

The best: Rutgers RB Robert Martin (2.84 average yards after hit; Power 5 rank -- No. 12 among RBs)

Believe it or not, Martin appears to be the legitimate No. 1 here. He didn't just beat up on Norfolk State and Kansas State; he really racked up a lot of yards after contact against Michigan and Ohio State. Oh, but he probably just ran all over them when they pulled their starters or the game was over -- right? Not quite. He didn't even have a fourth-quarter carry against the Buckeyes, and he was no less effective against the Wolverines. Opposing Big Ten fans, take note -- you might be seeing a whole lot more of Martin this season.

The runner-up: Michigan State RB L.J. Scott (2.69 yards)

If you watched the Spartans' Big Ten championship win over Iowa, then this shouldn't really come as a surprise. (Here's why.) The sophomore has a nice edge over teammates Madre London (2.39) and Gerald Holmes (2.17) in this department, as he's not easy to bring down at 238 pounds. One outlet already cautioned fans to be ready for "The Year of L.J. Scott."

The bottom: Northwestern RB Solomon Vault (1.36 yards)

Anyway you slice it here, Vault came up short in this area. Among the Wildcats' top-three backs, Vault finished last in yards after getting hit (1.36) and before getting hit (1.48). That his longest run out of 56 carries was just 15 yards also probably didn't help matters. He was recently moved to wideout.

Who's the best running back in the fourth quarter? (min: 25 carries)

The best: Penn State RB Saquon Barkley (8.9 yards per carry; Power 5 rank -- No. 1 among RBs)

This number is so incredibly high that it deserves to be put into perspective. The Power 5's No. 2 back in that category, Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise, rushed for almost a full yard less (7.96). Barkley didn't post huge numbers in the fourth quarter against his last three opponents -- Michigan, Michigan State and Georgia -- but he averaged at least 7 yards a carry in the final quarter in more than half the games he played. Overall, Barkley rushed 48 times in the fourth quarter last season for 427 yards and four touchdowns. That's nearly 40 percent of his season rushing total.

The runner-up: Purdue RB Markell Jones (7.03 yards)

Take away Jones' 60-yard run against Virginia Tech or his 68-yard scamper against Michigan State, and his average falls below 5.6 yards per carry in the fourth quarter. That's one of the issues with measuring fourth-quarter average since the sample size is so small. In the Boilermakers' 12 games, Jones failed to average 5.6 yards a carry in all but two matchups (Virginia Tech and Michigan State). Still, Jones is a good running back and, although he's probably not the Big Ten's second-best fourth-quarter back, he's still an underrated player who deserves another look.

The bottom: Michigan RB De'Veon Smith (2.46 yards)

Even if you take out Smith's red-zone runs, there's really no change here. Smith is still last in the conference. His longest fourth-quarter run was 8 yards, so that doesn't help him at all. Nearly 31 percent of his 26 runs in the final quarter went for zero or negative yards.

Who's the best running back on third-and-short (3 yards and less)? (min: 10 carries)

The best: Northwestern RB Warren Long (10-of-10 on third-down conversions; Power 5 rank -- No. 1 among RBs)

No other Power 5 running back converted 100 percent of his tries on third-and-short, and only Texas QB Tyrone Swoopes fared better by going 11-for-11 on such runs. This wasn't just dumb luck on Long's part, either. He wasn't once tackled at, or behind, the line of scrimmage -- and he broke three runs for 10-plus yards, including a 55-yarder against Duke, on third-and-short. Again, we're dealing with small sample sizes here. But Long was still perfect; that's not easy to do.

The runner-up: Rutgers RB Josh Hicks (9-of-10) and Scott (12-of-14)

There's no tie here. Hicks is No. 2 in the conference, but Scott still ranked within the top-10 in the Power 5 so he also deserves a mention. All but one of Hicks' runs went for positive yardage -- Vince Biegel and Jack Cichy say hello -- while Scott finished second in the conference, behind Long, in yards-per-carry average (7.86) in such situations.

The bottom: Iowa RB LeShun Daniels Jr. (4-of-11)

You can't completely put this on Daniels, even if he was tackled for zero or negative yards more than half the time, because Jordan Canzeri was right behind him at 5-of-12. Luckily for the Hawkeyes, C.J. Beathard was the one most used in those situations as he took off running 16 times -- and converted 15 into first downs.