| FTBL Alabama RB Kenyan Drake 'feeling really good' in recovery from leg injury

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D.C. Reeves
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ATLANTA | With all the jumping and celebrating to be had in the Georgia Dome, fun not prescribed by doctors but fun he couldn't resist, Alabama running back Kenyan Drake knows his leg may be sore the next few days.

He's perfectly fine with that.

About two months after suffering a gruesome leg injury in Alabama's only loss of the season, Drake was donning his No. 17 jersey and as active as he could be on the sideline - needing no crutches or a knee walker - during Alabama's 42-13 win over Missouri in Saturday's SEC Championship.

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D.C. Reeves
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Alabama running back Kenyan Drake on the field before the SEC Championship game on Saturday.
Drake's recovery is well underway and it showed.

"I'm feeling really good," he said. "I'm walking around, the doctors told me I'm coming along really good with my rehab."

Drake said Saturday marked nine full weeks of rehabilitation. His foot also came out of a protective boot on Tuesday.

Drake will not be available for action this season but said he expects to be healthy for the start of spring practice. In the meantime, Drake has made the temporary adjustment to life without football.

"It's been really crazy, I've enjoyed just being a student for once without the hustle and bustle of having to go to every game all the time," he said. "But I miss being out there with my team. There's nothing better than being out here with my team so I'm glad we were able to pull it out in the end (Saturday)."

Through four-plus games with new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, Drake was proving to be an integral part of Alabama's offensive scheme. According to statistics compiled by TideSports.com, In the 51 offensive snaps Drake played this season - about 13 percent of Alabama's overall snaps before the injury - Alabama accrued 481 yards of offense, an average of 9.4 yards per play, a significant boost to the 6.8 yards per play the offense averaged without Drake in the game.

"Kenyan's got a lot of production for us and he's done a really good job all year long. I don't think there's any question about the fact that when you lose a player like that it does have some impact." Alabama coach Nick Saban said in October.

Drake, who hasn't spoken publicly about the injury until Saturday, said he had "never been hurt like that before in his life."

"I didn't know what to think to be honest with you," he said of the moments after the injury. "I kind of went into shock, the trainers came out there, took real good care of me instantly on the field and after that I really didn't feel it anymore."

An outpouring of support has also fueled Drake's recovery. In the days following the injury at Ole Miss, Drake tweeted out pictures of letters of support from fans.

"The support is very overwhelming really. I'm still getting letters to this day," Drake said. "Bama Nation, there's no greater fans in the country, in the world actually. I'm blessed to be a part of this."

And while Drake can't support his team on the field, he was doing his best off it on Saturday.

"We've worked real hard all year, unfortunately I went down early in the year with an injury," he said. "But my team had my back from the get-go and everything speaks for itself."

- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1712809#sthash.uVTCErsg.dpuf
 
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