Alabama found the end zone five times during its 44-13 drubbing of Miami on Saturday. For Crimson Tide players, the final touchdown was the sweetest.
Taking a handoff on second-and-1 from the Miami 20-yard line, Trey Sanders burst through the middle of the line before bouncing out to his right. After picking up a key block from right tackle Chris Owens, and another from receiver Javon Baker, the five-star back strode into the end zone for a score.
The play might have counted for six points on the scoreboard, but to an Alabama team that has seen Sanders overcome back-to-back season-ending injuries, it meant a little more.
“Man, I think that was one of the moments in the game that was really special for everybody,” receiver John Metchie III said Monday. “I think just all of us kind of knowing what he’s been through and all the work that he’s put in and just being able to see that moment, it was just special for everybody.”
Following Saturday’s game, Nick Saban stated that nobody on Alabama’s roster has overcome as much adversity as Sanders. After joining the Tide as the top back in the 2019 class, the former blue-chip recruit saw his first season cut short before it started as he suffered a Lisfranc fracture during fall camp.
Sanders was met with more adversity last season as he severely injured his hip during a car accident back home in Port Saint Joe, Fla., in November. When asked Monday, Saban didn’t go into the specifics of the injuries Sanders sustained during the collision but revealed that they were severe enough to put the back’s future in doubt.
“There was a point in time where I think he questioned and a lot of us questioned would he really be able to come back,” Saban said. “Because of his perseverance and his resilience to continue to work the way he did is what allowed him to come back. And when you see a player go through that kind of adversity, it certainly makes him strong as a person, but you also have a great feeling for seeing him be able to come back and do well in the game, score a touchdown and have some positive plays. Certainly for him, it’s gotta be a great confidence builder, as well.”
Before suffering last season’s injury, Sanders was coming off a career-best performance against Mississippi State where he ran for a career-high 80 yards on 12 carries while also returning a kickoff 17 yards. Saturday’s 20-yard touchdown, the first of the redshirt sophomore’s career, highlighted another strong showing as the 6-foot, 214-pound playmaker ran for 41 yards on eight carries, leading the team with 5.1 yards per attempt.
According to Pro Football Focus, Sanders earned a 73.1 offensive grade against Miami, the fifth-highest mark on the team and best among Alabama’s backs. His eight carriers were the third most among Alabamas’ backfield as starter Brian Robinson Jr. ran for a team-high 60 yards and 12 touches while sophomore Jase McClellan recorded 36 yards on nine attempts.
While Alabama is expected to split its carries more evenly throughout the season, Sanders could see his workload increase if he continues to live up to his five-star billing. For now, his Tide teammates are just happy to see him back contributing on the field.
“It’s really exciting to see Trey back out there,” offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor Jr. said during camp. “It’s been good to see him bounce back from his injury. We all know he had a tough time last year and just to see him out there breaking tackles, breaking long runs has been a really good feeling so really excited to see what he does this season, and I’m sure he’ll produce in a big way.”