Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough suffered broken leg in National Championship
By Mark Wemken
![Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) sits on the field during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) sits on the field during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/4bcb7955084734445f8c0ad799952665658791b624fbb5bd5c054c6509a7b883.jpg)
Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough was off to a tremendous start to the National Championship game versus the Clemson Tigers. He then left the game in the third quarter with a leg injury and did not return.
The 6-foot-2, 228 pound running back was rushing with reckless abandon during the first three quarters of one of the greatest National Championship games ever played. Late in the third quarter, Scarbrough was tackled from behind and needed to be assisted off the field. Scarbrough had already tallied 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns before the injury. Scarbrough was unable to return and finish the game.
Unfortunately for Alabama, the Crimson Tide definitely missed their sophomore tailback through the fourth quarter. The offense as a whole struggled to move the ball as effectively as they are capable of with their former five-star recruit in the backfield. The entire team watched helplessly as their 10 point lead washed away. Alabama ultimately failed to kill what was left of the clock, and Clemson took the lead with just one second remaining in the game.
Initial reports described a gash on the side of Scarbrough’s lower right leg, but did not indicate severity or any other type of injury.
As of this morning, it has been determined that Bo Scarbrough suffered a broken bone in that same leg as a result of the injury. Scarbrough had already declared that he would return to the University of Alabama for his junior season, but this injury could definitely impact the decision he has made on his future.
Alabama's Bo Scarbrough, who says he's not planning to turn pro this year, is now nursing a broken leg https://t.co/cOnqHY0zwt
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 10, 2017
Per Michael David Smith of profootballtalk.nbcsports.com, an injury that puts an athlete out of action for a significant amount of time can cause the player to reassess his future in sports.
“An injury could serve as a wakeup call for a player, reminding him that every play could be his last, and making him think that if he’s going to put his body at risk, he’d be wise to get paid to do so”, David Smith wrote in his column pertaining to the Scarbrough injury.
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Bo Scarbrough still has plenty left to accomplish with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The injury is unlikely to make Scarbrough decide to declare for the NFL draft, seeing as he would not be nearly as high a prospect now as he could be in the future. Then again, anything can happen in this day and age of professional sports.