I stumbled across an interested stat, and felt like it was worth sharing. Full disclosure, I do think Alabama has been under-utilizing their running game. I probably feel like some people felt about the receivers during Hurts time at Alabama. That there's just too much talent there not to be doing more. Jacobs for instance already has more 100 yard rushing games in the NFL than he had in three years at Alabama. I'd like to see Alabama establish the running game a bit more, I think it could both take the pressure off Tua and the defense.
This isn't a claim that Najee is the best Saban running back or anything like that. He's huge and hard to stop, that won't necessarily translate to the NFL. I'm just impressed by this stat considering all the talented running backs at Alabama. Since the sample size is smaller it favors the lower use backs, but Najee is one heck of a running back.
I wanted to get an idea of how effective Najee has been when he had 10+ carries (less carries can heavily skew the average with one tackle for loss or the like) and I realized he'd never been held under 4 yards per carry average in those games. I started checking other Alabama running backs, and I didn't find another running back, who had at least 10 carries under Saban but didn't average under 4 at least once. It's enough to make me wonder what he might have done if he'd been playing a few years earlier, or what happens if Alabama turns to him more in upcoming games. Anyway, I cut this list off at running backs with at least 10 games of 10+ carries, sorry if I missed someone. Also, because this is fun to include Alabama held Fournette to 3.8, 1.6 and 2.1.
Glen Coffee: 19 10+ carry games. Low: 2.8
Terry Grant: 12 10+ carry games. Low: 1.2
Mark Ingram: 30 10+ carry games. Low: 1.9
Trent Richardson: 27 10+ carry games. Low 1.9
Eddie Lacy: 18 10+ carry games. Low 2.6
T.J. Yeldon: 32 10+ carry games. Low 2.8
Kenyan Drake: 10 10+ carry games. Low 3
Derrick Henry: 24 10+ carry games. Low 2.2
Bo Scarbrough: 13 10+ carry games. Low 2.0
Damien Harris: 20 10+ carry games. Low 3.7
Najee Harris: 12 10+ carry games. Low 4.3
For some running backs a lower average was fairly consistent, which is no surprise considering some averaged close to 4 YPC. The lowest output from Yeldon in 2013 was 4.2. I was a little surprised by how consistent Damien Harris was. Jacobs didn't have enough 10 carry games, but he also had one where he averaged 3 (Brain Robinson fell short in both respects). Also, Trent Richardson had 10+ carries in every single game of the 2011 season and Henry surpassed that mark 14 times in 2015 (both of course were national championship seasons).
It's not fair to compare him to someone like Mark, Trent, T.J. or Henry who had so many carries, but it does demonstrate just how consistently effective he has been when he's been given the ball.
This isn't a claim that Najee is the best Saban running back or anything like that. He's huge and hard to stop, that won't necessarily translate to the NFL. I'm just impressed by this stat considering all the talented running backs at Alabama. Since the sample size is smaller it favors the lower use backs, but Najee is one heck of a running back.
I wanted to get an idea of how effective Najee has been when he had 10+ carries (less carries can heavily skew the average with one tackle for loss or the like) and I realized he'd never been held under 4 yards per carry average in those games. I started checking other Alabama running backs, and I didn't find another running back, who had at least 10 carries under Saban but didn't average under 4 at least once. It's enough to make me wonder what he might have done if he'd been playing a few years earlier, or what happens if Alabama turns to him more in upcoming games. Anyway, I cut this list off at running backs with at least 10 games of 10+ carries, sorry if I missed someone. Also, because this is fun to include Alabama held Fournette to 3.8, 1.6 and 2.1.
Glen Coffee: 19 10+ carry games. Low: 2.8
Terry Grant: 12 10+ carry games. Low: 1.2
Mark Ingram: 30 10+ carry games. Low: 1.9
Trent Richardson: 27 10+ carry games. Low 1.9
Eddie Lacy: 18 10+ carry games. Low 2.6
T.J. Yeldon: 32 10+ carry games. Low 2.8
Kenyan Drake: 10 10+ carry games. Low 3
Derrick Henry: 24 10+ carry games. Low 2.2
Bo Scarbrough: 13 10+ carry games. Low 2.0
Damien Harris: 20 10+ carry games. Low 3.7
Najee Harris: 12 10+ carry games. Low 4.3
For some running backs a lower average was fairly consistent, which is no surprise considering some averaged close to 4 YPC. The lowest output from Yeldon in 2013 was 4.2. I was a little surprised by how consistent Damien Harris was. Jacobs didn't have enough 10 carry games, but he also had one where he averaged 3 (Brain Robinson fell short in both respects). Also, Trent Richardson had 10+ carries in every single game of the 2011 season and Henry surpassed that mark 14 times in 2015 (both of course were national championship seasons).
It's not fair to compare him to someone like Mark, Trent, T.J. or Henry who had so many carries, but it does demonstrate just how consistently effective he has been when he's been given the ball.