Tag: Kevin RIley

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.

Top 5 recruiting wins for Alabama in the 2024 recruiting class

Here are some of Alabama football’s biggest wins from the 2024 recruiting class.

It took quite a bit of work for Alabama to hold on to some of the top recruits in the country for the 2024 recruiting class. After a coaching change, the general belief would be that numerous signees and current players on the roster would transfer or de-commit. That was not the case in a broader sense.

Alabama lost one signee from the 2024 recruiting class. Outside of that, the new coaching staff was able to sell the other signees on their futures as well as the future of the football program.

While the new coaching staff was not a factor in early national signing day, there were some key wins on the recruiting trail.

Roll Tide Wire takes a look at the top five recruiting wins in the  2024 recruiting class for the Alabama football program.

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.

2024 4-star RB Kevin Riley flips commitment from Miami to Alabama

During the early signing period, there can be a lot of craziness. On Wednesday, 2024 four-star running back Kevin Riley flipped his commitment from Miami to Alabama.

Alabama was able to keep one of Tuscaloosa’s own in town for the next three to four years during the early signing period. 2024 running back Kevin Riley flipped his commitment from Miami to Alabama. The four-star running back signed his national letter of intent with the Crimson Tide.

Riley had been committed to Miami since June. He was considered to be locked in leading up to his official visit to Alabama over the weekend. After his three-day stay on Alabama’s campus, things began to change.

Riley is the first running back in the ’24 recruiting class to have signed with Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have been very high on Riley for quite a while. During his junior season at Tuscaloosa County High School, he rushed for 1,306 yards and 11 touchdowns. He battled injuries during his senior season, so he was limited to an extent. Nonetheless, he should be healthy and ready to go when he arrives on Alabama’s campus.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down Kevin Riley’s recruiting profile.

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5 recruits that Alabama could flip on early national signing day

There is always room to be made for flipping some of the nation’s top prospects. On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide are hoping that several prospects will flip their commitments from other programs and sign with Alabama.

The wheels are always churning for the Alabama coaching staff on the recruiting trail. There is always work to be done.

In recent years, Alabama fans have realized that enough is never enough. Well, that is how it seems to the fans at least. The coaching staff continues to work effortlessly to flip some of the nation’s top recruits.

In 2023’s recruiting cycle, Alabama was able to flip five-star edge rusher Keon Keeley, five-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, and three-star offensive guard Roq Montgomery.

Now, the Crimson Tide are working the phone lines with hopes of flipping several more recruits in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Roll Tide Wire takes a look at five recruits that Alabama could potentially flip on early national signing day.

Auburn football adds fourth commit of the 2024 class

Four-star RB J’Marion Burnette has joined Auburn’s star-studded 2024 commitment list.

Ever since he committed to Auburn on Feb. 3, four-star QB [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] has been recruiting the top prospects from the 2024 recruiting cycle heavily.

On Friday, one of his top targets made their pledge to Auburn.

J’Marion Burnette, a four-star running back from Andalusia, announced Friday that he will be committing to Auburn and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] over Alabama, Georgia, and Florida State.

Burnette’s commitment will add to an already talented running back room for Auburn. [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] will join the roster this fall, and there is the possibility that [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] could still be in the rotation in 2024. According to Auburn Undercover, Auburn is also heavily pursuing Tuscaloosa County running back [autotag]Kevin Riley[/autotag] as well.

His relationship with running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] is what seems to have pushed Burnette in Auburn’s direction. He told Christian Clemente of AuburnUndercover during Junior Day on Jan. 28 that he has built a strong relationship with Williams, and that he “could see him coaching me in the future.”

Burnette is a four-star running back from Andalusia High School. He is the No. 10 prospect from the state of Alabama for the 2024 cycle and is the nation’s No. 10 running back. He joins a strong list of players that are committed to Auburn for the 2024 class which includes four-star QB [autotag]Walker  White[/autotag], four-star CB’s [autotag]A’Mon Lane[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Lewis[/autotag].

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LSU offers 4-star running back from Alabama’s backyard

LSU is attempting to take a running back right out from under Nick Saban’s nose.

LSU is attempting to take a running back right out from under Nick Saban’s nose.

[autotag]Kevin Riley[/autotag] is a four-star, 6-foot, 195-pound running back from Northport, Alabama where he plays for Tuscaloosa County High School. The Tuscaloosa County Wildcats have the unfortunate scenario of being in the same classification as the nationally-ranked Thompson Warriors.

Louisville is currently a 22% favorite to land him per On3, and there are no current Crystal Ball projections at this time.

Film Analysis: Riley is a guy that shows great vision finding open holes to cut through and the top-end speed to leave you in the dust once he breaks free.

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UGA football offers 2024 RB Kevin Riley

UGA football has extended a scholarship offer to elite class of 2024 running back recruit Kevin Riley.

The Georgia Bulldogs and running backs coach Dell McGee have extended a scholarship offer to talented class of 2024 recruit Kevin Riley. Georgia already has a commitment from four-star class of 2024 running back recruit Tovani Mizell.

Will Kirby Smart and Georgia look to sign another running back in the class of 2024? The Bulldogs typically sign two running backs per recruiting cycle.

Kevin Riley is an unranked recruit. He plays high school football for Tuscaloosa County High School in Northport, Alabama. Riley is a talented recruit in the University of Alabama’s backyard.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound running back has good power, excellent balance and an elusive running ability. Alabama, Auburn, Texas, Texas A&M and Oregon are among the nation’s top college football programs that have offered Riley a scholarship. Riley is certainly going to be ranked as one of the better running backs in the class of 2024.

Riley announced his scholarship offer from the Georgia Bulldogs via Twitter:

Riley displays some of his best traits in a few of his highlights from the 2022 high school football season.

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Alabama extends offer to local 2024 RB, Kevin Riley

Tuscaloosa County High School 2024 running back Kevin RIley announced that he has received an offer from Alabama.

Alabama’s recruiting reach extends across the country, but the Crimson Tide won’t miss out on an opportunity to retain local talent. Now, it appears that Alabama is after another local prospect. This time it is Tuscaloosa County High School running back Kevin Riley.

On Monday, Riley posted to his Twitter page that he had received an offer from Alabama.

This is an interesting move as the Tide are now in pursuit of two 2024 running backs in Andalusia High School running back J’Marion Burnette and Riley. It will be interesting to see how Riley’s recruitment unfolds and if the hometown team will continue to recruit him.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down Riley’s recruiting profile below.