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The Alabama Running Game
Posted on 4/12/26 at 10:32 pm
Posted on 4/12/26 at 10:32 pm
What did we learn about the Alabama running game via the A-Day scrimmage?
What follows is not absolute truth. It is only what impression I was left with from A-Day scraps I have been able to watch.
In the scrimmage, Alabama appeared to have only 1 outside zone RB (#17)
#6 and #0 look to be I-backs. #4 looks to be a poor man's version of Derrick Henry. Those 3 are not skilled at pressing the hole to set up blocks and spring the 10+ yard bursts we need.
#40(Ford) looks like he may turn out to be a pretty good HB/FB option. HB move blocker to seal off edge crash for the outside zone and maybe the FB needed for #6 & #0.
The OL is showing some improved potential but they are a long way from being ready to drive a consistent outside zone game. They need to have 2 set 5 man teams that can spend the next 4 to 5 months building rapport and learning the slide step ballet that a RB who knows how to press the hole can use to set up the blocking.
#13 really needs to develop quickly in the off season and learn everything he can about reading and setting up blocks. Alabama badly needs for him to be a very good outside zone option.
The running game showed some flashes but lots of inconsistent execution. That has to change before August arrives.
What follows is not absolute truth. It is only what impression I was left with from A-Day scraps I have been able to watch.
In the scrimmage, Alabama appeared to have only 1 outside zone RB (#17)
#6 and #0 look to be I-backs. #4 looks to be a poor man's version of Derrick Henry. Those 3 are not skilled at pressing the hole to set up blocks and spring the 10+ yard bursts we need.
#40(Ford) looks like he may turn out to be a pretty good HB/FB option. HB move blocker to seal off edge crash for the outside zone and maybe the FB needed for #6 & #0.
The OL is showing some improved potential but they are a long way from being ready to drive a consistent outside zone game. They need to have 2 set 5 man teams that can spend the next 4 to 5 months building rapport and learning the slide step ballet that a RB who knows how to press the hole can use to set up the blocking.
#13 really needs to develop quickly in the off season and learn everything he can about reading and setting up blocks. Alabama badly needs for him to be a very good outside zone option.
The running game showed some flashes but lots of inconsistent execution. That has to change before August arrives.
This post was edited on 4/12/26 at 10:40 pm
8
Posted on 4/13/26 at 4:46 am to Tw1st3d
I don't care if your backfield consists of Najee Harris, Mark Ingram, and Derrick Henry, if there is no blocking coming from the offensive line they are going nowhere. A solid running game is less about the running backs and more about the offensive line. It lives or dies on what the big uglies up front are doing.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 8:32 am to Tw1st3d
I agree.
17 has it and hopefully Bama can keep him healthy. 0 and 6 will never be SEC RB's.
4 looks quicker this spring but he isn't elite.
I have to assume the 7 downvotes are from Chicken's shiteaters.
If they're Bama fans, well, what can you say.
17 has it and hopefully Bama can keep him healthy. 0 and 6 will never be SEC RB's.
4 looks quicker this spring but he isn't elite.
I have to assume the 7 downvotes are from Chicken's shiteaters.
If they're Bama fans, well, what can you say.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 8:36 am to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
quote:
0 and 6 will never be SEC RB's.
I got news for ya. They are both already SEC RBs.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 9:01 am to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
quote:
0 and 6 will never be SEC RB's.
Way too early to tell on #0.
Agree in that #6 should not be a feature back for us.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 10:40 am to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
quote:
4 looks quicker this spring but he isn't elite.
4 healthy and running decisively can absolutely be a BRob/Scarbrough type power back, he just wasnt healthy or decisive last year.
Im not sure what we have with any of the others but Crowell based on his tape is the most talented back we've signed as a HS guy since Najee Harris so he just needs time to get healthy and experience because the guy is Ryan Williams level young right now.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 11:18 am to Tw1st3d
For those who need a reference:
17 - Trae'shawn Brown
6 - Kevin Riley
0 - AK Dear
4 - Daniel Hill
13 - EJ Crowell
17 - Trae'shawn Brown
6 - Kevin Riley
0 - AK Dear
4 - Daniel Hill
13 - EJ Crowell
Posted on 4/13/26 at 11:20 am to elposter
4 is not a true running back. He would've never saw majority of the carries under Saban
Posted on 4/13/26 at 11:27 am to Tide or Die87
Hill has showed flashes of being a playmaker, but at the end of the day, the blocking was so bad last year, its really hard to tell how good or bad he is.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 1:35 pm to RollTide1987
It was tiring watching this board go from
X isn't a good back, Y will get 5 YPC
Y isn't a good back, Z will get 5 YPC
etc. until;
None of these backs are good!
The line sucked, that's 90% of the issue.
X isn't a good back, Y will get 5 YPC
Y isn't a good back, Z will get 5 YPC
etc. until;
None of these backs are good!
The line sucked, that's 90% of the issue.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 1:40 pm to UhOhOreo
It’s hard to be as bad as we were on offense without a confluence of multiple factors. Even some of Saban’s best run offenses had a weak link but if all the other aspects are competent to great then it is hard for opponents to exploit.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 2:09 pm to SECSolomonGrundy
They are practice players at best.
Posted on 4/13/26 at 7:09 pm to Tw1st3d
Grubb is not a good OC and the offense reflects it. Yet Deboer believes he is the answer. So.....
Posted on 4/13/26 at 10:29 pm to Diego Ricardo
1. Center was hurt
2. 75 was lost
3. TEs couldn’t block
4. RBs are poorly coached
5. System had zero creativity
2. 75 was lost
3. TEs couldn’t block
4. RBs are poorly coached
5. System had zero creativity
Posted on 4/13/26 at 10:35 pm to Tw1st3d
Posted on 4/13/26 at 10:36 pm to Smoke Test
System had zero creativity
In a spring scrimmage?
In a spring scrimmage?
Posted on 4/14/26 at 7:18 am to Tw1st3d
I was there too. I felt the O line was somewhat improved. I thought their youth and inexperience showed at times. HOWEVER, I think William Sanders coming back and most likely starting will help. I also get the impression that the constant shuffling different guys like they did last year is over. I'm hoping Sanders comes back and those 5 are your starters, period unless of course there's an injury.
Between now and next August, those guys will all get a little bigger and stronger. In August, the starting 5 will get reps, reps and more reps. I don't know that they'll be consistently dominant but I do believe they'll be better by Fall.
I agree that Josh Ford (#40) was a dominant blocker. This should help the run game.
The RBs? Hard to say. I think Hill looked a smidge quicker and agile. I suspect he'll be the starter.
Brown (#17) impressed me. Someone mentioned a comparison to Josh Jacobs and I think that's a pretty good comparison. Tough runner, not afraid of contact and has a little wiggle to make tacklers miss. IMO, he's probably your #2 RB. I feel like he runs with a chip on his shoulder like he has something to prove.
Dear flashed a time or two. He could be serviceable.
Crowell? Who knows? Haven't seen him out there.
Also, to be fair, IMO, the D line is (IMO) very much improved and bigger than last year plus there is depth. I just don't see teams being to consistently run on this defense. So I wasn't terribly surprised to see the run game struggle at times.
I think this defense is going to be very salty this Fall.
Between now and next August, those guys will all get a little bigger and stronger. In August, the starting 5 will get reps, reps and more reps. I don't know that they'll be consistently dominant but I do believe they'll be better by Fall.
I agree that Josh Ford (#40) was a dominant blocker. This should help the run game.
The RBs? Hard to say. I think Hill looked a smidge quicker and agile. I suspect he'll be the starter.
Brown (#17) impressed me. Someone mentioned a comparison to Josh Jacobs and I think that's a pretty good comparison. Tough runner, not afraid of contact and has a little wiggle to make tacklers miss. IMO, he's probably your #2 RB. I feel like he runs with a chip on his shoulder like he has something to prove.
Dear flashed a time or two. He could be serviceable.
Crowell? Who knows? Haven't seen him out there.
Also, to be fair, IMO, the D line is (IMO) very much improved and bigger than last year plus there is depth. I just don't see teams being to consistently run on this defense. So I wasn't terribly surprised to see the run game struggle at times.
I think this defense is going to be very salty this Fall.
Posted on 4/14/26 at 8:28 am to Tw1st3d
We do not have an all-SEC RB. Crowell might become that but the others couldn't start for any other team in the SEC. They all look slow and have no vision of holes. The O-Line last year was huge and dismal at run-blocking. It appeared that they just didn't practice running the ball and spent all their time on developing tricks and motions! Grub was a huge disappointment last year. Guess there was a reason he was fired at Seattle and they won it all the next year. Have to think about that one.
Life-long Bama fan and I see the Bill Curry mentality coming back into play. We have become a finesse team with motion and tricks. Go back and look at the Bama teams from 2009-2015. They were monsters! We have become an upper middle of the SEC group team now going forward. 9-3 10-2 team going forward.
Just call it as I see it!
Hope I am wrong.
Life-long Bama fan and I see the Bill Curry mentality coming back into play. We have become a finesse team with motion and tricks. Go back and look at the Bama teams from 2009-2015. They were monsters! We have become an upper middle of the SEC group team now going forward. 9-3 10-2 team going forward.
Just call it as I see it!
Hope I am wrong.
This post was edited on 4/14/26 at 9:18 am
Posted on 4/14/26 at 9:34 am to JMAC1962
You will like 9 and 3 or 10-2 going forward as well the rest of the SEC.
Tells us about Lane and your Tigers
Tells us about Lane and your Tigers
Posted on 4/14/26 at 11:41 am to JMAC1962
If you are not a sunshine pumper, you are a troll. Nevermind our running back group stinks compared to the past teams. They would never sniff the field in most of the Saban era.
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