The old saying, ‘records are made to be broken’ does not apply to these ten Alabama football records that will never be broken.
Football is a team sport and the records of teams are more important than the records of individuals. Records of individual players also deserve honor, particularly these ten Alabama football records that will never be broken.
Each is an Alabama football All-Time record, not shared by any other Crimson Tide player. The ten individual records cover a time span of over 80 years of Alabama football.
With one exception, the source of these records is the Athletic Department of the University of Alabama. All Crimson Tide football records are in a 322-page document that can be found here: Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book.
The first record on our list and the exception mentioned above is not in the Alabama football record book but it is recorded in the game records of the Orange Bowl.
On January 1, 1963, the 1962 Alabama football team played Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. The Sooners, under Bud Wilkinson, had dominated college football during most of the 1950’s. From October 3, 1953, until November 16, 1957, the Sooners compiled an unbeaten streak of 47 games.
The Sooners struggled in 1960 and 1961 but in 1962 were back to winning. Posting an 8-2 record, after close losses to Notre Dame and Texas, the Sooners were expected to be a challenge for the Tide.
Alabama’s 1962 chance for a repeat national championship had been lost in a 7-6 loss to Georgia Tech. It was the Tide’s only loss in two seasons. After only surrendering 25 points in the 1961 season, the Tide had slumped with opponents running up 39 points in 1962.
Before the 1962 Sugar Bowl, Paul Bryant said of the 1961 defense, “they play like it is a sin to give up a point.”
Against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, the 1962 Tide gave up zero points, easily winning 17-0. Linebacker Lee Roy Jordan led the Tide defense making 31 tackles in the bowl game. Jordan was also an every down player for the Tide on offense at center.
In the official Alabama football records the All-Time Tackles in a Single Game, No. 1 is DeMeco Ryans with 25 against Arkansas in 2003.
But the real record belongs to All-American Lee Roy Jordan and it is a record that will never be broken.
Derrick Thomas is the greatest defensive player Alabama football ever produced. And his story is the most tragic.
Thomas died at 33, from injuries caused by an automobile accident. He is one of only seven Alabama football players to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After an inexplicable delay, in 2014 he was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
For those Alabama football fans who are too young to have seen Derrick Thomas play, old videos do not do him justice. His speed off the edge was exceptional but even greater was his relentless pursuit of quarterbacks and ball-carriers. It was not uncommon for Thomas to overcome a double-team and earn a sack.
The stats tell his superlative story. The 2011 Alabama football defense is considered one of the top three defenses in the school’s history. In 2011 the total sacks made by the Alabama defense was 30. In 1988, Derrick Thomas had 27 sacks. Three less than an entire team from one of Alabama football’s greatest seasons.
In his Alabama football career, Derrick Thomas made 52 sacks. No. 2 on the list for Career Sacks is Jonathan Allen with 28.
All-Time Sacks in a Season (27) – All-American Derrick Thomas, 1988
All-Time Sacks in a Career (52) – All-American Derrick Thomas, 1985-1988
Two more Alabama football records that will never be broken.
In 1932, Alabama head coach Frank Thomas was in his second season following the great Wallace Wade era at Alabama. In 1930, Wade last season before leaving Tuscaloosa to coach the Duke Blue Devels, Wade’s team was the national champion.
It was the third Wallace Wade national championship at Alabama. Wade left Alabama in a huff but he left a legend. Frank Thomas had very big shoes to fill.
The first Frank Thomas season was a good one, the Tide was 9-1, losing only to Tennessee. At that point in Robert Neyland’s head coaching career against the Tide, he was 3-1 and Thomas was determined the record would not go to 4-1 in 1932.
The 1931, 25-0 loss to the Vols in Knoxville convinced Thomas the Tide’s best chance was to keep the score low. Thomas decided to rely on his defense and play field position throughout the game.
Close to 20,000 fans packed Legion Field on October 15, 1932. They were treated to a defensive gem. The Vols prevailed 7-3. Alabama’s Johnny Cain punted 19 times in the game for 914 yards (a 48.1 yard average.)
Two of those stats are Alabama football records.
Most Punts in a Single Game (19) – Johnny Cain, 1932
Most Punting Yards in a Single Game (941) – Johnny Cain, 1932
Those two Alabama football records will never be broken.
A third Alabama football kicking record was set by All-American Leigh Tiffin in his 2006-2009 Alabama football career. Leigh’s father, Van Tiffin holds the Alabama record for longest field goal in a game at 57 yards.
Leigh’s Alabama football records are for made career field goals and points scored by kicking.
Most Points Scored by Kicking in a Career (385) – Leigh Tiffin, 2006-2009)
Most Field Goals Made in a Career (83) – Leigh Tiffin, (2006-2009)
Two more Alabama football records that will never be broken.
Javier Arenas was the most dynamic punt and kick returner in Alabama football history. When Arenas calm waited for an opponent’s punt, Alabama football fans anticipated excitement. When Javier Arenas got his hands on a football, the air in Bryant-Denny was electric.
In his Alabama football career, Javier Arenas returned seven punts for touchdowns. That stat is an Alabama record, but it could be broken at some future point in time.
Arenas holds two other Alabama football records that we believe will never be broken. Career punt return yards and career kickoff return yards.
The video below is about four minutes of Javier Arenas magic. It is worth your time to watch.
The blocking walls provided to Arenas by his teammates was essential to his success. Even with all that exceptional blocking, Javier Arenas broke a lot of tackles. Some of his best returns were not the ones for touchdowns.
Punt Return Yards in a Career (1,752) – Javier Arenas, 2006-2009
Kickoff Return Yards in a Career ( 2,166) – Javier Arenas, 2006-2009
Two more Alabama football records that will never be broken.
A. J. McCarron holds several Alabama football passing records: Most Career Pass Completions (686); Highest Completion Percentage for a Career (66.9 percent); Most Yards Passing for a Career (9,019); Most Touchdown Passes in a Season (30); Most Touchdown Passes in a Career (77); Longest Scoring Pass (99 yards); Lowest Interception Percentage for a Career (1.46 percent) and Touchdown Responsibility for a Career (80, 77 passing and 3 rushing).
McCarron’s Alabama football accomplishments are as impressive as any Crimson Tide player ever. Of the eight records listed above, seven can be broken and one can be tied. It may take a long while for them to be surpassed but none of them qualify for “never to be broken” status.
McCarron has another Alabama football record. In 2011 and 2012, A. J. threw 291 consecutive passes without an interception. Detractors can claim that he was also the Tide’s record holder for passes intentionally thrown away. His risk aversion strategy earned him a ‘Game Manager’ label.
McCarron’s personality was better suited to be more of a risk-taker. But he learned from Saban that offensive possessions ending in a kick were to be valued.
Consecutive Passes without an Interception (291) – A. J. McCarron, 2011-2012
Another Alabama football record that will never be broken.
That is 10 Alabama football records that will never be broken, nine official and one, unofficial.
If this list had been compiled a couple of years ago, another record might have been added to the “will never be broken” list. That record was: Most Rushing Attempts in a Game (42) by Johnny Musso against Auburn in 1970.
Without an unexpected return to run-heavy football, 42 game carries appeared to be another that “would never be broken.” Then, Derrick Henry broke it. Henry carried the ball 46 times against Auburn in 2015. The following week Henry had 44 carries against Florida in the SEC Championship game.
The old adage of “never say never” has merit. Even with that caution, we believe the 10 records by Lee Roy Jordan, Derrick Thomas, Johnny Cain, Leigh Tiffin, Javier Arenas and A. J. McCarron will “never be broken.”
Next: 30 Great Crimson Tiders who were 3-Star recruits
RTR Forever!