Alabama Wins National Championship With 56 Track Athletes

Alabama sprint star Marlon Humphrey grabbed the game changing onside kick at the start of the 4th quarter that turned the tide for Alabama in the national championship game. Photo: Jason Clark

Alabama Wins Football National Championship

The Crimson Tide earned their 16th national championship in a thrilling 45-40 battle that came down to a desperate onside kick attempt by Clemson in the final seconds of the game. Why does this matter for high school track & field? The days of single sport specialization are becoming obsolete and Alabama is leading the way with multi sport recruits.

Recruiting Football and Track Stars

I searched the MileSplit database for all 118 members of the Alabama roster listed at rolltide.com and found that 56 athletes (47%) also competed in track and field in high school. The list includes some of the best athletes to come out of their respective events. Freshman Kendall Sheffield was the nation's best hurdler last year and third leg of the Fort Bend Marshall US #7 All Time 4x200m team. Marlon Humphrey holds a national title in the 400H and is just a few tenths off the US Top-10 all time list in that event. The roster has no shortage of state champions, including star quarterback Jake Coker who won a Alabama state javelin title in 2011.

Position Analysis

The above chart breaks down the number of athletes by position who were track and field athletes in high school. As would be expected, there are a higher number of DB,RB, and WR's due to the tight connection between those positions and high school sprints. Adding to that, it's common for football players to to live in the throwing circles during the spring. 

The pie chart to the right illustrates the percentage of athletes by position who were track and field athletes in high school. Defensive backs hold a slight edge with the highest percentage of 66.67%. The defensive and offensive line are the only other positions over 50%.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Current Recruiting Trend 

The current track and field recruiting trend is on the rise. While Alabama has a near 50% mix of players who competed in track versus football only, that number is increasing quickly. The upperclassmen have the greatest number of football focused players. Seniors have 40% with a track background, while the juniors drop down to 30%. There is a clear upswing with the two most recent recruiting classes. The Alabama program is now nearing 60% with the latest group of freshman. Takeaways? Football players should give their pads a break in the offseason and hit the track!


Alabama Roster Breakdown

Sorted by position, the chart below is shows the Alabama roster with the PRs and top performances from the track and field athletes that helped the Crimson Tide win another national title.

#PlayerPosYRTop PRsBest ResultsHigh School
11Kendall SheffieldDBFR110: 13.42 | 300H: 36.34US #1 | State ChampFort Bend Marshall
26Marlon HumphreyDBFR60H: 7.76 | 400H: 50.252nd NBNI | 1st NBNOHoover
44Levi WallaceDBSO200m: 22.8 | LJ: 22-07Tucson
23Deionte ThompsonDBFRHJ: 6-06 | LJ: 21-07.75West Orange-Stark
3Bradley SylveDBSR60m: 6.76 | 100m: 10.492nd NBNI | State ChampSouth Palquemines
7Tony BrownDBSO110H: 13.38 | 100m: 10.53State Champ | 6th NBNOOzen
31Nate StaskelunasDBJRArendell Parrott Academy
27Shawn Burgess-BeckerDBFRMonarch
21Maurice SmithDBJR100m: 10.88 | 200m: 22.75Fort Bend Dulles
41Blaine AndersonDBJRMyers Park
23Jabriel WashingtonDBSRTrinity Christian Academy
45Cedric PowellDBSO100m: 11.04 | 200m: 22.64G.W. Carver
28Anthony AverettDBSO55: 6.43 | LJ: 25-02.5Woodbury
29Minkah FitzpatrickDBFR100m: 10.54 | 200m: 21.66St. Peter's Prep
24Geno Matias-SmithDBSR100m: 11.11 | 200m: 22.90St. Pius X
47Bo GrantDBJRValley
6Laurence Hootie JonesDBSONeville
15Ronnie HarrisonDBFRLJ: 21-01.5 | HJ - 5-10FSU University School
5Cyrus JonesDBSR100m: 10.89 | 200m: 22.00Gilman
4Eddie JacksonDBJRBoyd Anderson
5Ronnie ClarkDB/RBFR200m: 25.78 | LJ: 15-05Calera
69Joshua FrazierDLSOSP: 51-08Har-Ber
86A'Shawn RobinsonDLJRArlington Heights
90Jarran ReedDLSRSP: 40-07East Mississippi CC
51Jake LongDLJRVestavia Hills
9Da'Shawn HandDLSOSP: 51-09 | D: 116-09Woodbridge
95Darren LakeDLSRSP: 41-03 | D: 75-06Sumter County
54Dalvin TomlinsonDLJRSP: 41-09 | D:131-11Henry County
93Jonathan AllenDLJRSP: 45-08 | D: 143-08Stone Bridge
96Stephen HodgeDLSRHale County
94Da'Ron PayneDLFRShades Valley
91O.J. SmithDLFRSP: 49-11 7th LA StateAirline
57D.J. PettawayDLSREast Mississippi CC
36Johnny DwightDL/TEFRSP: 38-05Wilcox County
10Reuben FosterLBJRAuburn
40Joshua McMillonLBFRD: 84-02Whitehaven
89Bernel JonesLBSRJefferson Davis
46Derrick GarnettLBSOHoly Spirit
56Tim WilliamsLBJRUniversity Lab
39Paden CrowderLBSRVestavia Hills
19Reggie RaglandLBSRSP: 45-05 | 94-08Bob Jones
25Dillon LeeLBSR400m: 61.00Buford
20Shaun Dion HamiltonLBSOCarver
43Gussie BuschLBFRSP: 38-02Priory
30Denzel DevallLBSRBastrop
35Walker JonesLBSOSP: 45-04.5 | D: 88-05Evangelical Christian
17Adonis ThomasLBFR100m: 11.94Central Gwinnett
18Keaton AndersonLBFRFlorence
48Mekhi BrownLBFR400m: 56.09Carver
32Rashaan EvansLBSOAuburn
16Jamey MosleyLBFR800m: 2:30.78 | TJ: 38-10Theodore
22Ryan AndersonLBJRSP: 43-01.5Daphne
42Keith HolcombeLBFRHillcrest
47Christian MillerLBFRSpring Valley
71Ross PierschbacherOLFRSP: 53-03.5Cedar Falls
67Josh CasherOLFRSP: 51-01.5 | D: 107-08St. Paul's
77Matt WomackOLFRMagnolia Heights
74Cam RobinsonOLSOWest Monroe
63J.C. HassenauerOLSOSP: 28-04.5 | D: 75-01East Ridge
75Bradley BozemanOLSOD: 108-06 | J: 102-10Handley
70Ryan KellyOLSRLakota West
56Brandon KennedyOLFRSP: 39-00Wetumpka
66Lester CottonOLFRSP: 46-02.5 | D: 79-11Central
50Alphonse TaylorOLJRDavidson
62Will DavisOLJRFort Dale Academy
65Chris PosaOLJRSt. Mary's Prep
68Isaac LuatuaOLSRLa Mirada
59Dallas WarmackOLFRSP: 35-03Mays
76Dominick JacksonOLSRSP: 52-11 | 121-01College of San Mateo
72Richie PetitbonOLFRGonzaga
61Nolan BoatnerOLFRGadsden City
60Brandon MooreOLSRCincinnati Hills Christian Academy
78Korren KirvenOL/DLJRBrookville
33Anfernee JenningsOLBFRDadeville
15JK ScottPSOMullen
96Gunnar RabornPKSO55h: 7.75 | 110H: 14.69State ChampSt. Thomas More
99Adam GriffithPKJRCalhoun
12David CornwellQBFRNorman North
6Blake BarnettQBFRSantiago
18Cooper BatemanQBSOCottonwood
14Jake CokerQBSRJ: 179-07 | HJ: 5-08State ChampFlorida State
11Alec MorrisQBJRAllen
31Xavian MarksRBFR100m: 10.39 | 200m: 21.302nd State ChampsGeorge Ranch
17Kenyan DrakeRBSR100m: 10.83 | 200m: 21.91Hillgrove
34Damien HarrisRBFR100m: 10.74 | 200m: 22.742nd State ChampsMadison Southern
33Derrick GoreRBSOCoffeyville CC
2Derrick HenryRBJR100m: 11.11Yulee
9Bo ScarbroughRBFRTuscaloosa County
43Lawrence ErekosimaRBSOClinton
29Brandon TurnerRBSO100m: 11.21 | 200m: 23.51John Carroll Catholic
58Alex HarrelsonSNSRVestavia Hills
55Cole MazzaSNJRLiberty
88O.J. HowardTEJRAutauga Academy
58Brandon GreeneTEJRSP: 41-11.5 | D: 98-8Cedar Grove
45Hunter BryantTESOD: 116-02Fellowship Christian School
84Hale HentgesTEFRHelias
86Truett HarrisTESRBrentwood
46Michael NysewanderTESRHoover
42Jacob ParkerTESOWestminster Christian
83TY Flournoy-SmithTESRGeorgia Military
48David D'AmicoTEJRVestavia Hills
94Dakota BallTE/DLJRSP: 54-04.5 | D: 133-041st GA OlympicsPepperell
80Raheem FalkinsWRJR400m: 61.75 | LJ: 18-06.25G.W. Carver
3Calvin RidleyWRFR100m: 10.63 | 200m: 21.92Monarch
13ArDarius StewartWRSO100m: 10.83 | 200m: 22.01State ChampFultondale
37Jonathan RiceWRFRBob Jones
89Armani PurifoyeWRSO110H: 16.10 | 300H: 40.44Camden County
16Richard MullaneyWRSROregon State
1Chris BlackWRJRFirst Coast
7Cam SimsWRSOOuachita Parish
8Robert FosterWRSO100m: 11.19 | 200m: 23.14Central Valley
87Parker BarrineauWRSRAmerican Christian Academy
36Torin MarksWRFR100m: 11.43 | 400m: 50.77George Ranch
81Derek KiefWRFRLa Salle
4Daylon CharlotWRFRLJ: 21-08 | HJ: 6-04Patterson
82JaMichael WillisWRJRSouthern Miss.
38Austin JohnsonWRFRElba
35Thomas WoodsWRSOVestavia Hills