Jase McClellan Runs Around, Over and Through Austin Peay Defense

McClellan recorded 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Crimson Tide's 34-0 shutout of the Governors.

Author:
Joey Blackwell
Updated:
Nov 19, 2022 5:26 PM EST
Original:
Nov 19, 2022

In this story:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When you ask Alabama running back Jase McClellan his preference between running around or through would-be tacklers, he gives a simple answer.

"Shoot, run somebody over," McClellan smiled.

On Saturday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, McClellan did more than just run through Austin Peay's defense. In 17 carries, McClellan recorded 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns, running around, over and through the Governors in the Crimson Tide's 34-0 win.

The game marks the first of McClellan's career that he finished with over 100 rushing yards. Over his three seasons at Alabama, he's come close multiple times. Four game of over 95 yards, in fact. After the game, McClellan said that while he was grateful to have finally eclipsed the milestone performance, it was all just doing what his team asked of him.

"It felt good," McClellan said. "Just doing what the team asked me for, what the coaches asked me for. It felt good to just go 100 yards."

With starting running back Jahmyr Gibbs out with a twisted ankle, it was up to McClellan to shoulder the workload against Austin Peay. While Gibbs leads all Alabama rushers with 815 yards off 119 carries on the season, McClellan sits in second with 586 yards off 94 carries — an average of 6.1 yards per game.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban wasn't surprised by McClellan's success this season.

"Well Jase played well for us last year," Saban said. "Jase was a really good player last year until he got hurt, so I haven't learned anything about him. I've always thought he was a really good player, I think y'all are just starting to figure it out."

In McClellan's freshman season of 2020, the young running back came close to breaking the 100-yard rushing mark on two occasions. The first was against Kentucky, where he amassed 99 yards off 10 carries. The second was at Arkansas, where McClellan took over the rushing game with 95 yards off six carries.

In 2021, McClellan recorded 97 yards off 12 carries against Southern Miss, but that marked the only time he approached the 100-yard mark. Earlier in the 2022 season, he managed 97 yards off six carries at Texas, but that was his season high prior to the game against Austin Peay.

Saban believes that McClellan's rise in performance can't be narrowed down to just one factor, but is a combination of both skill and mindset.

"I think it's a combination of both," Saban said. "I think people who have skill, if they don't have the right mindset, they don't ever play to the potential of what their skill is. So I think that's the case in anything that any of us do to be the best version of what we want to be, whatever we choose to do. Jase is tough, he's physical, he'll make you miss, he's got a burst, he's a good receiver, he's a good blocker — so I think it's a combination of both."

McClellan answered when his number was called on Saturday, which bodes well for Alabama's rushing game moving forward. With Gibbs likely leaving for the NFL following the season, McClellan has proved time and time again that he's more than capable of being the Crimson Tide's bell cow running back in 2023.

Until that day comes, though, there's still two more games left for this current Alabama team to play. For now, McClellan says that his job is to continue performing and displaying his potential.

"Just showing what I'm capable of, what I'm capable of doing," McClellan said. "My run style and what I can do for the team."

Next week, the Crimson Tide will host the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl. While Auburn has just a 4-6 record as of the writing of this story, the annual rivalry game has almost become a game where stats and record can be thrown out the metaphorical window.

Then after that will come Alabama's bowl game — whichever that might be.

The Crimson Tide has a 9-2 record and will be missing out on the SEC Championship Game, the College Football Playoff and maybe even a New Year's Six bowl game. However, McClellan still believes that this team will be defined by its wins, not its losses.

Including gritty wins like Saturday's against the Governors.

"It shows our image," McClellan said. "How we compete. We've got stuff to compete for."