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We hate the Drake.
Actually, we take that back. We hate the fact that Alabama’s Kenyan Drake is on the shelf for the second season in a row.
In last year’s loss to Ole Miss, Drake broke his leg and was lost for the season. Now fast-forward to this year: Drake fractured his right arm in last week’s win over Mississippi State, and according to Nick Saban, he will be out for a couple of weeks.
At least for this Saturday’s home game against Charleston Southern, it appears that freshmen Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough will get more touches in Drake’s absence. And at least for this week, Alabama shouldn’t struggle, despite both players’ lack of experience. Harris, a 5-11, 205-pounder from Berea, Ky., has run 34 times for 109 yards and no touchdowns. His 3 carries for 4 yards last week represented his first game action since Oct. 10. Scarbrough, meanwhile, has just 5 carries for 18 yards, including 13 yards on 3 rushes last week. Between the two, only Harris has a caught a pass. He has 3 receptions for 9 yards.
Before getting hurt again, Drake had been serving several important roles in Alabama’s offense. For starters, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior from Powder Spring, Ga., has given Derrick Henry a break when the Heisman Trophy favorite isn’t carrying the ball. The elusive Drake serves as an effective change of pace from Henry’s bruising running style. Drake has also been productive as Bama’s backup running back this year, rushing 68 times for 333 yards — averaging 4.9 yards a carry — and a touchdown.
However, Drake’s biggest contributions to the Crimson Tide ‘O’ might be in the passing game. He is essentially Alabama’s 5th-leading receiver, with 21 catches for 234 yards and a TD this season. But more importantly, he’s not just a guy who puts up numbers. He has also been a valuable outlet for Jake Coker as a potential check-down target or when he makes a play-saving block while picking up a blitz. Not only that, Drake is willing to sacrifice his body on special teams as well. He got hurt last week while trying to make a tackle on punt coverage.
So Alabama goes into Saturday’s game without one of its prized senior leaders. A game against an FCS team is not going to get either Harris or Scarbrough up to speed for Auburn, the Tide’s next opponent in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 28. However, if Bama doesn’t need Drake to beat the Tigers, resting him for a potential SEC Championship Game against Florida followed by a possible College Football Playoff semifinal might be a good approach for the Tide to take.
In the meantime, Drake is keeping his spirits up, as this Instagram post indicates.
Drake recovered from his broken leg well enough to once again be a productive player for Alabama in 2015. The Tide hopes he recovers quickly enough from his latest injury to keep its run toward potential conference and national titles alive.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
