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Sometimes there isn’t a lot of debate involved in predicting what player will lead a team in certain statistical categories.
Last season, for instance, you wouldn’t have found many people suggesting anyone other than Amari Cooper would lead Alabama in receiving yardage.
This year, as long as Derrick Henry stays healthy, he’s the safe bet to lead the Crimson Tide in every rushing category. Others can be more difficult, particularly when discussing Alabama. The Tide has so much depth almost anyone could step up and take on an expanded role.
So while linebacker Reggie Ragland returns to the starting lineup as a favorite to lead the team in tackles, it’s hardly a done deal with so much talent around him.
We looked at a few categories outside of the traditional box score stats that could make a difference for the Tide in 2015.
Racking Up Yards — RB Kenyan Drake
The senior running back probably won’t lead Alabama in rushing or receiving, but he’s good enough at both to compile more yards from scrimmage than anyone on the team.
Last season he became something of a forgotten man in the Crimson Tide backfield after going down with an injury halfway through the season. That paved the way for Derrick Henry and TJ Yeldon to each run for nearly 1,000 yards.
But Drake has averaged 7.0 yards per carry in his Alabama career and before the injury last year he had five receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Last year, head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin elected to split carries pretty evenly between Yeldon and Henry. If they go that route again it bodes well for Drake topping his career-high of 694 rushing yards, which he set in 2013. Whether Jake Coker or David Cornwell takes over as the starting quarterback, he could look often to Drake as a safety valve in the passing game while getting accustomed to the job.
The Tide probably doesn’t have a single wideout who will put up anything close to 1,750 receiving yards the way Cooper did last year. If Drake rushes for 800 yards and catches 500 more, well within his capabilities, that could be enough to lead the team.
Snatching The Ball Away — CB Cyrus Jones
Alabama had a negative turnover margin last season, a rare occurrence for the Tide and something that usually prevents teams from winning SEC titles, so it’s a point of emphasis in 2015.
We often talk about a defensive back who racks up interceptions, but Jones, who can make picks and force fumbles, can have a huge impact on the game.
Prone to giving up big plays early in his career, Jones was more likely to make them himself in 2014, despite playing with a torn hip labrum. He picked off three passes and got his hands on 10 more last year. He also forced two fumbles.
Healthy and confident heading into 2015, Jones has an opportunity to improve on that interception total while continuing to display a knack for punching the ball loose.
Living in the Backfield — Jonathan Allen
Last year’s sack master, Xzavier Dickson, is gone. But Allen was also a huge force up front in 2014 with an ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Allen had 5.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss last year and the junior defensive end should continue to make his way past would-be blockers to be a disruptive force on opposing offenses. Allen is a good bet to lead the Crimson Tide in tackles for a loss in 2015.
At 6-foot-3, 272 pounds, Allen has a great blend of size and quickness that makes him difficult to stop coming off the edge. Teams will also have to deal with A’Shawn Robinson on the other side and Reggie Ragland roaming the entire field from his linebacker spot, meaning they can’t always devote extra blockers to stopping Allen, who should thrive in 1-on-1 situations.
Shane Mettlen is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Texas A&M, Missouri and Alabama.
