Alabama football has incredible depth at the running back position. So exactly who is this Joshua Jacobs kid?
How does one go from a high school senior, whose best offers were from the likes of Wyoming and New Mexico State, to leading the defending national champions in rushing in week four and week five?
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High School Career
It’s surprising that Jacobs went without a single FBS offer until late December, because he already runs like a seasoned veteran. Just ten months removed from being virtually unknown in the recruiting circles, Jacobs has quickly become the first running back off the bench and the third leading rusher for the Alabama football team.
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After running for 1,300 yards as a high school sophomore, 948 yards and 13 touchdowns in four games as a junior, you’d think more schools would’ve been keeping an eye on Jacobs.
Maybe it was his size?
At 5-foot-8, 180-pounds the junior running back needed to put on some pounds but the ability was always there. Between his junior and senior seasons Jacobs grew to 5-11, 200 pounds and moved from running back to Wildcat quarterback. Joshua flourished with the added size, running for 2,704 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior while averaging more than 15 yards per carry.
Still, no one was noticing the McClain standout out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two weeks before national signing day a call came in that would change his life forever.
Alabama Football: Just The Beginning
That call was from Alabama football running backs coach Burton Burns. Burns had to visit Jacobs himself and see what was holding him back from offers. He didn’t find a single reason and the Crimson Tide offered him a scholarship a couple days later.
The rest is history. The first running back off the bench against Ole Miss, Jacobs carried the ball three times for 33 yards. Highlighted by a 25 yard yard run in the second quarter that showed flashes of a great instinctive runner.
The Crimson Tide’s Joshua Jacobs recorded his first start for an injured Damien Harris Saturday versus Kentucky and he did not disappoint. Jacobs gashed the Kentucky defense for 100 yards and touchdown on the ground and tacked on another 44 yards receiving.
In fact, Jacobs is the current SEC Freshman of the week. Not bad for a kid no one had even heard of until January.
The number of stars don’t make football players, will and determination do. Don’t look now, but that “3-star” is making some noise for Alabama football heading into game 3 of SEC play.
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Be sure to catch Joshua Jacobs and the entire Crimson Tide as they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks this weekend in Fayetteville. Game time is set for 6 p.m. central time, and will be aired on ESPN.