5x5: The Best Alabama Running Backs During the Nick Saban Era

Five different ways to rate the top players at each position for the Crimson Tide during the greatest dynasty in college football history.

When it comes to Alabama Crimson Tide running backs under Nick Saban, Mark Ingram II set a high bar by becoming the first player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy. 

That is until Derrick Henry came along and six years later won Alabama's second Heisman in 2015.

But it didn't happen overnight, as the Crimson Tide hasn't been a program that anyone can be plugged into and immediately be successful.

For example, a play that a lot of people overlooked at the time, but spoke volumes about Henry's progress occurred in the opener of that national championship season, when Alabama was facing Wisconsin at A&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Crimson Tide had first down at the Badgers' 32-yard line early in the third quarter. The defense blitzed up the middle and with quarterback Jake Coker dropping back he could have potentially been in serious trouble, only Henry stepped forward and promptly stonewalled the charging linebacker.

It didn’t hurt that the running back was actually bigger than the player he was blocking, T.J. Edwards, who had all of his momentum vanish on impact. But even Henry admitted afterward that it was not a play he would have successfully made a couple of years previous. 

“Probably not, because I wasn’t experienced,” he said. “But like every player, the more you experience the more you learn and the better you get.

“Pass protection is very serious and we take it seriously here. That’s what they want me to do – pass protect when I can. I’m glad it worked out.”

Actually, it was one of the things that kept him playing more his freshman season in 2013. If you remember back to Henry’s debut game against Virginia Tech at the Georgia Dome it was obvious during the few plays he was inserted that things like pass blocking were foreign concepts.

He had broken Ken Hall's 51-year-old national rushing record with 12,124 yards after rushing for 4,261 as a senior at Yulee High School in Florida, but it wasn’t until Alabama went back to basics at the start of bowl practices that things started to really click for him at the collegiate level.

Crimson Tide fans remember what happened next. After moving up to second on the depth chart he had an impressive 100 rushing yards on eight carries and turned his first career reception into a 61-yard touchdown. Henry averaged 12.5 yard per rush and 17.9 yards per touch, and even had a tackle on special teams.

“By his own admission, one day he told me, 'Coach, all they ever did was just toss me the ball and I ran with it,’” Coach Nick Saban said. “So all this other stuff that I need to learn about playing running back like pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield and all those kinds of things, I really need to learn.' I think those are the areas he's really improved on dramatically.”

The more complete running back had 147 rushing yards on just 13 carries and three touchdowns against Wisconsin. It was one of 10 games Henry topped 100 rushing yards that season, including four 200-yard rushing games over his final five SEC regular-season games. Consequently, he's the only player in Alabama history to top 2,000-rushing yards in a single season (2,219 on 395 carries and 28 touchdowns).

“Any time you can look up and see No. 2 running down the field with a whole bunch of guys chasing him, that’s an awesome feeling,” senior center Ryan Kelly said at the time.

The Best Alabama Running Backs During the Nick Saban Era

Five different ways to rate the top players at each position for the Crimson Tide during the greatest dynasty in college football history.

Recruiting

The top 5 running back prospects when signing with the Crimson Tide:

1. Najee Harris 2017
2. Trent Richardson 2009
3. Derrick Henry, 2013
4. Trey Sanders 2019
5. Bo Scarbrough 2014

The next five ... 

Damien Harris 2015
Justice Haynes 2023
T.J. Yeldon 2012
Emmanuel Henderson 2022
Camar Wheaton 2021

Note: Jase McClellan in 2020 just missed at No. 11.

Alabama Athletics

Key Statistics

Of course you have to do the leading rushers during the Saban era .. 

Season 

1. Derrick Henry (395 att.) 2015, 2,219
2. Trent Richardson (283 att.) 2011, 1,679
3. Mark Ingram II (271 att.), 2009, 1,658
4. Najee Harris (251 att.) 2020, 1,466
5. Glen Coffee (233 att.) 2008, 1,383 

Career 

1. Najee Harris (638 att.) 2017-20, 3,843
2. Derrick Henry (602 att.) 2013-15, 3,591
3. T.J. Yeldon (576 att.) 2012-14, 3,322
4. Mark Ingram (572 att.) 2008-10, 3,261
5. Trent Richardson (540 att.), 3,130 

(Note: Damien Harris also topped 3,000 with 3,070 from 2009-11)

... but here's a statistic you won't find anywhere else, most single-season receptions by running backs during the Saban era:

1. Jahmyr Gibbs, 2022, 44-444
2. Najee Harris, 2020, 43-425
3. Brian Robinson Jr., 2021, 35-296
4. Mark Ingram II, 2009, 32-334
5. Trent Richardson, 2011, 29-338 and Kenyan Drake, 2015, 29-276

T.G. Paschal/BamaCentral

Major Awards/Honors

Heisman Trophy 

2009 Mark Ingram II
2015 Derrick Henry

Walter Camp Player of the Year: Derrick Henry 2015 

Maxwell Award (Player of the Year): Derrick Henry 2015

Doak Walker Award 

2011 Trent Richardson
2015 Derrick Henry
2020 Najee Harris

Unanimous All-Americans 

2009 Mark Ingram II
2011 Trent Richardson
2015 Derrick Henry
2020 Najee Harris

SEC Offensive Player of the Year 

2011 Trent Richardson
2015 Derrick Henry

Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports

NFL Draft

Alabama has had five running backs selected in the first round during the Saban era. Derrick Henry was not one of the them.

Trent Richardson, 2012, Cleveland Browns, third overall
Jahmyr Gibbs, 2023, Detroit Lions, 12th overall
Najee Harris, 2019, Pittsburgh Steelers, 24th overall
Josh Jacobs, 2019, Oakland Radiers, 24th overall
Mark Ingram II, 2011, New Orleans Saints, 28th overall

T.G. Paschal/Bama Central

Overall

1. Derrick Henry
2. Mark Ingram II
3. Najee Harris 
4. Trent Richardson 
5. T.J. Yeldon

This is the 12th story in the 5x5 series, which will continue throughout July. Check out:

Offense

Wide receivers
Tight ends
Centers
Tackles
Guards

Defense

Defensive ends
Defensive tackles
Interior linebackers
Safeties
Cornerbacks

Special Teams