What a decade it has been for Alabama football. It is arguably the best 10 seasons ever in Crimson Tide history.
Since 2010, Alabama football has won four national titles under head coach Nick Saban. It’s a Herculean task (and it’s just one person’s opinion), but below we cobble together what are the best players from 2010 to 2019.
The only surprise with the Tua selection is that it took Alabama football head coach Nick Saban thirteen-and-a-half games to make the switch.
Quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa)
One CANNOT stress enough just how program-changing a player Tua was when he first arrived in Tuscaloosa. Most saw him in his first A-Day game and thought he already looked better than any other quarterback on the roster. Alabama football head coach Nick Saban was quick to point out, though, that he was going against the 2nd-team defense most of the game and when he did come in against the first team, he threw a pick-six.
87 touchdowns, 7,442 passing yards, a 69 percent career completion rate and one iconic, championship-winning throw later, Tua is the measuring stick for any Alabama quarterback going forward. Not Joe Willie, not The Snake, not A.J. McCarron. From henceforth, Tua Tagovailoa is the greatest quarterback in the storied history of Alabama football. The decade is merely window dressing.
Honorable Mention: A.J. McCarron
Running Back 1A & 1B (Mark Ingram & Derrick Henry)
This isn’t about the Heisman victories. Most viewed them to be undeserving of the award anyway since their respective teams were in the thick of the national title hunt, but if you’re asking me who I want to be my two primaries at the position it has to be Ingram and Henry.
Trent Richardson and Najee Harris were arguably more athletic. Josh Jacobs packed more punch per pound than any other running back under Saban, but for pure vision and balance (Ingram) and ability to wear down defenses (Henry), there’s not a better combo in my mind. To this day, there’s not a better back under Nick Saban that had the patience to see holes develop like Mark Ingram and for the combination of speed and power, Derrick Henry was a sight to behold.
Let’s just all agree there are too many great Alabama football running backs to name and whoever you choose will be the right answer.
Honorable Mention: Trent Richardson & Josh Jacobs