Former Heisman Winner Named the 'Angriest Runner' in College Football History

A national media pundit as named this Heisman Trophy-winning running back the angriest runner in the history of college football.

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry (2) runs with the ball against Michigan State Spartans linebacker Darien Harris (45) defensive end Joel Heath (92) and cornerback Arjen Colquhoun (36) in the third quarter in the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Every offensive skill player wants to be known as a challenge to tackle.

Many of these skill players earn that description due to their speed and elusiveness as they force would-be tacklers to whiff on their attempts.

However, an offensive skill player with brute strength to shed tackles is more appreciated as the sport has become less physical over time.

Blain Crain of On3 named the 10 angriest runners in college football history on a recent edition of "Crain and Cone." The list spanned from Bo Jackson at Auburn in the early 1980s all the way to Cam Skattebo at Arizona State in 2024.

The angriest runner on Crain's list was former Alabama running back and 2015 Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry.

Henry's Career At Alabama

Standing at a jarring 6 feet, 3 inches and weighing over 250 pounds of pure muscle, Henry has the build of a tight end playing running back. He scored 153 touchdowns during his time at Yulee High School in Florida, smashing a national record that stood for 60 years.

Henry entered a loaded Crimson Tide running back room in 2013 that featured future NFL players in TJ Yeldon and Kenyan Drake. He finished his freshman season at Alabama with 382 rush yards and three touchdowns.

Drake went down with an injury early in the 2014 season, so Henry and Yeldon split carries in Alabama's run to the inaugural College Football Playoff. Henry ran for 990 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught five passes for 133 yards and two more touchdowns.

Henry's 2015 campaign is the most dominant by a college football running back in recent memory. He ran for an NCAA-high 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns, rushing for over 200 yards in SEC wins over Texas A&M, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.

The Crimson Tide won both its fourth SEC title and national title of the Nick Saban era in 2015. Henry received unanimous All-America honors, the Doak Walker Award and the Heisman Trophy, marking the most recent running back to earn college football's most prestigious accolade.

Derrick Henry's case as the best running back from Nick Saban's tenure

Henry's 2015 run, coupled with his NFL career, makes a bulletproof case for him as the best running back to come out of Alabama during Saban's tenure. Running back is a position known for its short longevity, and many notable Crimson Tide running backs have not sniffed Henry's longevity.

Fellow Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II is the running back closest to matching Henry's success from the Saban era. Ingram lasted 12 seasons in the NFL, rushing for over 1,000 yards thrice in his NFL career and once in college.

On the other hand, Henry has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in seven of his previous 10 NFL seasons. Henry has run for over 2,000 yards both in college and the NFL, making him one of only nine running backs ever to accomplish the second feat.