Glen Coffee
Glen Coffee (born May 1, 1987 in Valparaiso, Florida) is a former running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.
Coffee was recruited to Alabama by then-coach Mike Shula. As a true freshman, he appeared in all twelve games played by the 2005 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. On September 17, he rushed for a season-high 75 yards on 15 attempts in a 37–14 over South Carolina. For the rest of the season, he shared time with Jimmy Johns backing up starter Ken Darby. He scored his first touchdown in the homecoming game against Utah State, hauling in a 9-yard pass from quarterback John Parker Wilson.
For the season, Coffee rushed for a 179 yards on 48 attempts. He also caught eight passes for 91 yards, including one touchdown.
After redshirting his sophomore season on campus, Coffee returned to the 2007 Alabama Crimson Tide football team under new head coach Nick Saban. In that season, he split time as the starting running back with freshman Terry Grant. In the season opener versus Western Carolina, Coffee rushed nine times for 76 yards and one touchdown in a 52–6 victory. In the season's homecoming game, he had his first 100-yard rushing game in a 30–24 win over Houston. On that day he rushed for 121 yards on 30 attempts and one touchdown, and also caught one pass for six yards.
Coffee did not accumulate any statistics in four of Alabama's final five games, but did figure into the Tide's 30-24 victory over Colorado in the 2007 Independence Bowl. He carried the ball 19 times for 72 yards in that game, finishing the season with 545 yards on 129 carries, scoring four touchdowns. He caught 18 passes for 142 yards.
As a junior, Coffee was named the starter for all 14 games of the 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, though he shared time with Roy Upchurch and Mark Ingram. In the fourth game of the season, a 49–14 rout of Arkansas, he carried the ball ten times for 162 yards and two touchdowns, including his career-long run of 87 yards. In the following game, he again scored twice in a 41–30 upset over #3 Georgia, finishing the game with 23 carries for 86 yards. Coffee's career best game came the following week during a 17–14 win over Kentucky, as he ran for 218 yards on 25 attempts, including a 78-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. His 218 yards was the most by an Alabama running back in one game since Shaun Alexander in 1996.
Alabama clinched a berth in the 2008 SEC Championship Game with a 27–21 overtime victory over LSU, in which Coffee rushed for 126 yards and one touchdown. In the annual Iron Bowl, he ran for his fourth 100+ yard game in a 36–0 rout of rival Auburn with 144 yards and one touchdown. After rushing for 112 yards in the SEC Championship game loss to Florida, Coffee was held to his season low in the 2009 Sugar Bowl against Utah. The Utes defense held Coffee to 36 yards on 13 attempts in a 31–17 Utah victory.
In his best statistical season at Alabama, Coffee ran for 1,383 yards and ten touchdowns, while averaging 5.9 yards per carry. With his season's performance, Coffee was named to the Associated Press All-SEC first team.
NFL Career
On January 9, 2009 Coffee announced he would forgo his Senior year and declare for the 2009 NFL Draft. He was drafted with the 74th overall pick (3rd round) by the San Francisco 49ers. During his rookie season under Coach Mike Nolan, he saw significant playing time as back up to Pro-Bowl back Frank Gore.
During training camp in 2010, Coffee announced his retirement from professional football. First year head coach Mike Singletary said that sixth round draft pick Anthony Dixon and veteran Michael Robinson would compete for the number 2 running back spot and that Coffee's departure would not be a distraction to the team.