Kenneth Darby Believes Tyrone Prothro Injury Cost Alabama National Title Chance in 2005

Before Nick Saban produced the most successful dynasty that college football had ever seen at University of Alabama, his predecessor, Mike Shula, gave fans one season that still lives on in Crimson Tide lore for certain reasons.

The 2005 campaign was Shula’s only 10-win season while at the helm of the program, that resulted in a Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech, and brought Alabama back to national relevance, as the Crimson Tide was ranked in one of four national polls for 12 of the 14 weeks during the season.

Senior linebacker DeMeco Ryans won the Southeastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-SEC First Team along with junior running back Kenneth Darby and senior defensive back Roman Harper.

Defensive end Mark Anderson, linebacker Freddie Roach, and wide receiver Tyrone Prothro earned All-SEC Second Team honors.

Darby, the team’s leading tailback that season, joined Bama Central’s All Things Bama Podcast to reflect on how important that season was and, ultimately, what could have been.

“Yes, that was definitely our end goal,” Darby said of being in the national title race toward the end of the regular season. “That was what we were focused on. We had the skill set, the team, and coaches to make it happen. We had toughness and the defense, too. Unfortunately, injuries plagued us toward the middle of the year and it did not pan out how we wanted it to."

The Crimson Tide started on a roll winning nine games in a row, ascending to No. 4 in the AP Poll and No. 3 in the Coaches’ Poll, before falling to LSU, in overtime, and Auburn in consecutive weeks to close out the regular season.

One of the contests that stands out in Darby’s mind, when he reminisces on his junior year, is the Crimson Tide’s 31-3 rout of the then-ranked No. 5 Florida Gators.

“That Florida game was big,” Darby said. “They were a big, well-known team. They were so hyped up around the media and one of the teams to beat that year. How loud our stadium was that game will always be one of my favorite memories.

“It felt like the field was shaking underneath your feet.”

While that beatdown of the Gators brought the national spotlight to Tuscaloosa, it came at a price, when Prothro suffered a broken leg late in the 4th quarter that ended his playing career. Darby notes that if he does not go down, the season could have looked a lot different.

“I tell people all the time, if Tyrone was healthy and did not get hurt, we would have made it to the championship game,” Darby said.

What the 2005 Crimson Tide squad had most, according to Darby, was camaraderie and a unique sense of togetherness.

“Those guys were my brothers,” Darby said. “And they are still my brothers to this day. I still keep in touch with Le’Ron McClain, Ramzee Robinson from time to time, Chris Harris, and Juwan Simpson occasionally. I probably talk to those guys the most.”

Darby dealt with some coaching instability in his first year in Tuscaloosa as Dennis Franchione was the one who recruited him, then he was fired after the running back's freshman year. Mike Price was hired, then fired due to off-the-field affairs, before even coaching a game.

Alabama ended up with Shula, after the Price ordeal, and Darby noted how grateful he was for Shula throughout his college career.

“He was one of the coaches that really believed in being punctual,” Darby said. “If you were on time, you were late. That still sticks with me now and that was a great thing he taught me.”

After rushing for 1,242 yards and three touchdowns in 2005, Darby revealed he was really close to entering the NFL draft and forgoing his remaining year of eligibility that following spring, but held off, in order to finish his degree and become a first-generation college graduate in his family.

Days until Alabama Football: Kenneth Darby pic.twitter.com/XDkTdxEmIs
— Trinidad C. Miller (@trin_miller61) July 28, 2019

"I almost left," Darby said. "The only reason I did not do it was because of my mother. I wanted to stay back and do that for my mother because I was the only guy in our family to graduate from a Division 1 college. That was a big accomplishment for me. If education had nothing to do with it, I probably would have left."

For his senior campaign in 2006, the Crimson Tide would finish 6-7 and Darby would rush for 835 yards, catch 23 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown. He was then selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft.

Darby currently sits fourth on Alabama's all-time rushing list with 3,324 yards.

"It makes me feel good and lets me know I was able to accomplish something," Darby said. "It is good to know I am in the history books. I just wish I was able to get to that No. 1 spot."

You can listen to the full interview here.

Note: Wins from the 2005 and 2006 seasons were vacated by the NCAA due to violations involving improper benefits.