BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama football coach Nick Saban and players Jalen Hurts, Jonathan Allen, and Cam Robinson took home five of seven individual conference awards announced by the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday.
Saban was voted the SEC Coach of the Year, Hurts was named Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Allen was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Robinson was honored with the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, emblematic of the SEC’s top offensive lineman. The honors were voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches, who weren’t allowed to vote for their players.
Saban, who was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson and American Football Coaches Association coach of the year awards Monday, is in his 10th season at Alabama. This season, he has led the Crimson Tide to a 13-0 record, its 26th SEC championship, and a No. 1 seed in the 2016 College Football Playoff. This is the ninth-consecutive season Alabama has won 10 games under Saban, and the sixth straight with 11 wins.
Alabama will enter the 2016 postseason on a 25-game winning streak, the longest current streak in the nation.
Hurts is Alabama’s first Freshman of the Year selection, and is the first true freshman to be named the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year since the league split its Player of the Year honor into separate offensive and defensive awards in 2003. The last true freshman to win SEC Player of the Year honors was Herschel Walker in 1980.
Hurts, who has started 12 games, is the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama since 1984. He is the school’s single-season quarterback rushing leader, and is on the verge of breaking the season records for touchdown responsibility and total offense.
Allen, who was honored with the Nagurski Trophy as the national defensive player of the year Monday, has been a force for a defense that leads the nation in total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, and defensive touchdowns. Allen leads the team in quarterback hurries (15) and shares the team lead in sacks (eight-and-a-half) to go along with 13 tackles for loss. He also has returned a team-leading two fumble recoveries for 105 combined yards and two touchdowns.
Robinson, who is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, leads an offensive line that has provided protection for a balanced attack that leads the SEC in scoring at 40.5 points per game and is second in total offense (471.3 yards per game), rushing offense (245.0 yards per game), and yards per rushing attempt (5.7). He earned first-team All-SEC honors Monday. He is the second Alabama player to win the Jacobs in as many years. Center Ryan Kelly won the award in 2015.
Allen wins Hendricks Award
Allen received more good news Wednesday when he was named the recipient of the Ted Hendricks Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate defensive end. Allen is the first recipient from Alabama.
Allen also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
His 26 1/2 career sacks places him second on the school’s all-time list behind former Crimson Tide standout and NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.
Utah’s Hunter Dimick, Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, Boston College’s Harold Landry, Pittsburgh’s Ejuan Price, and Florida State’s DeMarcus Walker were the other finalists.
Quarterback Cornwell transferring
Alabama quarterback David Cornwell says he is transferring.
The redshirt sophomore announced his decision Wednesday in a Twitter post. Redshirt freshman Blake Barnett left the program early in the season after freshman Jalen Hurts won the starting job. Cooper Bateman is the backup.
It’s not immediately clear if Cornwell will remain with the team through the playoffs.
Cornwell enrolled at Alabama in January 2014 as a four-star prospect from Norman, Oklahoma.
He appeared in the final minutes of games against Kent State and Mississippi State this season but didn’t attempt a pass. Cornwell was in the mix for the starting job each of the past two seasons.
Cornwell said in his post that his “dream is to get on the field and contribute.
Four named to Pro Football Focus All-America Team
Allen, Butkus Award winner Reuben Foster, O.J. Howard, and Minkah Fitzpatrick were named first-team performers on the Pro Football Focus All-America Team, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon.
Alabama’s four first-team honorees is the most of any school in the country.
Foster leads Alabama with 94 tackles, including 12 for a loss. He also has four sacks, eight quarterback hurries, and two pass breakups.
Howard was named to an All-American team for the first time in his career. The Mackey Award finalist has 37 catches for 445 yards and two touchdowns.
Fitzpatrick has a career-high 56 tackles, including five tackles for a loss. He leads the SEC with five interceptions and 158 return yards, including two for touchdown.
n Also Tuesday, Allen, Foster, and Robinson were named first-team selections to the Sporting News All-America Team, while Fitzpatrick received second-team honors.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.