🏈 Best Bama RB

Tough choices.

Johnny Musso

Tony Nathan

Bobby Humphrey

Siran Stacy

Sean Alexander

More recently:

Mark Ingram

Trent Richardson

Eddie Lacy.

There are many others, all with good cases.

I will say that Johnny Musso is my favorite of all our running backs.
 
Q-and-A-Shaun-Alexander.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDXJ-wpfrwg

You're gonna get different answers from different ages. People my age (or around it) will likely say Shaun Alexander or Trent Richardson while younger fans will say Mark Ingram or Trent Richardson, people my dads age will likely say Johnny Musso or Bobby Humphrey.
 
There are also different styles and body types of runners to consider.
I'd have to be more specific about the variables to name a 'best'.
Of all time? I'm not sure that can be answered to a degree of certainty.
Best bruiser
Best juker/shifty
Hardest to tackle straight on
Best after contact, and so on.

That being said, Shaun Alexander sure was hard to tackle, and had a knack for glancing off tacklers with his hips ONCE he got warmed up and wheels were really turning.

Mark Ingram, pound for pound, along with Trent Richardson seemed to put forth the most tenacious effort in recent years and both were obviously hard to bring down after contact. Mark being harder straight ahead and Trent being more shifty and able to make people miss, yet both could run over the runner if tackler tried to square up. Those guys usually only came down from angles, group, or leg tackles.

I never saw Musso live, and although I remember Humphrey, my level of appreciation for how good he was historically wasn't there as I was a wee lad.

On Shiftiness? Yeldon is going to rank up there before he's done. Remember, he's going to get bigger I'd guess and if he hangs on to that mobility during full speed running, he's going to break some records, imo. That setup step in the LSU game to go ahead was truly a thing of beauty. Without the presence of mind to set up the tackler 15 yards ahead of time, he is tackled.

Lump in throat.
Great topic.
 
Too hard to say, each had their own team (some had good offensive lines, some had lots of other RB's in front of them, etc).

From the media guide, to help with the discussion....

Stats suggesting Alexander by a very LONG shot in my opinion.



MOST CAREER 200-YARD RUSHING PERFORMANCES
4 Bobby Humphrey
284 at Mississippi State ........................................................................................Oct. 11, 1986
220 at Penn State ..................................................................................................Sept. 12, 1987
217 at Tennessee ....................................................................................................Oct. 18, 1986
204 Auburn............................................................................................................ Nov. 29, 1986
3 Shaun Alexander
291 at LSU ................................................................................................................Nov. 8, 1996
214 at Mississippi ...................................................................................................Oct. 16, 1999
206 Vanderbilt .......................................................................................................Sept. 12, 1998

MOST 100-YARD GAMES IN A SINGLE SEASON
9 Mark Ingram ......................................................................................................................... 2009
9 Trent Richardson .................................................................................................................. 2011
7 Shaun Alexander ................................................................................................................... 1999
7 Sherman Williams ................................................................................................................. 1994
6 Kenneth Darby ..................................................................................................................... 2005
6 Shaun Alexander ................................................................................................................... 1998
6 Siran Stacy .............................................................................................................................. 1989
6 Bobby Humphrey ................................................................................................................. 1986
5 Eddie Lacy

MOST CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING PERFORMANCES
15 Shaun Alexander ..............................................................................................................1996-99
15 Bobby Humphrey ............................................................................................................1985-88
13 Trent Richardson ........................................................................................................ 2009-2011
12 Kenneth Darby ................................................................................................................2003-06
12 Sherman Williams ............................................................................................................1991-94
12 Mark Ingram ....................................................................................................................2008-10
7 Eddie Lacy


ALABAMA’S CAREER 1,000-YARD RUSHERS
Player (Years) .................................................................................................. Yards
1. Shaun Alexander (1996-99) ................................................................................................ 3,565
2. Bobby Humphrey (1985-88) ............................................................................................... 3,420
3. Kenneth Darby (2003-06) ...................................................................................................3,329
4. Mark Ingram (2008-10) ........................................................................................................ 3,261
5. Trent Richardson (2009-2011)............................................................................................. 3,130
6. Johnny Musso (1969-71) ..................................................................................................... 2,741
7. Dennis Riddle (1994-97) ..................................................................................................... 2,645
8. Bobby Marlow (1950-52) ....................................................................................................2,604
9. Johnny Davis (1974-77) ....................................................................................................... 2,519
10. Sherman Williams (1991-94) .............................................................................................. 2,486
Eddie Lacy............................................................................................................................2,402


SCORING RECORDS
POINTS

Game
30 Shaun Alexander vs. Brigham Young (5 touchdowns) ..............................Sept. 5, 1998
30 Santonio Beard vs. Mississippi (5 touchdowns) ...................................... Oct. 12, 2002
24 Bobby Marlow at Georgia Tech (4 touchdowns) ....................................Nov. 18, 1950
24 Johnny Musso at Florida (4 touchdowns) ...............................................Sept. 25, 1971
24 David Casteal at Mississippi State (4 touchdowns) ................................. Oct. 29, 1988
24 Siran Stacy vs. Memphis State (4 touchdowns) .......................................Sept. 16, 1989
24 Siran Stacy vs. Tennessee (4 touchdowns) .............................................. Oct. 21, 1989
24 Dennis Riddle vs. Kentucky (4 touchdowns) ............................................ Oct. 5, 1996
24 Shaun Alexander at LSU (4 touchdowns) .................................................Nov. 9, 1996
24 Shaun Alexander at Florida (4 touchdowns) ............................................. Oct. 2, 1999
24 Trent Richardson at Mississippi (4 touchdowns) .................................... Oct. 15, 2011
Season
144 Shaun Alexander (24 touchdowns) ........................................................................1999
144 Trent Richardson (24 touchdowns) .......................................................................2011
132 Leigh Tiffin (30 field goals, 42 PATs) ...................................................................2009
120 Mark Ingram (20 touchdowns) ..............................................................................2009
115 Jeremy Shelley (21 field goals, 52 PATs) ...............................................................2011
114 Eddie Lacy (19 touchdowns)
Career
385 Leigh Tiffin (83 field goals, 136 PATs) ........................................................... 2006-09
345 Philip Doyle (1 touchdown, 78 field goals, 105 PATs).................................... 1987-90
326 Michael Proctor (65 field goals, 131 PATs) ..................................................... 1992-95
312 Van Tiffin (59 field goals, 135 PATs).............................................................. 1983-86
300 Shaun Alexander (50 touchdowns) .................................................................. 1996-99

TOUCHDOWNS
Game

5 Shaun Alexander vs. Brigham Young (5 rushing) ......................................Sept. 5, 1998
5 Santonio Beard vs. Mississippi (5 rushing) .............................................. Oct. 12, 2002
4 Bobby Marlow at Georgia Tech (3 rushing, 1 receiving) ........................Nov. 18, 1950
4 Johnny Musso at Florida (4 rushing) ......................................................Sept. 25, 1971
4 David Casteal at Mississippi State (4 rushing) ........................................ Oct. 29, 1988
4 Siran Stacy vs. Memphis State (4 rushing) ..............................................Sept. 16, 1989
4 Siran Stacy vs. Tennessee (3 rushing, 1 receiving) ................................... Oct. 21, 1989
4 Dennis Riddle vs. Kentucky (3 rushing, 1 receiving) ................................ Oct. 5, 1996
4 Shaun Alexander at LSU (4 touchdowns) .................................................Nov. 9, 1996
4 Shaun Alexander at Florida (3 rushing, 1 receiving) ................................. Oct. 2, 1999
4 Trent Richardson at Mississippi (4 rushing) ........................................... Oct. 15, 2011
Season
24 Shaun Alexander (19 rushing, 4 receiving, 1 kickoff return) ..................................1999
24 Trent Richardson (21 rushing, 3 receiving) ...........................................................2011
20 Mark Ingram (17 rushing, 3 receiving) ..................................................................2009
19 Eddie Lacy (17 rushing, 2 receiving)
18 Siran Stacy (17 rushing, 1 receiving) ......................................................................1989
17 Shaun Alexander (13 rushing, 4 receiving) .............................................................1998
17 Bobby Humphrey (15 rushing, 2 receiving)...........................................................1986




TOUCHDOWN RESPONSIBILITY
Game
5 Santonio Beard vs. Mississippi (5 rushing) .............................................. Oct. 12, 2002
5 Shaun Alexander vs. Brigham Young (5 rushing) ......................................Sept. 5, 1998
5 Gary Hollingsworth at Mississippi (5 passing) .......................................... Oct. 7, 1989
Season
24 Shaun Alexander (19 rushing, 4 receiving 1 kickoff return) ...................................1999
24 Trent Richardson (21 rushing, 3 receiving) ...........................................................2011
23 John Parker Wilson (18 passing, 5 rushing) ...........................................................2007
22 Harry Gilmer (9 rushing, 13 passing) ....................................................................1945
21 Greg McElory (20 passing, 1 rushing) ...................................................................2010
20 Mark Ingram (17 rushing, 3 receiving) ..................................................................2009
 
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Something that stood out about Musso, besides his running skills, was his blocking. he played at 191, but pound for pound he was the best blocker I ever saw. His senior year statistics have to be considered in the light of our switch to the wishbone that year. No more lining up in the I and feeding the monster.Freshmen weren't eligible when he played, so his career totals were based on three years.
 
Major Ogilvie was always a favorite of mine. He was a bruiser. He never had electric stats like the others but the wishbone I feel was to blame for that. Hard to compare eras. Someone asked about the best lineman in UA history, comparing John hannah to Barrett Jones. You can't compare. The way the game is played now to then, offenses, rules, depth chart, etc. are all factors to be considered.
 
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