Alabama Football: Individual records will be set and broken in ’20

Three Alabama football players could set new Crimson Tide records in 2020.

Three Alabama football, offensive players could set new Crimson Tide career records in 2020. Prior to the 2017 season, we published Ten Alabama Football Records that will never be broken. So far none of them have been broken and realistically only two of them have even a small chance of ever being broken.

In 2020, Alabama football, offensive players have good chances to set new career records. Those good chances are diminished by the possibility of 13 games, compared to a pre-COVID potential of a 15 game season. New records will be harder to set, but not impossible with 13 games.

Short of some totally unexpected, bizarre 2020 performance, Crimson Tide junior, Jaylen Waddle will set a new career, punt return record. Waddle is already No. 1 in the Alabama Football Record book with a punt return average of 24.4 yards. Javier Arenas is No. 2 at 14.1 yards, followed by Harry Gilmer at 13.4 yards. Waddle’s 2020 punt return average would have to be well under 10 yards for him to lose his No. 1 status in the Crimson Tide Record Book.

Alabama football wide receiver, DeVonta Smith already holds one Crimson Tide record. His five touchdown catches against Ole Miss in September 2019 eclipsed the old record of three TD catches held by seven former and current Crimson Tide wide receivers.

Smitty is poised to earn two more Crimson Tide records in 2020. At No. 4 for career touchdown catches, Smith trails Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy and Amari Cooper. Cooper sits at No. 1 with 31 career touchdown receptions. Smitty has 23 so far. Last season he pulled in 14 TD catches. Just nine more in 2020 will move him past Amari.

A new record for career yards is not out of reach for Smith. Amari is the Tide record holder at 3,463 yards. Smith is at 2,109 yards. It would take a huge year for Smith to pass Cooper but it is not impossible. Last season, Smith had 1,256 receiving yards. Just 99 more, 1,355 yards would push Smitty past Amari. If Steve Sarkisian moves to a more run-focused attack, Smith might come up short. But last season, DeVonta shared reception opportunities with Jeudy, Ruggs and Waddle. Jaylen and DeVonta should dominate the number of receptions in 2020.

The other guy who can set a career record is Najee Harris. Derrick Henry leads the Crimson Tide with 3,591 career rushing yards. In three seasons, Harris has 2,377 yards. Last season Najee rushed for 1,224 yards. If he matches that yardage output in 2020, he will surpass Henry by 10 yards. Derrick set the current Tide record with 602 carries. Najee goes into the 2020 season, with only 387 carries. He should need only a few more than last season’s 209 carries to break Derrick’s record.

Individual awards deservedly honor great Crimson Tide players. To the players, no number of individual awards makes up for the team failing to win a National Championship.

All stats used are from the Alabama Football, 2020 Media Guide.