How Alabama is Repairing Run Game During Bye Week

Alabama's main weakness from 2025 seemed to vanish during the first five weeks of this season, but the run game has really struggled over the past three games.

The Crimson Tide was 5-0 and averaging 186.4 yards on the ground. But then Alabama proceeded to drop back-to-back games against Georgia and Tennessee. UA ran for a satisfactory 161 yards on 29 carries against the Bulldogs, but only 56 of those yards came in the second half. This served as a downward spiral for Alabama.

The Tide ran for just 54 yards on 26 carries during the road loss to the Volunteers, which translates to just 2.1 yards per rush. The Crimson Tide got back into the win column via a home comeback against Texas A&M, but the run game remained a non-factor — 28 carries, 68 yards, 2.4 yards per carry.

Alabama is in the midst of its bye week, meaning it has Saturday off. So, how has the Crimson Tide been repairing the run game in the meantime?

"Just really hammering down on it," offensive lineman Mal Waldrep Jr. said on Thursday. "Get in the film room. Everybody getting the extra work in and being on the same page about it. We know what we have to do going forward — We have to be able to run the ball.

"We've really started to hammer down on it, not like we weren't before, but at the same time it's more of an emphasis now than it was. It's a priority that we need to be able to run the ball moving forward."

When everyone's healthy, Alabama runs a three-man running back system between Daniel Hill, plus freshmen Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell. Hill started the season on a strong note, but his numbers have dipped with each passing week.

Against Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M, Hill combined for 85 rushing yards on 20 carries. The 4.3 yards per carry aren't bad, but he didn't run into the end zone during that stretch, with a receiving score against the Aggies being his only touchdown.

"Just going back to the little things, doing the little things right," Hill said. "As a running back room, knowing our tracks and things like that, I feel like we've been working every day to get it back to where it needs to be. ... Just staying on track, knowing your reads, if there's a shade here, a three-eye, three-tech, things like that, we have to get back right."

Waldrep has started at center the past two games after Racin Delgatty sustained a late injury against Georgia. Waldrep was in a lengthy offseason battle for the starting left guard spot, but Will Sanders won it before the season opener.

Waldrep, a sophomore, has been getting some pointers from Delgatty, a senior, during practice, but the run game and the blocking up front will have to get back on track as soon as possible.

No. 10 Alabama's (6-2, 4-2 SEC) road matchup against No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Tigers allow 83.0 rushing yards per game — the fifth-best mark in the country.

Like Alabama, LSU is fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff, as no three-loss team has ever made the 12-team field. In other words, it's win-or-go-home for both members of the rivalry, and the Tide had some trouble with Tennessee fans a couple of weeks ago in Knoxville.

"We have to be able to communicate more efficiently," Waldrep said. "The crowd noise and the volume of everything, it's obviously very loud, but it's nothing we can't handle. We just have to be able to be more efficient with our communication going forward and everyone being on the same page."

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