Alabama's Derrick Henry Reminds SEC Why He Must Be Feared

When the University of Alabama completed the 41-23 victory at Texas A&M on Saturday, everyone who had been at Kyle Field, from former President George H.W. Bush to Houston Astros rookie shortstop Carlos Correa, probably had the same opinion of running back Derrick Henry: I’m glad I don’t have to try to tackle him.

With 32 attempts for 236 yards Henry had a career game despite facing the No. 9 team on its home field and also scored more two touchdowns.

He’s now reached the end zone in 12 straight games, which is not only the longest active streak in the nation, but it's also an Alabama record (Terry Davis previously held, with 10 in 1971-72).

“Derrick Henry had a fabulous game,” Nick Saban said during his postgame press conference. “But you have to say something about the offensive line (too).”

“He’s a workhorse; he’s tough.”

The rushing yards were the most by an Alabama player since Mark Ingram tallied 246 against South Carolina in 2009, when he all but put the team on his back and kept running out of the Wildcat formation, despite everyone in the stadium knowing where he was going over and over again.

Many consider that game Ingram’s signature, or Heisman, moment.

With LSU’s Leonard Fournette overshadowing everyone in college football this season, the same can’t quite be said of Henry, but he’s averaging 128.7 yards per game, which puts him on pace for 1,544.6 rushing yards during the regular season, with one to three games still to play.

Opponent	Att.-Yards	TDs
Wisconsin	13-147	3
Middle Tenn.	18-96	3
Ole Miss	34-127	1
U:M	13-52	1
Georgia	26-148	1
Arkansas	27-95	1
Texas A&M	32-236	2
Totals	152-901	12

Trent Richardson set the school's single-season rushing record with 1,679 yards in 2011. Henry might also make a run at Richardson’s record of 21 rushing touchdowns during that same season.

"Derrick Henry was hitting his holes and making it hurt," Texas A&M  linebacker A.J. Hilliard told reporters afterward. 

Henry’s previous game highs were 148 yards on 26 carries at Georgia earlier this month. He matched the yardage with his first eight carries in the first quarter, including a 55-yard touchdown run. He then scored again on the first play of the second quarter, this time plowing his way from six yards out.

At that point in the game, Henry was averaging 15.9 yards per carry, and Texas A&M was looking foolish for trying to stop the Crimson Tide with a nickel package that Alabama gashed with ease.

"I just had to keep my head level, just help my offense, do what I have to do, help us get a win and make plays," Henry said.

Combined with safety Eddie Jackson’s 93-yard interception return for a touchdown, which was the first of three pick-sixes for Alabama as it outscored the Aggies offense, and the Crimson Tide appeared to be in complete control.

Only two major things occurred to keep Texas A&M (5-1 overall, 2-1 SEC) from calling it a day early. First, senior center Ryan Kelly, who opened up the huge hole on Henry’s first touchdown, headed to the locker room and did not return.

On 3rd-and-15 with 4:12 before halftime, he looked a little woozy after taking on a charging Hilliard, although with the Texas heat, it didn’t appear to be too much out of the ordinary.

However, it was the first in a string of mishaps for the Crimson Tide, including four on special teams: Christian Kirk’s 68-yard punt return for a touchdown, Shaun Dion Hamilton’s targeting penalty, Cyrus Jones lost fumble a punt return, and a blocked punt.

Texas A&M scored a touchdown following the fumble, while the other two gaffes resulted in missed field-goal attempts. Still, Texas A&M was within striking distance at 28-20.

Similarly, with redshirt freshman J.C. Hassenauer filling in at center and Texas A&M aggressively attacking the line of scrimmage, Alabama’s four possessions following Kelly’s injury resulted in just 16 yards.

“Probably the thing I’m more proud of is when we lost the momentum of the game in the second quarter after we sort of dominated the first quarter, and they hit the punt return,” Saban said. “We didn’t have a lot of fire in our eyes at halftime. The players really responded well.

“It was hot, they were tired and they got their second wind.”

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

What got Alabama going again was a six-minute, 13-play drive that stalled in the red zone, but Adam Griffith’s 32-yard field goal made it a two-score game again, and that was all the breathing room the No. 10 Crimson Tide (6-1 overall, 3-1 SEC) needed.

Henry had one of the key plays on the drive on 4th-and-2 when, with Saban trying to call time out only to have offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin visually block him, he took a flip and with essentially no blockers ahead of him on the left side due to an unbalanced line, he went six yards for the first down. 

“The shot clock was down to one,” Saban said. “I’m glad we didn’t (call time out).”

Freshman cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick’s second interception return for a touchdown—55 yards after his first was for 33 yards to open the scoring—eventually sealed the win.

“Bottom line, that’s a good football team, Alabama,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said during his postgame press conference. “But you also can’t play the way we did tonight, giving up 21 points, and expect to win the game.”

Overall, Alabama out-gained Texas A&M on the ground 258-32, but the Aggies notched 15 tackles for a loss, most following Kelly’s departure and the defensive linemen beating the snap on the silent count.

The good news for the Crimson Tide is that Kelly is expected to be fine, but the even better news is that the team only has to play one more game, which is next Saturday against visiting Tennessee, before its bye.

It’s not clear who will need it more, Henry or the players trying to stop the running back listed as 6’3”, 242 pounds.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Christopher Walsh is a lead SEC college football writer. Follow Christopher on Twitter @WritingWalsh.