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If you go around and survey a ton of college football fans, they’ll tell you that the biggest question surrounding the Alabama Crimson Tide lies at quarterback.

But when you ask the Tide fans who watch this team every week, they’ll insist that it's at running back.

Alabama prided itself on its run game for as long as Nick Saban was at the helm.

However, shortly into Kalen DeBoer’s tenure, the rushing attack has been a massive black hole.

In 2025, Alabama averaged 92.6 rushing yards per game, ranking 129th in the FBS. The Crimson Tide also averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, which ranked 127th nationally.

Last season, the run game was in shambles, led by senior running back Jam Miller, who dealt with injuries for the most of the season. Junior running back Daniel Hill seemed to take the reins even though it was a grind for him.

As we head into this season, Alabama still has a decision to make. Who takes the lead role in the backfield and finally gets Alabama's rushing attack back on track? Let's dive in.

Daniel Hill

This is the easy and obvious choice.

Last season was the first time that Hill had felt like a substantial part of the offense, posting six rushing touchdowns on 3.8 yards per carry.

That 3.8 number doesn’t sound like a No. 1 running back, but he showed up in big games like the first round of the College Football Playoffs.

He’s built like a bowling ball standing at 6-foot-1, 241 pounds, with impressive speed and a knack for receiving the ball.

Even though he wasn’t always the main option during the season, the commentary about the running back room weighed on him heavily.

"That’s something that since the last time we played football, since we played Indiana, that’s been a big thing that I really think about," Hill said during Alabama's media day. "You don't always want to hear how your group is doing and things like that. I think about it every day. And it’s not just me, it’s the whole room.

The one thing that Hill needed to work on was his elusiveness and open-field moves. That seems to have been addressed through his work with noted running back trainer Brad Lester, as well as trimming down to 234 pounds.

AK Dear

You want to talk about a dark horse, look no further, my dear.

If there was anyone that was gaining steam during camp, it was AK Dear.

For a large chunk of camp, Dear was getting first-team reps. The promise was always there. When Alabama rolled him out during garbage time in Week 2 against UL Monroe, many were just excited to see him play.

But he outperformed everyone’s expectations. He dazzled, breaking off a 56-yard run touchdown.

Now, with another year under his belt, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb made sure to point out how his development, even off the field, was improving.

"Maturity. And I mean that,” Grubb said. “I can remember being right out here in the Fourth Quarter with him, and just the things that he thought were possible at that time compared to what he thinks is possible now are very different. So I think he's a great teammate. You know, he's a guy that can lighten the mood, spark guys a little bit, and that's been something that has been really enjoyable.

The one issue with Dear is that he suffered an injury during yesterday’s scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium. His status is currently unknown.

EJ Crowell

Nothing gets fans more excited than a shiny new recruit.

EJ Crowell, a true freshman out of Jackson, AL, comes into Tuscaloosa with a five-star ranking. On3 had him as the No. 2 running back in the country, but had him as the top player in the state of Alabama.

Just how dominant was Crowell in high school?

In his senior year at Jackson High, he posted 2,632 rushing yards, which led the state and was ranked 33rd in the country. In addition, he piled on 23 touchdowns.

The hype for Crowell is real, but injuries since he has arrived on campus have also been real.

He was held out of spring camp for a few days due to a nagging injury, and just yesterday at the Tide’s scrimmage at BDS, Crowell suffered another injury.

DeBoer said he doesn’t anticipate him to miss any games at this point, but he won’t practice for a few days.

Kevin Riley

Kevin Riley is often the forgotten child of the bunch, but the Northport native still has a lot to bring to the table.

If Riley is anything at all, it’s explosive. Something that the Tide had almost zero of last season on the ground.

During Week 1 of the 2025 season against Florida State, in order to get the offense on track, DeBoer sent out Riley to jolt the team.

In that game, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on five touches. In the following game against UL Monroe, he saw the ball a lot more, rushing 11 times for 69 yards, while also hauling in 45 receiving yards.

Unfortunately, he missed a large portion of the season with a broken jaw, which kept us from seeing all he could do.

A former four-star recruit, Grubb noted that in spring camp that Riley had “another step to him,” and ultimately added seven pounds.

Trae’shawn Brown

We had talked about true freshman Trae’shawn Brown earlier in the spring, but here he is making waves once again.

Alabama signed Brown right before the closing hours of National Signing Day, and ever since, Gump Nation is taking notice.

On3's Clint Lamb mentioned on X that Brown has been a player who continues to stand out.

“The more people I talk to, the more Trae’shawn Brown praise I’m getting for his performance so far in camp.”

An embarrassment of riches? Considering how the run game went last season, rich isn’t enough.

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