Alabama Running Backs Have 'Really Embraced the Next-Man-Up Mentality'

Alabama's running back room shrank a bit on Aug. 16, as starter Jam Miller suffered an upper-body injury during the team's scrimmage.

Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer said this past Friday that "Having that bye week, I feel good that he will be back out [for the Georgia game on Sept. 27]."

Alabama will need the running back room to step up in Miller's absence until the Georgia game, as it'll have three games before the SEC showdown in Athens, Ga. The Crimson Tide running backs are aware of this and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb opened up about their progress during Monday's press conference.

"I think they've really embraced the next-man-up mentality," Grubb said. "Exactly what you'd expect from a couple of guys that have been here at Alabama for a couple of years. I don't think there's necessarily anything that's earth-shattering that they're doing, but they're excited about the opportunity."

While the depth chart is yet to be announced, during last Tuesday's media practice viewing, it appeared that there was an order in which the running backs lined up during drills:

1. Richard Young – redshirt sophomore (5-11, 212 lbs)
2. Daniel Hill – sophomore (6-1, 244 lbs)
3. Dre Washington – redshirt senior (5-9, 216 lbs)
4. Kevin Riley – redshirt freshman (5-11, 191 lbs)
5. AK Dear – freshman (6-1, 212 lbs)

Grubb shared his thoughts on four of them on Aug. 19.

"Rich has been super physical and has been a guy in the last two scrimmages, that when I thought we needed a little bit of a spark to pop a run up the middle and finish, he's done a great job," Grubb said. "He worked really, really hard in becoming a better player out of the backfield. He has gotten better at that. Very responsible, cares a lot, he's tough, physical and we love him.

"Daniel Hill has done a good job providing a lot of protection and I think he's gotten a lot better at that with his eyes. Super physical guy. Daniel is starting to run like the back was on the spring. Early in camp, I thought he was a bit slow to come to that.

"Dre has great vision running the football. He improves every day still. I think some of the pass protection responsibilities were probably not in his wheelhouse prior to getting here.

"Kevin Riley's starting to show up a little bit. He's a guy that has really nice vision. Not as big a back as the other guys, but he runs very physical and is really good out of the backfield."

The running backs' first test to showcase their skills will be taken out on the field of Doak Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30 in Tallahassee. The trip to FSU marks the first time Alabama will begin a season on the road since 2020 and the first non-conference road pairing to begin a year since 2000 at UCLA.

After going 13-1 in 2023, the Seminoles followed their best record in nearly a decade with an abysmal 2-10 finish last season. It resulted in 33 players entering the transfer portal this offseason, but head coach Mike Norvell and Florida State found a way to add 23 players from the portal.

This season's Florida State team looks much different on paper than the 2024 roster, including numerous pass-rushers trying to take the Crimson Tide running backs down.

Can Alabama overcome this on Saturday?