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Nick Saban's Tenure in Review: Season #9 - 2015 Alabama Crimson Tide
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:57 am
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:57 am
Of Nick Saban's six national championship seasons while the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the 2015 one might have been the most satisfying. Navigating the most difficult schedule a national championship team has ever dealt with, the 2015 Alabama Crimson Tide faltered in the early going against a 10-win Ole Miss team before coming together and running the table against a murderer's row of teams that showed out that year.
With the arm of Jacob Coker, the legs of Derrick Henry, and the hands of Calvin Ridley, the offense got better and better with each passing week. Meanwhile, the suffocating defense of Kirby Smart - led by the likes of A'Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Reggie Ragland, and Eddie Jackson - killed the will of multiple offenses and offensive players, including the vaunted rushing attack of LSU's Leonard Fournette.
This was without question a season to remember.
2015 Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record: 14 wins, 1 loss
SEC Record: 7 wins, 1 loss (1st in SEC West)
AP Poll Finish: #1
Coaches Poll Finish: #1
Offensive Coordinator: Lane Kiffin
Defensive Coordinator: Kirby Smart
Permanent Captains: Jacob Coker, Derrick Henry, Ryan Kelly, and Reggie Ragland
Consensus 1st Team All-Americans: Derrick Henry (RB), Ryan Kelly (C), A'Shawn Robinson (DT), and Reggie Ragland (LB)
1st Team All-SEC: Derrick Henry (RB), Ryan Kelly (C), Cam Robinson (T), Jonathan Allen (DE), A'Shawn Robinson (DT), Jarran Reed (DT), Reggie Ragland (LB), and Eddie Jackson (S)
Heisman Trophy: Derrick Henry (WINNER)
Total Offense: 427.1 YPG (#45)
Total Defense: 276.3 YPG (#3)
Average Talent Ranking on Roster: #1 (Per Rivals)
Schedule
vs. #20 Wisconsin (W) 35-17 [Arlington, TX]
vs. Middle Tennessee State (W) 37-10
vs. Ole Miss (L) 37-43
vs. Louisiana-Monroe (W) 34-0
@ #8 Georgia (W) 38-10
vs. Arkansas (W) 27-14 [Homecoming]
@ #9 Texas A&M (W) 41-23
vs. Tennessee (W) 19-14
vs. #2 LSU (W) 30-16
@ #17 Mississippi State (W) 31-6
vs. Charleston Southern (W) 56-6 [Senior Day]
@ Auburn (W) 29-13
vs. #18 Florida (W) 29-15 [SEC Championship Game]
vs. #3 Michigan State (W) 38-0 [2015 Cotton Bowl]
vs. #1 Clemson (W) 45-40 [2016 CFP National Championship Game]
Leading Passer
Jacob Coker
263-393 66.9 Pct 3,110 Yds 21 TDs 8 INTs
Leading Rusher
Derrick Henry
395 Att 2,219 Yds 5.6 Avg 28 TDs
Leading Receiver
Calvin Ridley
89 Rec 1,045 Yds 11.7 Avg 7 TDs
Note: With 2,219 rushing yards on the year, Derrick Henry became the first (and so far only) RB in the history of the SEC to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
With the arm of Jacob Coker, the legs of Derrick Henry, and the hands of Calvin Ridley, the offense got better and better with each passing week. Meanwhile, the suffocating defense of Kirby Smart - led by the likes of A'Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Reggie Ragland, and Eddie Jackson - killed the will of multiple offenses and offensive players, including the vaunted rushing attack of LSU's Leonard Fournette.
This was without question a season to remember.
2015 Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record: 14 wins, 1 loss
SEC Record: 7 wins, 1 loss (1st in SEC West)
AP Poll Finish: #1
Coaches Poll Finish: #1
Offensive Coordinator: Lane Kiffin
Defensive Coordinator: Kirby Smart
Permanent Captains: Jacob Coker, Derrick Henry, Ryan Kelly, and Reggie Ragland
Consensus 1st Team All-Americans: Derrick Henry (RB), Ryan Kelly (C), A'Shawn Robinson (DT), and Reggie Ragland (LB)
1st Team All-SEC: Derrick Henry (RB), Ryan Kelly (C), Cam Robinson (T), Jonathan Allen (DE), A'Shawn Robinson (DT), Jarran Reed (DT), Reggie Ragland (LB), and Eddie Jackson (S)
Heisman Trophy: Derrick Henry (WINNER)
Total Offense: 427.1 YPG (#45)
Total Defense: 276.3 YPG (#3)
Average Talent Ranking on Roster: #1 (Per Rivals)
Schedule
vs. #20 Wisconsin (W) 35-17 [Arlington, TX]
vs. Middle Tennessee State (W) 37-10
vs. Ole Miss (L) 37-43
vs. Louisiana-Monroe (W) 34-0
@ #8 Georgia (W) 38-10
vs. Arkansas (W) 27-14 [Homecoming]
@ #9 Texas A&M (W) 41-23
vs. Tennessee (W) 19-14
vs. #2 LSU (W) 30-16
@ #17 Mississippi State (W) 31-6
vs. Charleston Southern (W) 56-6 [Senior Day]
@ Auburn (W) 29-13
vs. #18 Florida (W) 29-15 [SEC Championship Game]
vs. #3 Michigan State (W) 38-0 [2015 Cotton Bowl]
vs. #1 Clemson (W) 45-40 [2016 CFP National Championship Game]
Leading Passer
Jacob Coker
263-393 66.9 Pct 3,110 Yds 21 TDs 8 INTs
Leading Rusher
Derrick Henry
395 Att 2,219 Yds 5.6 Avg 28 TDs
Leading Receiver
Calvin Ridley
89 Rec 1,045 Yds 11.7 Avg 7 TDs
Note: With 2,219 rushing yards on the year, Derrick Henry became the first (and so far only) RB in the history of the SEC to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
This post was edited on 4/25/24 at 11:06 am
Posted on 4/25/24 at 11:32 am to RollTide1987
My favorite team of the Saban era. Henry was so fun to watch. That Mississippi State game comes to mind. And the defense was entertaining. Coker came to play each week. Fun team.
Also,
Also,
Posted on 4/25/24 at 11:57 am to RollTide1987
quote:
vs. #1 Clemson (W) 45-40 [2016 CFP National Championship Game]
I totally forgot about the garbage-time TD from Clemson.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 3:30 pm to RollTide1987
The CFPCG had some of the best moments of the Saban era. What I remember the most though is Jake Coker's growth. There is a pretty clear delineation too: the 4th quarter of TSIO. He had shown moments of toughness but was a pretty stupid passer for a 5th year senior early in the season. But from that crunch time performance forward, Coker was everything we needed from a QB to win a national title given the monster lined up behind him.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 5:01 pm to Diego Ricardo
The defensive performance against LSU was one of the best moments of the Saban Era.
Posted on 5/1/24 at 11:58 pm to RollTide1987
A play from that season that doesn’t get enough love and should be talked about more is the Coker throw to Ardarius Stewart in the NCG…clutch
This post was edited on 5/1/24 at 11:59 pm
Posted on 5/2/24 at 10:15 pm to mistaken4193
Speaking of Stewart he doesn’t get enough credit. People love to talk about Norwood when bringing up underrated receivers. But Stewart was also very clutch and arguably a better overall athlete (not
2015 but he had a crazy good side line throw the following season vs Clemson). Dude broke so many tackles
2015 but he had a crazy good side line throw the following season vs Clemson). Dude broke so many tackles
Posted on 5/2/24 at 11:19 pm to 1BamaRTR
I thought that Stewart would make it in the NFL as a journeyman type receiver. I agree that he is one of the more underrated players in Saban's dynasty. Dude was electric at times.
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