TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– Alabama football’s Nick Saban, Jalen Hurts, Cam Robinson and Jonathan Allen all won individual honors from the Southeastern Conference, the league reported on Wednesday.
Saban was voted SEC Coach of the Year.
In his tenth season, he’s coached the Tide to a 13-0 record, its third straight conference title and a third appearance in the College Football Playoff. The 65-year-old was named a finalist for both Eddie Robinson and American Football Coaches Association coach of the year awards on Monday. He’s guided the school to nine 10-win seasons since 2008, while currently having Alabama with the nation’s longest win streak (25 games).
Hurts is Alabama’s first Freshman of the Year selection and the first true freshman to be named SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year since the league split its Player of the Year honors in 2003, to represent offense and defense. Former Georgia running back Herschel Walker was the last true freshman to win SEC Player of the Year honors in 1980. Hurts has started 12 games for the Crimson Tide, and is the first true freshman to start at quarterback since Vince Sutton (1984). He’s been responsible for 34 touchdowns this season, while totaling 3,433 yards. The Channelview, Texas native has accounted for four 100-yard rushing outings, and is the first signal caller in school history to both pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in a single game.
Allen has been a force all year on the Tide’s defensive line.
He was the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year) on Monday and is a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Allen leads the team in quarterback hurries (15) and shares the lead in sacks (8.5). He’s collected two touchdowns, both coming on fumble returns. Allen captains a front that is first in the nation in scoring defense (11.8 ypg), rush defense (63.4 ypg) and efficiency defense (98).
Robinson, who is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, anchors an offensive line that’s blocked for 40.5 points and 471.3 yards per game. He’s cleared the way for 10 100-yard rushers, while protecting Jalen Hurts against some of the better pass rushers in college football. Robinson earned the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, joining former Tide standout Ryan Kelly (2015).
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 @Smsmith_TDALMag.
