Alabama Football: 5 Tide players poised to break out in 2020
By Phil Poling
2. Najee Harris, RB
A senior that’s been the feature running back isn’t a typical “breakout” candidate, but the Crimson Tide could see a shift in the way their offense operates in 2020 compared to the last few seasons. With a new quarterback and fewer veterans at receiver, Alabama could field an offense focused heavily on the running game. Enter Najee Harris.
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The 6-foot-2 senior became the feature back in 2019 and eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. He finished with 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, but also contributed 304 yards and seven scores through the air. The previous two seasons combined only saw Harris amass 1,205 all-purpose yards. Now, some of that can be attributed to the play-style and the plethora of weapons surrounding him, but an increased role in 2020 will likely mean greater numbers.
Could the Crimson Tide revert back to the days of Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, and Derrick Henry, pounding the rock and wearing their opponents down? Absolutely. And at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Harris is the type of bruising back that could shoulder that offensive load.
Does Harris have Heisman Trophy potential? He’ll need a special effort personally and a handful of other players around the country to under-perform (looking at you, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields). But if Alabama runs the table, and Harris is the lead horse, don’t be surprised if he’s invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The stars are aligning for a Bama back to once again hoist that trophy.