Nick Saban identifies how RB Najee Harris has improved in sophomore season
By Keith Farner
Published:
Najee Harris has nearly doubled his rushing output for Alabama this season.
The running back has churned out 664 rushing yards and four touchdowns, a 6.7 yards-per-carry average. While he also averaged more than six yards per carry last season, he only mustered 370 rushing yards and three TDs. His yards-per-carry average ranks third in the SEC. Harris is the second-leading rusher for Alabama behind Damien Harris.
On Friday before the SEC Championship Game, coach Nick Saban discussed Harris’ development into being a talented player with great size and speed.
“He’s very effective when he has the ball in his hand, and he’s a complete player in terms of being a good receiver as well as a good runner with the ball,” Saban said. “I think the improvement that he’s made has come because of the experience that he’s gained as a player, and he’s a more complete player now. We have total confidence that he can go in the game. Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs have both been very productive for us as well. I think those three guys are all very good players, and we need them all to play very well.”
Harris has just three catches for three yards this season, which is actually a drop off from last year’s production of six catches for 45 yards.
Harris’ best game this season came against Arkansas State when he had 135 rushing yards and a touchdown. But he also had 83 rushing yards at LSU, on just six carries.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
