"Back against the wall" - Alabama alum Derrick Henry heartbroken but still hopeful after Crimson Tide fall twice

Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry is having a stellar season in the NFL. Before becoming an NFL star, Henry made his name in college football, winning the Heisman Trophy under retired Alabama coach Nick Saban in 2015.

Henry admittedly keeps tabs on his former team. On this week's episode of the "The Triple Option" podcast, he had an uplifting message for the Crimson Tide under embattled coach Kalen DeBoer.

“The back against the wall now,” Derrick Henry said. “You’re still the same ‘Bama team. Did you have some adversity? Yeah. But that doesn’t define you, it’s about how you overcome it. You’ve gotta have leaders step up, embrace that role more than ever, the team gotta be closer more than they have been to be able to go on this run.

"Is it going to be hard? Yeah it’s going to be hard. But you’ve gotta embrace that challenge. And I still feel like y’all the same ‘Bama team. Y’all gonna play defense, you can score from anywhere on the field, you’ve got everything you need to be a championship-caliber team, you just gotta go out there and do it.”

Derrick Henry reveals how Alabama operated under Nick Saban

Derrick Henry was wildly successful during his career as an Alabama Crimson Tide player under retired coach Nick Saban. In three seasons in Tuscaloosa, Henry tallied 3,591 rushing yards resulting in 45 touchdowns, and achieved All-American honors.

Henry won the Heisman Trophy in 2015, registering 2,219 yards resulting in 28 touchdowns. He helped Saban win one of his six national championships for the Crimson Tide.

During his appearance on this week's "Triple Option" podcast, Henry revealed the difference between the current Bama team and during his time.

“And I think these last three weeks, everybody’s just thinking,” Derrick Henry said. “Like, before it wasn’t no thinking. You were just going, going. Snap — ball snapped, you go. And just play that style and play that way. I mean y’all still the same team, still go the same players.

"Just gotta take the thinking out of it, man, and go play with confidence, play within one another man. And go out there and play with your brothers and go get a dub. We ‘Bama. It should be no question, we ‘Bama man.”

The current Alabama team can learn a thing or two from Derrick Henry, who only lost five games in three years during his Crimson Tide career and was part of one of the most dominant college football teams of all time.