Alt Rushing Yards refer to yards gained by a running back after forcing a missed tackle from a defender. Unlike standard rushing yards which count all yards gained with the ball, this metric specifically isolates yards produced directly from the ball carrier's ability to break tackles and make defenders miss.
Why Alt Rushing Yards Matter for Player Evaluation
Traditional rushing statistics can be heavily influenced by blocking schemes and offensive line performance. Alt Rushing Yards provide a clearer lens to evaluate the individual running back's contribution:
- Independent of Blocking Quality: Yards gained after contact or forcing a missed tackle are less dependent on perfect blocking. A high Alt Rushing Yard total often indicates a back creating extra yards on their own, even when blocking breaks down.
- Quantifies Tackle-Breaking Ability: It directly measures a key skill distinguishing elite runners – their capability to evade or power through defenders.
- Predicts Sustained Success: Running backs consistently generating significant Alt Rushing Yards tend to maintain performance levels even when switching teams or facing tougher defenses, as their success relies more on innate skill than surrounding circumstances.
- Identifies Efficient Workhorses: Backs with high Alt Rushing Yards are often efficient in turning touches into meaningful yardage beyond what was initially blocked. This reduces the need for extremely high carry volumes to be productive.
How Alt Rushing Yards Differ from Other Metrics
- Versus Yards After Contact (YAC): YAC counts all yards gained after initial contact, regardless of whether the back forced a missed tackle. Alt Rushing Yards require the runner to actively cause the defender to miss.
- Versus Broken Tackles/Missed Tackles Forced: These stats count the event of breaking a tackle. Alt Rushing Yards quantify the tangible outcome (the yardage gained) specifically resulting from those broken tackles.
- Versus Standard Rushing Yards: Standard rushing yards include everything blocked and unblocked. Alt Rushing Yards are a strict subset focusing only on yards created by the back's evasion skills.
Using Alt Rushing Yards Effectively in Analysis
Consider these factors when using Alt Rushing Yards:
- Volume vs. Efficiency: Look at both total Alt Rushing Yards and the Alt Rushing Yards Per Attempt figure. A high volume shows consistent tackle-breaking, while high efficiency shows elite skill per opportunity.
- Contextual Performance: Compare a back's Alt Rushing Yards to the team's overall rushing average. A significant difference highlights the runner's individual impact beyond the blocking.
- Identifying "Clutch" Runs: Alt Rushing Yards are crucial on third downs and in short-yardage situations where gaining extra yards after contact can sustain drives.
Alt Rushing Yards provide essential, objective data on a running back's core ability to create yardage independently. While traditional stats remain valuable, incorporating Alt Rushing Yards offers a more nuanced and predictive view of a runner's true skill level and value, particularly regarding their potential for sustained success.
