TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Eight Alabama players were recognized by the coaching staff following Saturday’s 35-17 victory over No. 20 Wisconsin. Derrick Henry, Ryan Kelly and O.J. Howard were the honorees on offense, while Reggie Ragland, Jonathan Allen and Jarran Reed represented the defense. Tony Brown and Cyrus Jones made the special teams list.
Henry, a junior from Yulee, Fla., rushed for a career-high 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries. He set career highs in yards and touchdowns while averaging 11.3 per carry. He scored on runs of 37, 56 and two yards while also catching two passes for 12 yards and accounting for five first downs. Kelly, a senior from West Chester, Ohio, was a game captain and anchored the Alabama offense at center while helping to open holes for 238 rushing yards and 502 yards of total offense. He did not allow a sack or a pressure or commit a penalty. Howard, from Prattville, Ala., caught three passes for 37 yards and two first downs.
On defense, Ragland led the Crimson Tide with 12 tackles, including five solo stops. The game captain from Madison, Ala., also accounted for one quarterback hurry while helping limit Wisconsin’s powerful rushing attack to just 40 yards in the game or 1.9 yards per carry. Allen, from Leesburg, Va., accounted for two sacks (15 yards) to set a career high. He finished with four total tackles and a broken up pass. Reed, from Goldsboro, N.C., made five tackles along the defensive line as the Tide limited Wisconsin to just 268 total yards.
Jones, a senior from Baltimore, Md., took over as the starting punt returner and finished with 25 yards on four returns, including an 18-yard burst. Brown, a sophomore from Beaumont, Texas, recorded one tackle on punt coverage, which he limited to just three yards.
