Alabama Players Open Up About Run-Game Struggles With Four Games Remaining

Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller, left tackle Kadyn Proctor and quarterback Ty Simpson dissect Alabama's physical and mental obstacles on the ground.

Oct 18, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) inches toward the goal line in the first quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — "It's got to be like, 'Let's get excited about running the freaking ball.' Let's get excited about fixing some of the issues we're clearly seeing on film and let's go out there and flex on some people a little bit."

This is the message that Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is trying to instill into his unit. While the Crimson Tide sits at No. 4 in the polls, it is 104th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing yards per game this season with 119.3. That's good for 13th in the SEC, and it has been a big struggle for Alabama this season despite being 7-1 (5-0 SEC).

It's important to note that starter Jam Miller missed the first three games of the season with a collarbone injury, but besides a stellar performance in the Vanderbilt game, the Crimson Tide running backs have had very few big and explosive plays on the ground.

"It all starts with the running backs," Miller said on Tuesday. "We've got to do better on our part, and of course, it falls down to the O-line. We've just got to take it day by day. Just taking it during practice, just keep repping and keep trying to get better.

"As a leader, I just try to stay on [top of] all of the running backs. Just making sure they know what they're doing each and every play, just having small conversations with them. Just checking up on them to build a better relationship and we're taking it day by day."

Miller mentioned that Grubb and running backs coach Robert Gillespie have really been emphasizing missed tackles forced and being able to make opponents miss by "just picking your feet up." This could lead to extremely long gains and even scores, but that obviously involves Miller and the running backs being able to make it past the line of scrimmage and Alabama's offensive linemen.

Simply put, for running backs to succeed, they need to find holes through the trenches that their front five creates. This has been one of the main reasons for the Tide's run-game struggles. Left tackle Kadyn Proctor is very aware of this and it's been discussed throughout the season.

"I mean, we just need to stay on blocks longer," Proctor said on Tuesday. "We need to finish and that comes back to preparation in practice. It has to start there and you have to have that mindset as an offensive lineman that you’ve got to finish.

"You have to get comfortable in a sense, you have to keep running the ball and you have to show the OC that he can trust y’all running the ball. So that’s really what it is, but yes, it is a mindset and it’s a tough life out there. It ain’t for the weak."

Proctor explained that the offensive linemen and running backs have a great bond off the field and that "we do a good job of even just in the huddle, just fist bumping and saying ‘Let’s go.’ If I knew Jam was getting the ball, I’m like, ‘Come on, I’m with you.’"

That said, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson admitted that there could be more excitement about the run game when he relays the designs to the offense during games.

"When we call a run play in the huddle, guys need to be like ‘Heck Yeah! We’re going to get eight yards here,’ because I want to make sure that we get a good double-team or we pull tight and have a tight edge," Simpson said. "Just stuff like that, it starts at practice and we carry it into the game.

"You set the tone when you run the ball, whether it’s duo, power or counter. The way you perform upfront is how you set the tone for the game. If we just rely on the pass game, rely on bailing us out on third down with our skill players, that’s a hard way to live. "

As Alabama continues to prepare for Saturday night's home matchup against LSU, Grubb stated on Tuesday that the run game message that he's been trying to instill in the offense has truly shown in recent practices.

"The guys have taken that mentality going into this game that we can run the ball and we can be effective doing it," Grubb said on Monday. "Not just like a subpar average team, we can run it well. I'm looking for the guys to go out there and prove that."