A broken leg and a fracture arm could not crush the spirit of Alabama running back Kenyan Drake. He accounted for one of the biggest plays in Monday’s national title game against Clemson, a 95-yard kick return for a score in the fourth quarter.
Drake’s effort resulted in the Crimson Tide’s 10th non-offensive touchdown of the season. Alabama took a 38-27 lead and eventually won the game in a 45-40 shootout.
Drake landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine Tuesday morning. Its depiction was him avoiding Clemson’s defensive back T.J. Green on the way to the end zone. Cecil Hurt of Tuscaloosa News released the information via Twitter.
Kenyan Drake is the seventh different Alabama running back on an SI cover since 2008. pic.twitter.com/9Oxq0ISVES
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) January 13, 2016
The senior and Georgia native becomes the seventh Crimson Tide running back since 2008 to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. He joins Glenn Coffee, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry.
Drake ends the season with 1,189 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns on 125 total plays.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
