Javy making history

Did a little historical stat research for my Javier Arenas story that ran in Thursday's paper, and I uncovered a stat that bears watching the rest of the year ...

At his current pace, Arenas' 16.06-yard punt return average would be the fourth highest in school history among players with 15 or more punt returns in a season. He would also be one of 10 players in school history to average 12-plus yards on at least 10 punt returns. The others ...

10 or more returns
Player, year--------------------------Att.-----Yards-----TD-----Avg.
Gordon Pettus, 1948------------------10-------200---------1-----20.00
Harry Gilmer, 1947-------------------21-------381---------2-----18.14
Cotton Clark, 1962-------------------15-------243---------0------16.20
David Palmer, 1991-------------------24------386---------3------16.08
Javier Arenas, 2007------------------16------257----------0------16.06
Bobby McKinney, 1971-----------------25------326----------1-----13.04
Willie Shelby, 1973-------------------15------191----------1------12.73
Deshea Townsend, 1994-----------------12------151---------0-------12.58
Tony Nathan, 1977--------------------18-------223--------0-------12.388
Harry Gilmer, 1944--------------------13-------161--------0--------12.384

15 or more returns
Player, year----------------------------Att.-----Yards-----TD-----Avg.
Harry Gilmer, 1947-------------------21-------381---------2-----18.14
Cotton Clark, 1962-------------------15-------243---------0------16.20
David Palmer, 1991-------------------24------386---------3------16.08
Javier Arenas, 2007------------------16------257----------0------16.06
Bobby McKinney, 1971------------------25------326----------1-----13.04
Willie Shelby, 1973-------------------15------191----------1------12.73
Tony Nathan, 1977--------------------18-------223--------0-------12.38

Obviously, the season's only half over, so Arenas has plenty of work to do to maintain his current pace. But based on what he's done so far this year --- and last year, when he averaged "only" 9.9 yards per return, but had two touchdowns --- I think it's safe to say that he's probably Alabama's best return man since Palmer, and could wind up one of the Tide's best ever.

And that's high praise indeed.

P.S. --- Sorry if those columns don't line up perfectly.