Alabama Football: Top 10 Running Backs During Saban Era

9.  Bo Scarbrough

Scarbrough entered Tuscaloosa as one of the nation’s top high school running backs from IMG Academy in Florida. A simply terrifying specimen at six foot two and 235 pounds.

Bo played scantily as a freshman due to a knee injury.

In the latter half of his sophomore year, he was the bell cow of the offense. Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin leaned heavily on Scarbrough to wear down the opponents in the second half. He made his first career start against Tennessee and rushed for 109 yards. An 85-yard trot to the end zone put the game out of reach for the Volunteers. He topped that performance with 180 yards and two touchdowns against Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Against Clemson for the championship, Alabama was winning the game behind Scarbrough’s 93 yards and touchdown runs of 25 and 37 yards. He exited the game in the second half with a broken leg. The offense faltered because of his ability to move the chains and tire out defenders in the process. The Tide lost the game 35-31. Alabama’s inefficiency to make first downs in the second half killed the team as the Tide finished 2 for 15 on third down conversions. The sophomore back finished the season with 812 yards rushing and eleven scores.

Bo’s junior season was not as big as he did not look the same after his prior injury. He ended the season with 596 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Scarbrough finished second on the team with 17 receptions totaling 109 yards.

Scarbrough lived up to the hysteria surrounding him when he was healthy. Bo was a pulverizing back that could run defenders over or sprint past them.