Pre-Spring Position Preview: Breaking down the Alabama RBs

A closer look at the Alabama running backs ahead of spring football practice

Before we know it, new Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer will hit the practice field with his Crimson Tide players for the first time when spring practice gets underway in March.

With the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban, there have not been this many question marks surrounding the football program since 2007 when Saban took over.

Contrary to popular belief, Alabama still has one of the most talented rosters in the country and should be right in the thick of the college football playoff conversation.

As the anticipation builds leading up to spring practice, Roll Tide Wire will preview each position group. We have already looked at the quarterbacks, now we will move on to the running backs.

Alabama’s depth at RB could be key to success in 2024

Depth at running back won’t be an issue for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama in 2024

What an offseason it has been for the Alabama football program. Legendary head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement, Kalen DeBoer was brought in as his replacement, and we have seen the transfer portal give and take for the Crimson Tide.

Not that the storm is completely over or anything, but we do have a few moments to collect our breath and our thoughts as we start to look ahead to the 2024 season in Tuscaloosa.

Even with the roster turnover, Alabama remains extremely deep at most positions but you could make the argument that running back may be the deepest and could prove to be one of the keys to success for Coach DeBoer in year one at Alabama.

Let’s take a look at the loaded backfield for the Crimson Tide and what each player’s role could potentially be in 2024.

5 reasons to be confident in the 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide

There are certainly questions that still need to be answered, but here are five reasons to be optimistic about the 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide.

In just about two months, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide will take the field against Middle Tennessee State to begin the 2023 football season.

This has been quite the offseason for the Tide, legendary players Bryce Young and Will Anderson have moved on to the NFL, both of Alabama’s coordinators were replaced, and all of this is coming after Coach Saban and the Crimson Tide missed out on the College Football Playoff for just the second time since its inception.

Instead of focusing on all of the unknown, let’s take a look at five reasons to feel confident in the 2023 version of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Post-spring depth chart projections for Alabama’s running backs

Projecting Alabama’s running back depth chart post-spring!

Now that spring football has officially wrapped up and the 2023 NFL draft is complete, it is time to shift our focus to the offseason.

Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide have a ton of questions marks exiting spring and fans are chomping at the bit for answers.

So as we dive into the dog days of summer, I thought we could take a look, position by position, and project the possible depth chart for the 2023 Alabama football team post-spring.

Yesterday we took a look at the quarterbacks and today we will keep it in the offensive backfield and dissect the Crimson Tide running backs.

Let’s roll!

Position Breakdown: Alabama’s RB’s ahead of spring practice

A deep dive into the Alabama running back room ahead of spring practice.

We are now just a few weeks out from [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] and the Alabama football team taking the practice field to begin spring ball.

As is the case each offseason, there are many questions that need to be answered before the Tide hit the field to start the 2023 season.

As spring practice creeps closer, we are going to break down each position group on both sides of the ball. We have already looked at the quarterbacks and the defensive line and today we will turn our attention back to the offensive side of the ball and look at the running backs.

Although some explosion is gone from the room, the running backs should offer plenty of talent in 2023.

Let’s dive right in!

Henry To’oTo’o raves about Jahmyr Gibbs and the other Alabama running backs

Henry To’oTo’o offers up high praise of Jahymr Gibbs and the other Alabama running backs.

Now that fall camp is officially underway and pads have begun to pop, we will start to receive small glimpses of how the 2022 Alabama football team may look.

Another exciting part of fall camp is the player’s availability to the media throughout the week. On Friday, star linebacker [autotag]Henry To’oTo’o[/autotag] had his chance to speak to the media and the Tide’s returning leading tackler had some very positive things to say about [autotag]Jahmyr Gibbs[/autotag] and Alabama’s other slew of talented backs.

To’oTo’o was asked what it was like trying to cover the speedster in Gibbs, and the rising senior had this to say.

“Jahmyr’s been doing great. So fast, so elusive. Gets in and out of his cuts so quick. I’ve never guarded a back like him before. So being able to see that for me has been so helpful to me because it lets me know how I can work on my game.

“But Jahmyr’s been great. Our whole entire running back room’s been great. We’re really deep in that room. So being able to have guys like that, back-to-back punches, is going to be huge for us.”

Alabama fans have to be excited about the depth that Alabama has at the running back position this fall. If we are being honest, Gibbs provides a different dynamic than what we have seen lately in Tuscaloosa with his ability to make explosive plays not only rushing the ball but also in the passing game.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire as we will provide continuous coverage of Alabama’s fall camp!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Predicting Alabama’s RB rotation for the 2022 season

Predicting Alabama’s running back rotation for the 2022 season

Like most seasons, Alabama will be replacing a great deal of talent that is moving on to the NFL. One position of note is running back. Alabama will be replacing veteran back Brian Robinson Jr. who capped off his career with 1,343 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021.

Alabama also loses a former five-star talent in Camar Wheaton who entered the transfer portal at the beginning of the month.

The good news for the Tide is that there is plenty of talent returning and also a handful of new additions that are sure to make an impact.

At the moment, Alabama is scheduled to return Trey Sanders, Jase McClellan, and Roydell Williams from last year’s team. The Tide was also able to bring in Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs as well as a pair of highly-touted high school backs in Emmanual Henderson and Jamarion Miller. While there is always a possibility of a freshman making a contribution, for the purposes of this article we will assume that both Henderson and Miller will redshirt.

The cupboard is definitely not bare for coach Saban, so the question needs to be asked, what will the running back rotation looks like in 2022?

Here is my completely unsolicited opinion.

A look at Alabama’s potentially loaded backfield in 2022

My goodness, this would be a loaded backfield!

Last Wednesday on early signing day, Nick Saban and Alabama reeled in a pair of top-notched running backs in Emmanuel Henderson and Jamarion Miller.

Alabama wasn’t finished either. On Tuesday afternoon talented Georgia Tech running back transfer Jahmyr Gibbs announced that he was taking his talents to Tuscaloosa too.

Brian Robinson Jr. is the only back that we know for certain will not return to Alabama in 2022.

With that being said, the 2022 running back room for the Tide is flat-out loaded with talent.

Here is what the depth chart could potentially look like heading into next season.

BAMA BEAT: Bama Beat mailbag 6.24.21 (Ep.407)

Clint Lamb takes mailbag questions from Alabama fans on this week’s episode of The Bama Beat podcast.

Clint Lamb with Roll Tide Wire takes mailbag questions from Alabama fans on this week’s episode. Some of the top questions include:

  • How many running backs will be in the Crimson Tide’s rotation?
  • Clint’s top 5 returning rushers in the SEC?
  • Which game should fans be most excited to see now that stadiums are back at full capacity?
  • All that and more!

 

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

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