The top performances during the Nick Saban era
The University of Alabama's football game last Saturday in Knoxville featured benchmark performances by two players in particular, but for opposite reasons.
For the Crimson Tide, junior wide receiver Julio Jones set the school record for receiving yards in a single game with 221.
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Meanwhile, Tennessee running back Tauren Poole rushed for 117 yards, thanks primarily to a 59-yard touchdown, to snap Alabama's sting of not allowing a 100-yard rushing performance at 41 games.
It got us thinking how both compared statistically to every other rushing and receiving performance since Nick Saban arrived, along with some others. For example, how might Stephen Garcia's numbers for South Carolina fare against every other quarterback Alabama has faced since 2007?
Here are the top 10 passing, rushing and receiving performances during that time frame, for both Alabama and the opposition:
Alabama's best performances under Nick Saban
Passing (based on passer efficiency rating)
Greg McElroy, North Texas, 2009, 13-15-0, 176, 2 Tds, 229.23
Greg McElroy, Duke, 2010, 2010, 14-20-1, 258, 3 Tds, 217.86
Greg McElroy, San Jose State, 2010, 13-16-0, 218, 1 Td, 216.32
Greg McElroy, Arkansas, 2009, 17-24-0, 291, 3 Tds, 213.93
John Parker Wilson, at Georgia, 2008, 13-16-0, 205, 1 Td, 209.50
Greg McElroy, at Mississippi State, 2009, 13-18-0, 192, 2 Tds, 198.49
Greg McElroy, vs. Florida, 2009, 12-18-0, 239, 1 Td, 196.53
Greg McElroy, at South Carolina, 2010, 27-34-0, 315, 2 Tds, 176.65
Greg McElroy, Penn State, 2010, 16-24-0, 229, 2 Tds, 174.32
Greg McElroy, Florida International, 2009, 18-24-0, 241, 1 Td, 173.10
Rushing
246 Mark Ingram vs. South Carolina, Oct. 17, 2009
218 Glen Coffee vs. Kentucky, Oct. 4, 2008
173 Terry Grant at Vanderbilt, Sept. 8, 2007
172 Mark Ingram at Ole Miss, Oct. 10, 2009
162 Glen Coffee at Arkansas, Sept. 20, 2008
157 Mark Ingram at Arkansas, Sept. 25, 2010
151 Mark Ingram at Duke, Sept. 18, 2010
150 Mark Ingram vs. Virginia Tech, Sept. 5, 2009
149 Mark Ingram vs. Mississippi State, Nov. 14, 2009
144 Trent Richardson vs. Penn State, Sept. 11, 2010
144 Mark Ingram vs. LSU, Nov. 7, 2009
144 Glen Coffee vs. Auburn, Nov. 29, 2008
Receiving
221 Julio Jones vs. Tennessee (Oct. 23, 2010)
185 D.J. Hall vs. Tennessee (Oct. 20, 2007)
172 D.J. Hall at Arkansas (Sept. 15, 2007)
140 D.J. Hall at Mississippi (Oct. 13, 2007)
128 Julio Jones at LSU (Nov. 8, 2008)
124 Julio Jones vs. Florida (Dec. 6, 2008)
118 Julio Jones at South Carolina (Oct. 8, 2010)
106 Julio Jones at Duke (Sept. 18, 2010)
103 Julio Jones at Tennessee (Oct. 25, 2008)
102 Julio Jones vs. LSU (Nov. 7, 2009)
Best by opponents
Passing (based on passer rating)
Stephen Garcia, South Carolina, 2010, 17-20-1, 201, 3 Tds, 208.9
Tim Tebow, Florida, 2008, 14-22-0, 216, 3 Tds, 191.1
Xavier Lee, Florida State, 2007, 12-19-1, 224, 2 Tds, 186.4
Brian Johnson, Utah, 2008, 27-41-0, 336, 3 Tds, 158.8
Cody Hawkins, Colorado, 2007, 24-39-2, 322, 3 Tds, 146.0
Chris Todd, Auburn, 2009, 15-25-1, 181, 2 Tds, 139.2
Casey Dick, Arkansas, 2007, 11-23-1, 145, 3 Tds, 135.1
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas, 2010, 25-38-3, 357, 1 Tds, 135.0
Jordan Jefferson, LSU, 2009, 10-17-0, 114, 1 Td, 134.6
Matt Flynn, LSU, 2007, 24-44-3, 353, 3 Tds, 130.8
Rushing
Darren McFadden, Arkansas, 2007, 33-195, 2Tds
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Ole Miss, 2007, 20-131
Tauren Poole, Tennessee, 2010, 14-117, 1 Td
Anthony Alridge, Houston, 2007, 17-100
Brad Lester, Auburn, 2007, 22-98
Felix Jones, Arkansas, 2007, 16-96
Charles Scott, LSU, 2008, 24-99, 2 Tds
Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, 2010, 23-95, 2 Tds
Arian Foster, Tennessee, 2007, 13-91, 1 Td
Michael Smith, Arkansas, 2008, 19-91
Calvin Dawson, La.-Monroe, 2007, 33-91, 1 Td
Receiving
Demetrius Byrd, LSU, 2007, 6-144, 1 Td
Darvin Adams, Auburn, 2009, 4-138, 1 Td
Jarius Wright, Arkansas, 2010, 6-131
Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina, 2010, 7-127, 2 Tds
Freddie Brown, Utah, 2008, 12-125
Jordan Shipley, Texas, 2009, 10-122, 2 Tds
Greg Carr, Florida State, 2007, 5-107
Donnie Avery, Houston, 2007, 4-104, 1 Td
De'Cody Fagg, Florida State, 2007, 4-95, 2 Tds
Tyson DeVree, Colorado, 2007, 9-94, 2 Tds