Another story in this series demonstrated how having numerous players around the ball instead of one primary tackler is more conducive to a successful defense in Nick Saban’s scheme.
Despite that, try out this trivia question with your University of Alabama friends because it’s one of those in which the answer is right before them but they probably won’t get it on the first guess.
Which two Alabama players are tied for the most single-game tackles since Nick Saban’s arrival in 2007?
Chances are they’ll get the first one pretty quickly, Rolando McClain, who notched 15 twice.
The other was defensive lineman Jarran Reed at LSU last season.
If they get that right, try this: During the same time period only four times has a player reached 100 tackles in a single season. Name them.
It’s a bit of a trick question.
Again, McClain is the obvious choice, as is C.J. Mosley in 2013 when he too won the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker. Safety Landon Collins did it last season, but he’s not the tough one to get.
It was Mosley in 2012, when he split snaps with Nico Johnson. Now that’s impressive.
Here are some other Alabama defensive leaders under Saban, with Courtney Upshaw (Auburn 2010) and Wallace Gilberry (LSU 2007) having the most sacks in a single game with three, and safety Rashad Johnson the most interceptions with three at LSU in 2008:
TACKLES
Game
Name, Season, Opponent, Tackles
Rolando McClain, 2008, Tulane, 15
Rolando McClain, 2007, Auburn, 15
Jarran Reed, 2014, LSU, 15
Trey DePriest, 2014, Auburn, 14
C.J. Mosley, 2012, Texas A&M 14
C.J. Mosley, 2013, Auburn 14
Javier Arenas, 2009, Tennessee, 14
Darren Mustin, 2007, ULM, 14
Rashad Johnson, 2007, Colorado, 13
Rolando McClain, 2008, Arkansas State, 13
Nick Perry, 2014, Auburn, 13
Reggie Ragland, 2014, LSU, 13
Season
Name, Season, Tackles
C.J. Mosley, 2013, 108
C.J. Mosley, 2012, 107
Rolando McClain, 2009, 105
Landon Collins, 2014, 103
Rolando McClain, 2008, 95
Reggie Ragland, 2014, 95
Rashad Johnson, 2007, 94
Rashad Johnson, 2008, 89
Trey DePriest, 2014, 88
Dont’a Hightower, 2011, 85
Career
Name, Seasons, Tackles
C.J. Mosley, 2010-13, 319
Rolando McClain, 2007-09, 275
Mark Barron, 2008-11, 237
Dont’a Hightower, 2008-11, 234
Trey DePriest, 2011-14, 230
Rashad Johnson, 2007-08, 183
Landon Collins, 2012-14, 173
Nico Johnson, 2009-12, 163
Kareem Jackson, 2007-09, 159
Javier Arenas, 2008-10, 154
SACKS
Season
Name, Year, Sacks
Wallace Gilberry, 2007, 10
Courtney Upshaw, 2011, 9.5
Xzavier Dickson, 2014, 9
Adrian Hubbard, 2012, 7
Courtney Upshaw, 2010, 7
A’Shawn Robinson, 2013, 6.5
Marcell Dareus, 2009, 6.5
Eryk Anders, 2009, 6
Jonathan Allen, 2014, 5.5
Javier Arenas, 2009, 5
Bobby Greenwood, 2007, 5
Career
Name, Year, Sacks
Courtney Upshaw, 2009-11, 17.5
Xzavier Dickson, 2011-14, 13
Marcell Dareus, 2008-10, 11
Wallace Gilberry, 2007, 10
Adrian Hubbard, 2011-13, 10
Eryk Anders, 2007-09, 8.5
Rolando McClain, 2007-09, 8
Javier Arenas, 2007-09, 7
Brandon Deaderick, 2007-09, 7
C.J. Mosley, 2010-13, 6.5
A’Shawn Robinson, 2013-14, 6.5
INTERCEPTIONS
Season
Name, Year, Interceptions
Robert Lester, 2010, 8
Mark Barron, 2009, 7
Rashad Johnson, 2007, 6
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 2012, 5
Javier Arenas, 2009, 5
Rashad Johnson, 2008, 5
Robert Lester, 2012, 4
Justin Woodall, 2008, 4
Mark Barron, 2010, 3
Landon Collins, 2014, 3
Kareem Jackson, 2007, 3
Cyrus Jones, 2014, 3
Dre Kirkpatrick, 2010, 3
Dee Milliner, 2011, 3
Justin Woodall, 2009, 3
Career
Name, Years, Interceptions
Robert Lester, 2010-12, 14
Mark Barron, 2008-11, 12
Rashad Johnson, 2007-08, 11
Justin Woodall, 2008-09, 7
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 2011-13, 7
Dee Milliner 2010-12, 6
Javier Arenas, 2008-09, 6
Landon Collins, 2012-14, 5
Cyrus Jones, 2012-14, 5
Kareem Jackson, 2007-09, 5
C.J. Mosley, 2010-13, 5
Rolando McClain, 2007-09, 5
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
