RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day One: Shaun Alexander makes it rain in Tiger Stadium (1996)
The game that put Shaun Alexander on the map.
For those reading on e-mail: click 'view in browser' to see the full contents of today's post
Welcome to day one of the second edition of Running Back Respect Monthâ„¢! Just like last year, each day this month is dedicated to celebrating the legacy of the storied running back position in college football. In total, I'm dropping 27 highlight reels of some of the best single-game performances of all-time, along with four career highlight reels each Friday on my YouTube channel. The videos will also live here on the site, along with some extra commentary on what made each performance and player so special. Here's a schedule of how it's going down:
If you're not subscribed to the site already, hit the button below to get your first month for $3!
Up first: Shaun Alexander vs. LSU (1996)
RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day One: Shaun Alexander makes it rain in Tiger Stadium (1996)
The 1996 Alabama-LSU game was just like every other showdown between the two - for complete control of the SEC West:
Both teams were fresh off a bye, with Alabama looking to rebound from a narrow 20-13 loss at Tennessee. For everything that went wrong with the Tide that day, running the ball was the least of their issues. Junior Dennis Riddle ripped off a career-best 184 yards rushing, and was in the midst of a 1,000-yard, 13-touchdown season that would earn him Second-Team All-SEC honors. Riddle's success and the presence of veteran backup Curtis Alexander meant little opportunity for redshirt freshman Shaun Alexander. The freshman from Kentucky was seen as the future of the Tide backfield, but had just 143 yards rushing in the first six games he played in.
Heading into a make-or-break game against the No. 11 Tigers, he finally got his opportunity to break through. Curtis Alexander was banged up, and the Tide needed Shaun for what was sure to be the most physical game on their schedule. By the end of the night, he would more than double his previous season output, and leave with the program single-game rushing record:
What's funny is that despite Alexander's depth chart elevation, Riddle still commanded the actual game reps early on. Through the 10:50 mark of the second quarter, Riddle had seven carries for 38 yards, compared to nothing for Alexander. That all changed when his first carry put the Tide on the board:
