May 12, 2017 despite missing two of its starters for much of the spring, alabama can head into the summer confident with what it has at the running back position. Still recovering from a broken leg suffered in the national championship, starter bo scarbrough spent the entirety of alabamas spring camp in a black, noncontact jersey. Yeldon is the unquestioned leader of alabamas stable of talented running backs. Alabama crimson tide running backs coach burton burns is. Nov 02, 2017 alabamas embarrassment of riches at rb stems from a simple, effective philosophy unlike many schools, the crimson tide do not have a bell cow running back and for good reason. Alabama running back najee harris hit four ridiculous moves en route to an impressive touchdown run against south carolina on saturday, juking and strutting his way for six points. He played in 12 games and rushed for 157 yards on 46 carries. Jan 08, 2017 there s not a more competitive room in the country than alabama s running back room. Ingram was named the games offensive mvp in alabamas first ever bcs victory. Alabama will probably make that a new category in next year s record book, but to help put that into perspective consider that the most trent richardson had in back to back.
The 2015 heisman trophy winner could follow in the footsteps of four other former crimson tide backs taken in the first or second round of the nfl draft since nick saban s arrival. Alabama s wide receivers and running backs put in work during wednesday s. The land is owned my mike oconnor, running back for the ny leopards, natalie s favorite team. These running backs are the top five since saban took the job. Being an effective back isnt all about fortyyard sprints and big plays, in fact, it s. Select colleges air force falcons akron zips alabama crimson tide appalachian state mountaineers arizona wildcats arizona state sun devils arkansas razorbacks arkansas state red wolves army black knights auburn tigers ball state cardinals baylor bears boise state broncos boston college eagles bowling green falcons. The university of alabama crimson tide football team has had 365 players drafted into the national football league nfl since the league began holding drafts in 1936. The crimson tide s senior running back loves jay bilas inspirational tweets and adorable puppies. Alabama s running backs coach is a crucial part of the nick saban dynasty.
Alabama sends a decade of running backs to the nfl. Crimson tide backs detail what it s like inside the room and how they emerged. Despite missing two of its starters for much of the spring, alabama can head into the summer confident with what it has at the running back position. Alabama handles oklahoma, will renew cfp rivalry with. Mar, 2012 former tide player gene jelks still fighting demons. A goal line specialist under bear bryant, ogilvie rushed for 1,718 yards and 25 touchdowns over 44 career games, most of that tally coming over his final three seasons. After getting six carries or less in each of alabamas first 12 games as a reserve running back behind yeldon and kenyan drake, henry not drake was alabamas second running back vs. Alabama crimson tides top 10 running backs of alltime. Jacobs brings a versatility to the bunch and often served as the thirddown back last season.
Mark inabinett is a sports reporter for alabama media group. He played college football for the university of alabama, and was drafted by the seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 nfl draft. Five things to know about alabamas running backs in 2017. Damien harris quietly closing in on alabama record. In may 2011, he was inducted into the alabama sports hall of fame. Alabama rb derrick henry rewrites record books in numerous.
Stanford s doitall running back christian mccaffrey, who broke the ncaa record for allpurpose yards in a season, was the runnerup, making it four. Shaun edward alexander born august 30, 1977 is a former american football running back who played for the seattle seahawks and washington redskins of the national football league nfl. Good running backs come to tuscaloosa to become great running backs. He played college football at the university of alabama. Jalen hurd is still tennessees starter, but kamara. Bigname linemen and corners have hailed from the crimson tide, but alabama is perhaps best known, at this moment, for running back alums. Why derrick henrys alabama rushing records might stand.
It was curry s decision to move him from running back to corner his junior year at alabama, a choice jelks feels pain about to this day. The land is owned my mike oconnor, running back for the ny leopards, natalies favorite team. Ranking the best seasons by a running back in alabama history. Running back is a position that you cant have too many of. The running back position has been one of the key positions in the nick saban era, with such great backs as glen coffee, ingram, trent. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Pauls senior running back jordon ingram will play his college football at central michigan.
Lets be honest, alabama is arguably one of the best if not the best homes for a running back. At every level of football, the running back needs to be a fluid, creative beast capable of switching up playstyles onthefly in order to execute a plan. To say alabamas running back depth may be the nations best and deepest unit is like saying the sun may come up tomorrow, because barring some unforeseen act of god, it will and. We continue our profiles of 2020 heisman trophy candidates with alabama running back najee harris, who pondered leaving after last season for the nfl draft. Alabama s running back by committee approach the last three seasons has kept his mileage. The integration of college football didnt happen in one. Dec 31, 2016 alabama turned bo scarbrough loose, and he closed the deal vs.
Since ingram won the award in 2009, it had gone to five straight quarterbacks. With henry leaving for the nfl, harris became alabama s starting running back in 2016, beating out bo scarbrough. Emmons was the secondrating running back by 247 sports in last year s. The crimson tide s supersized tailback won college football s most famous player of the year award saturday night, becoming just the third running back.
What its like to compete in alabamas running back room. I remember a couple years ago gurley said georgia was the real rbu. Nov 06, 2018 the tides running backs have bludgeoned their way to two heisman trophy wins since 2009. Alabamas embarrassment of riches at rb stems from a simple, effective philosophy unlike many schools, the crimson tide do not have a bell cow running back. The 2015 heisman trophy winner could follow in the footsteps of four other former crimson tide backs taken in the first or second round of the nfl draft since nick saban s arrival in 2007. The point is, alabama works their running backs really hard. Alabamas running backs and receivers keep grinding at. Wendell hudson, alabamas first black scholarship athlete, is. Players go to alabama knowing the nfl is a possibility.
With tagovailoa at quarterback, however, alabama has unlocked a new level of offenseand a new level. In jelks mind, alabama cost him a career at running back, and he was determined to get even one way or another. So, theres good players with all five of those guys, really. Alabama running back derrick henry to enter nfl draft. Let s look at this year s rb draft prospects with the above context in mind. The alabama running backs work on balance and shoulder level as the tide prepare to face the wisconsin badge. Emmons last week, the tides backfield offers five backs who could compete for starting spots at any school. Alabamas only worthy opponent is history the ringer. Complete running back will help you step onto the field with the skills to thrill and knowledge to succeed. Derrick henry has won the heisman trophy, becoming the second alabama player to receive college football s most prestigious player of the year. Three of the best nfl running backs to come out of the alabama crimson tide football. The 6foot3, 242pound henry is the second alabama player to win the heisman, joining running back mark ingram. Sds combed through alabama history to find the programs five best running backs. Alabamas running back numbers cast shadow of doubt on.
Alabama s running backs participate in drills for the first time in pads. He played college football for the university of alabama, was recognized as. The alabama crimson tide s first heisman trophy winner came in the person of mark ingram, the latest in a long line of great tide backs. To florida s credit, they definitely shut down alabama s running game in the first half. Alabama standout rb derrick henry freaky strong and. Jan 14, 2016 tennessees potential 2016 championship run got a little easier on thursday with the announcement that alabama crimson tide running back derrick henry will enter the 2016 nfl draft. He played five seasons for san francisco, and then three years with the washington redskins. He also received allstate honors, while leading his team to the class 5a state title and receiving player of the year honors.
Joshua jacobs born february 11, 1998 is an american football running back for the las vegas raiders of the national football league nfl. Through the years, many stories and books have focused on the notion that university of southern california running back sam cunningham s 1970 success against the crimson tide was a turning point. List of alabama crimson tide players in the nfl draft wikipedia. Alabamas embarrassment of riches at rb stems from a simple. A trump endorsement could determine who wins the alabama. The only other alabama player to win the heisman was mark ingram, who was also the last running back to win the trophy in 2009. Georgia s nick chubb should be a firstteam allamerican, while lsu s leonard fournette and alabama s derrick henry. For damien harris, the pace has been steady since emerging from derrick henry s shadow in the 2016 season.
Tim horton, running backs coach to tre mason, darren mcfadden, felix jones, and knile davis, shares his expertise, insights, and advice for becoming an everydown threat. The nfl draft returns to primetime in 2018, with the first round taking place thursday, followed by the second and third rounds on friday. The integration of college football didnt happen in one game. Examining alabamas rb factory and how it translates in the nfl. This includes 64 players taken in the first round and two overall number one picks, harry gilmer in the 1948 nfl draft and joe namath in the 1965 afl draft. Alabamas supersized running back derrick henry just won. He was drafted in the first round of the 1974 nfl draft out of university of alabama by the 49ers. He thinks emmanuel is one of the top two or three running backs. List of alabama crimson tide football national championships. Somehow an alabama running back is crazy underrated. Every running back who started for the crimson tide from the third game of the. It was the first time a fully integrated team had played in alabama, due to social attitudes toward integration and previous laws that had prohibited alabama sports teams from playing against integrated squads. Former alabama running back is back in the sec after a stint at hutchinson community college. Hell have to deal with roy moore, two major opponents, and trump to get it.
Aug 08, 2018 the running back position, however, has no such problems. Former alabama running back derrick henry is next on the assembly line. Alabamas embarrassment of riches at rb stems from a. See the videos of alabamas stunning depth at running back. Meet the 2022 alabama running back who has national colleges. Sherman cedric williams born august, 1973 is a former american football running back who played in the national football league nfl for the dallas cowboys. Youll learn to think, move, and play with a purpose. Trenton jamond richardson born july 10, 1990 is an american football running back who is a free agent. Running backs new, 97 comments eddie lacy was a steamrolling tasmanian devil of a running back who left georgia weeping and manti teo grasping for air.
Great running backs come to tuscaloosa to become phenoms. Alabamas running back henry awarded heisman manteca bulletin. And when a businessman knocked on his mother s door one day in 1992, jelks got his. A 1 this includes 64 players taken in the first round and two overall number one picks, harry gilmer in the 1948 nfl draft and joe namath in the 1965 afl draft. Alabama football always seems to have good running backs that help them win national championships, especially since nick saban became the head coach.
Projecting cfbs top 10 running back superstars in 2020. Lets not even preface the headline or story with the word may. Pauls 2020 standout running back jordon ingram headed. Former alabama star running back sherman williams wrote a book, crimson cowboy about his life as he served 15 years in prison after winning a national championship at alabama and a super bowl.
If you had to list the ten best backs to play at alabama since 1990, which ones would you put on the list. Blount high school, where as a senior he became the first running back in alabama prep history to rush for over 3,000 yards in a season, after registering 3,004 rushing yards, 307 carries and 31 touchdowns. It was about an archeology grad student named, natalie, who wanted to excavate in a farmland in ireland to discover a lost city that united rome with ireland. Scarbrough led alabama running backs with 11 rushing touchdowns while running for 812 yards on 125 carries 6. After texas quarterback colt mccoy left the game due to injury, alabamas heisman winning running back mark ingram jr rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a 3721 win. Alabama is in as good of shape as any team in the nation when it comes to the running back position. Alabama football always seems to have an abundance of good running backs. Examining alabamas rb factory and how it translates in. Only diehard fans know the name burton burns, but ask those whove played for him. Blocking basics run blocking more aggressive blocking attack the defender seal the defender away from the ball carrier point your butt to the ball carrier keep your head up and your feet moving pass blocking let the defender come to you set up with outside foot back hot technique hands on torso keep feet moving and deliver a blow. He played college football at alabama, and was drafted by the raiders in the. Alabama has had three running backs selected in the first round of the nfl draft since 2010. He led all tide running backs with 156 receiving yards on 14 receptions while adding 567 yards and four touchdowns on 85 carries.
Five games into his collegiate career, alabama running back joshua jacobs is already looking like he might have been the steal of the 2016 recruiting class. Alabama s bulldozer of a tailback with the supersized workload won the heisman trophy on saturday night after carrying the crimson tide offense for. Coming in with najee harris, robinson has been universally underrated but is an outstanding running back. The sec could be the nation s best conference for running backs in 2015. Ranking alabamas 10 best running backs of alltime 1. A few years ago i would have said oklahoma hands down because their two gems, adrian peterson and. You can find creative ways to try to use them, and everyone will have a role if they earn that role. Najee harris, trey sanders, alabama rbs going through drills in bowl prep.
Wilbur jackson born november 19, 1951 is a former american football running back for the san francisco 49ers of the national football league nfl. Anytime an alabama football conversation involves the best players in program history, it wont take long for a running back to be mentioned. List of alabama crimson tide players in the nfl draft. But i was talking to the usc running backs coach mike jinks the other day. Still recovering from a broken leg suffered in the national championship, starter bo scarbrough spent the entirety of alabama s spring camp in a black, noncontact jersey. Alabama s wide receivers and running backs put in work during wednesday s practice as the team prepares for southern miss. Combing through the annals of history, heres our list for alabamas top 10 best running backs of alltime. Harris was a backup to derrick henry as a true freshman at alabama in 2015. Former alabama crimson tide player gene jelks still tormented. Mar 25, 2017 alabamas running backs spring 2017 charlie potter.
Jul 20, 2017 one of the main recruits for nick saban in 2016 is transferring from alabama, according to a report at. Running back derrick henry of the alabama crimson tide stiff. Alabama running back josh jacobs tries to leap over oklahoma s tre brown 6 and caleb kelly during the tide s 4534 win in the orange bowl. Dec 27, 2019 picking the best of the best from the majority of nick sabans dynasty years at alabama, the 201019 decade. The final outcome of next weeks primary could hinge on an endorsement from president trump, who has given shoutouts to one of sessions rivals. Top 5 alabama running backs of alltime saturday down south. Jun 03, 2018 alabamas 2017 class had 24 players rated with four or five stars by espn recruiting nation. Whether that s why so many flounder when they get to the pros is still debatable. Top 10 alabama running backs of alltime touchdown alabama. Alabama rb derrick henry has officially recorded the single best season of any tide running back in history, and he s on pace to make even bigger claims this season. Nick sabans opendoor policy a factor in alabamas draft. Theres a loaded class of running backs coming out of college football to the.