Former Alabama running back passes away from gunshot wound

A former Alabama star running back passed away on Friday in Georgia, from what authorities are reporting as a gunshot wound. Two-time Tennessee Mr. Football winner Santonio Beard passed away on Friday, as authorities responded to a shooting that saw Beard and another man suffer gunshot wounds at the scene. Beard died on scene, as the other victim was transported to a local hospital.

Alabama’s Santonio Beard dead from gunshot wound

Beard’s football career took off at Pearl-Cohn High School in Nashville, Tennessee. As a four-year starter, he was named Tennessee’s Mr. Football twice, leading Pearl-Cohn to two state championships. He rushed for over 5,600 yards and 104 touchdowns before signing with Alabama.

Beard’s former high school coach, Maurice Fitzgerald, once claimed that he was one of the greatest players he had ever coached.

“Look at it this way in Metro,” Fitzgerald said. “He was the all-time leading rusher, he was the all-time leading scorer, he was two-time Mr. Football and two-time state championship. There’s nobody in that class.”

Beard was a feature of the Alabama rushing attack in 2001 and 2002, where he rushed for 1,514 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. He joined Alabama as a recruit of Mike DuBose’s program in 2000, but did not see any meaningful playing time as the Crimson Tide went 3-8 in his freshman year.

After DuBose was fired and Alabama hired Dennis Franchione, Beard’s time on the field significantly increased. In 2001, he led the entire NCAA with an average of 8.2 yards per carry. His breakout game with the Crimson Tide was against rival Auburn, where Beard rushed for 199 yards in the win.

The following season, as a junior, Beard’s output increased even more for Alabama. Against Ole Miss in the 2002 season, Beard scored five touchdowns in a 42-7 win over the Rebels. Beard opted to enter the NFL Draft before his senior season, but went undrafted and would sign with the CFL in 2003.