Is Deep Running Back Room Capable of Bringing Back Smash-Mouth Alabama Football?
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ground and pound. Three yards and a cloud of dust. Smash-mouth football.
All of those adages describe the playing style of a mean, physical football team. It reminds Alabama Football fans of Shaun Alexander, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Derrick Henry and others.
Over the last several seasons, it’s been all about throwing the football for the Crimson Tide. Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Bryce Young all led ferocious air attacks in recent years.
With a question mark at the quarterback position this year, is it time for Alabama to once again rely on the power running game? It seems like it has been forever since the Crimson Tide has made opposing teams pay in the trenches.
Alabama has a strong stable of running backs in 2023-24 — so it may be now or never.
“It’s been great. All guys have done well,” head coach Nick Saban said. “All four guys have had really, really good springs. They’re all very productive players. All those guys can contribute to the team in some ways. They’re doing really, really well. As long as we can stay healthy at that position, I don’t think that’s an issue on our team.”
The Crimson Tide is losing do-it-all running back Jahmyr Gibbs. But it is returning both Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams — who both have shown to be solid players over the last three years.
“Everyone's doing good,” Williams said. “Everyone’s catching on to the offense pretty well. A lot of versatile guys in the room — being able to catch out of the backfield, running with speed, power. Everyone overall is doing very, very good.”
We’ve already gotten a glimpse at McClellan’s ability to dominate. He busted off an 81-yard touchdown against Texas. McClellan ran for 78 yards and a score against Vanderbilt — he ran for 156 and two scores against Austin Peay. McClellan stepped up when Alabama needed him most as well — rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries on that frigid afternoon in Oxford against Ole Miss after Gibbs went down with an injury.
“Me and Jase, we’re best friends for real, for real,” Williams said. “He’s a great guy as well. Off the field, we hang out a lot."
Williams is more of an unproven commodity — but can be the perfect secondary back to McClellan. Both are capable of bouncing a long run or running it straight at you. With both backs clicking on all cylinders, opposing defenses will have no downs off.
Jamarion “Jam” Miller is coming into his second season in Tuscaloosa. In limited time last season, Miller didn’t take any plays off — running over defenders late in the game. He averaged a whopping 6.8 yards per carry on 33 attempts.
The new guy in the room is true freshman Justice Haynes. Many believed Haynes was going to take his talents to Athens, Ga. — where his father Verron played for the Bulldogs. Committing to the Crimson Tide, the No. 2 running back in the Class of 2023 is looking to make a quick impact for Alabama in 2023-24. Word on the street is that he is impressing coaches already in spring practice.
Everything starts up front. Nothing matters if you don't block. The message from the offensive line this spring is that the unit wants to scare opposing teams for the full four quarters. That mentality should go a long way.
“Oh man, those guys are dogs, every last one,” Williams said. “From the top to the bottom, oldest to the youngest, they’re doing great out there.”
“There are so many running backs and they all bring a unique perspective to it,” offensive lineman Darrian Dalcourt said. “I'm just happy to be out there in front of them, blocking for them. It's a treat for me, it's great for all of us. It's definitely a privilege to go out there and block and play with them, for sure.”
It should also help that new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is bringing a pro-style offense from Notre Dame to the Crimson Tide.
Everything is shaping up for a run-heavy, balanced attack in Tuscaloosa that fans have been looking for for a while.
See Also:
What Alabama Players Learned from First Scrimmage
Photos and Video from Alabama Football's Ninth Spring Practice
Saban Praises Alabama Offense in First Scrimmage: 'Both Quarterbacks Played Really, Really Well'
