Saban on Bo Scarbrough: 'I think he's going to be a factor for us before the season is over'
Remember Derrick Henry's touchdown runs against Auburn and Ohio State in 2014?
That's what Bo Scarbrough's scoring run against Arkansas looked like, a big running back sweeping around the left side of the offensive line and accelerating down the sideline for a touchdown of around 20 yards while moving a lot faster than most 230- or 240-pound people are capable of moving.
After not playing or producing much in Alabama's previous four games, Scarbrough had some standout runs during the Tide's win over Arkansas on Saturday, especially during the second quarter drive that ended with the sophomore running back's touchdown run.
The last three plays of that drive were a physical 4-yard Scarbrough run to the left, a 9-yard Scarbrough run up the middle and then the 21-yard scoring run.
It was an encouraging performance from Scarbrough, who played more because backup running back Joshua Jacobs suffered an elbow injury during the first quarter and didn't return to the game. Scarbrough finished with 56 yards and the touchdown on seven carries while running for an average of eight yards per carry.
"He's doing a good job," coach Nick Saban said of Scarbrough. "He made a nice run in the last game for a touchdown, and I think he's getting more and more confident, and I think he's going to be a factor for us before the season is over."
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There were unrealistic and unfair external expectations for Scarbrough entering the season, a product of Scarbrough being a former five-star recruit whom at least some teammates were calling "The Next Derrick Henry" combined with Scarbrough running for a combined 243 yards and four touchdowns during Alabama's first two spring scrimmages while averaging 11.6 yards per carry.
Yet, it's been another sophomore running back, Damien Harris, who has emerged as the Tide's new lead running back while having the type of breakout season that many were expecting Scarbrough to have.
In addition, a freshman, Jacobs, is the clear No. 2 running back on the depth chart behind Harris and stepped in as Alabama's lead back against Kent State and Kentucky when Harris was dealing with an ankle injury.
Scarbrough, meanwhile, carried the ball just 20 total times in Games Two through Five and gained 21 yards or less in each of those four games. But you could see the talent and Scarbrough's rare combination of size, speed and toughness during the win over Arkansas.
The 56 yards were a season-high. So was the average of eight yards per carry. And the touchdown run was his longest gain of the season.
"I think you all create an expectation for people that there's no basis for," Saban said in September in response to a question about Scarbrough. "You do that to a lot of guys. It puts a lot of pressure on them. It creates a lot of anxiety for them. What we're trying to do here is just get guys to develop and be able to be comfortable and develop and gain the knowledge and experience that they need to go out there and play with confidence, play fast.
"We think Bo's got a lot of potential, and we're going to keep working with him so he can be a very productive player for us. So, I don't think he has any issues. I think he has issues created to the expectation that you created for him. But that's not what we're all about here."
Remember Derrick Henry's touchdown runs against Auburn and Ohio State in 2014?
That's what Bo Scarbrough's scoring run against Arkansas looked like, a big running back sweeping around the left side of the offensive line and accelerating down the sideline for a touchdown of around 20 yards while moving a lot faster than most 230- or 240-pound people are capable of moving.
After not playing or producing much in Alabama's previous four games, Scarbrough had some standout runs during the Tide's win over Arkansas on Saturday, especially during the second quarter drive that ended with the sophomore running back's touchdown run.
The last three plays of that drive were a physical 4-yard Scarbrough run to the left, a 9-yard Scarbrough run up the middle and then the 21-yard scoring run.
It was an encouraging performance from Scarbrough, who played more because backup running back Joshua Jacobs suffered an elbow injury during the first quarter and didn't return to the game. Scarbrough finished with 56 yards and the touchdown on seven carries while running for an average of eight yards per carry.
"He's doing a good job," coach Nick Saban said of Scarbrough. "He made a nice run in the last game for a touchdown, and I think he's getting more and more confident, and I think he's going to be a factor for us before the season is over."
Nick Saban discusses his role in players returning from concussions.
There were unrealistic and unfair external expectations for Scarbrough entering the season, a product of Scarbrough being a former five-star recruit whom at least some teammates were calling "The Next Derrick Henry" combined with Scarbrough running for a combined 243 yards and four touchdowns during Alabama's first two spring scrimmages while averaging 11.6 yards per carry.
Yet, it's been another sophomore running back, Damien Harris, who has emerged as the Tide's new lead running back while having the type of breakout season that many were expecting Scarbrough to have.
In addition, a freshman, Jacobs, is the clear No. 2 running back on the depth chart behind Harris and stepped in as Alabama's lead back against Kent State and Kentucky when Harris was dealing with an ankle injury.
Scarbrough, meanwhile, carried the ball just 20 total times in Games Two through Five and gained 21 yards or less in each of those four games. But you could see the talent and Scarbrough's rare combination of size, speed and toughness during the win over Arkansas.
The 56 yards were a season-high. So was the average of eight yards per carry. And the touchdown run was his longest gain of the season.
"I think you all create an expectation for people that there's no basis for," Saban said in September in response to a question about Scarbrough. "You do that to a lot of guys. It puts a lot of pressure on them. It creates a lot of anxiety for them. What we're trying to do here is just get guys to develop and be able to be comfortable and develop and gain the knowledge and experience that they need to go out there and play with confidence, play fast.
"We think Bo's got a lot of potential, and we're going to keep working with him so he can be a very productive player for us. So, I don't think he has any issues. I think he has issues created to the expectation that you created for him. But that's not what we're all about here."
