Bummed out about the NCAA Tournament being canceled? We are too. That’s why BamaInsider created its own version of March Madness to determine who is the Crimson Tide’s greatest player in the Nick Saban era.
We have compiled a 64-player field with seed rankings of No. 1 through No. 16. The tournament will be played out throughout the month and will be determined by fan voting. Fans can vote either through BamaInsider’s Twitter account (@bamainsider) or on the Talk of Champions message board. Players will be matched up against each other with the one receiving the most total votes between both mediums advancing to the next round.
Today we continue the tournament by moving into the Sweet Sixteen in the Derrick Henry bracket.
No. 1 seed Derrick Henry vs. No. 5 seed Quinnen Williams
Derrick Henry accolades
— Alabama’s second Heisman winner (2015).
— Alabama’s career record holder in rushing touchdowns (42)
— Alabama’s single-season record holder in rushing touchdowns (28), rushing yards (2,219) and carries (395)
— Third most yards per carry (career) list with a minimum of 400 attempts. Henry averaged 5.97 yards per rush across his 602-carry career while the two guys ahead of him finished with less than 500 carries.
Quinnen Williams accolades
— Drafted No. 3 overall in 2019, tied for highest in Nick Saban era
— Outland Trophy winner (2018), Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist (2018) and Bednarik Award finalist (2018)
— Ninth on Alabama’s single-season record list in tackles for loss with 18.5.
What we think:
Tony Tsoukalas: Both of these players could single-handedly take over games. Derrick Henry’s most famous performance came in the 2015 Iron Bowl when he carried the ball 46 times for 271 yards and a touchdown. Quinnen Williams’ most memorable moment came when he tallied a career-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss during Alabama’s 29-0 victory at LSU in 2018.
While both players clearly separated themselves from their opponents, Henry’s Heisman-winning season in 2015 is on another level. He gets the nod from me.
Tyler Waldrep: Quinnen Williams’ position in the middle of the defensive line, and the double teams he faced down the stretch, make it impossible to capture his impact with any number other than his draft selection.
Still, Alabama has never leaned on a single player in the Nick Saban era the way the program did with Derrick Henry in 2015. He was the most impressive player in the country that year, and few guys since have put together a comparable performance across an entire season, so I’ve got to go with Henry.
No. 2 seed Amari Cooper vs. No. 3 seed Rolando McClain
Amari Cooper accolades
— Alabama’s career record holder in receiving touchdowns (31), receiving yards (3,463) and receptions (228)
— Heisman finalist (2014) and Alabama’s first Biletnikoff Award winner (2014)
— Alabama’s single-season record holder in receiving touchdowns (16), receiving yards (1,727) and receptions (124)
— Responsible for half of Alabama’s eight games where a single receiver caught at least 12 passes.
Rolando McClain accolades
— Butkus Award winner (2009) and SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2009)
— The only player in the Saban era to lead the team in both total tackles and tackles for loss in back-to-back seasons.
— Well ahead of the pace set by Alabama’s all-time tackle leader Wayne Davis (327 tackles made in the 1980s), but he left early for the NFL.
What we think:
Tony Tsoukalas: This is probably the best matchup we’ve had in the tournament so far. Rolando McClain started Alabama’s illustrious string of linebackers under Saban. On the other hand, Amari Cooper’s 124 receptions in 2014 is a school record that will likely stand for quite some time.
McClain captained Alabama’s vaunted 2009 defense, while Cooper was the biggest weapon on a loaded 2014 offense. This one is razor-thin for me, but I’m going with Cooper.
Tyler Waldrep: Had Rolando McClain returned for one more year and produced half as much as he did in 2008 and 2009, he would probably have earned a top seed. He also would have solidified his legacy as the best linebacker of the Saban era. Instead, he remains just one of several talented guys jockeying for second place.
Amari Cooper, on the other hand, is easily the most important receiver of the Saban era. He wasn’t the first elite option Saban recruited at the position. He might not have even been the most talented receiver in the Saban era, but none of the others accomplished half as much in Tuscaloosa despite having more to work with than Cooper. I have to go with Cooper.
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