Alabama may get a much earlier look at EJ Crowell than expected.
The 5-star freshman running back, who had been dealing with an injury through fall camp, is trending toward being available for Saturday’s season-opener against East Carolina. On Monday, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb sounded optimistic, though the final call still rests with head athletic trainer Jeff Allen.
“Yeah, we do,” Grubb said when asked if he expects Crowell to be available. “He's pushing every day.
He was out there yesterday practicing and moving. We always leave that decision up to Jeff (Allen).
You know, ultimately he's going to be in charge of that. But EJ, I told him yesterday, he's like Wolverine.
Him and Noah Rogers are on a different planet. So it's been really, really impressive.
I didn't see any setbacks at practice. EJ was cutting off both of his feet.
So we'll just see how he progresses.”
That’s a major shift from where things stood not long ago. Crowell looked like a long shot for the opener after missing time in both spring and fall camp, and Alabama was heading toward the possibility of facing ECU with only four healthy scholarship running backs. Instead, the freshman has made a serious push over the past week and now appears on track to make his Crimson Tide debut at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
There’s still a natural caution here. Crowell hasn’t logged much practice time, so even if he’s active, Alabama could ease him in early. The lack of reps may mean a slower build to his workload at the start of the season.
Even so, the buzz around Crowell is real. He was one of the top players in the country in the 2026 recruiting cycle, and his arrival gives Alabama a different kind of burst in the backfield. He also joins fellow freshman Trae'shawn Brown as part of a young running back group that has a chance to matter this season.
How much Crowell actually plays against ECU is still up in the air. Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and Brown are also expected to see carries, and that trio may be in a better spot simply because they’ve gotten through camp healthy.
But when Crowell has been on the field, he’s stood out. If the staff feels good about his health and there’s no concern about a setback, he should get touches early.
That matters because Alabama wants to run the ball better in 2026. With a hot day expected in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, leaning on the ground game makes even more sense: shorten the game, control the tempo, and try to put ECU away early.
Kalen DeBoer and Grubb are looking to set the tone in Week 1 with the offensive line and the run game. If Crowell is cleared, they may have their most electric new piece ready right away.
In Other News...
Kalen DeBoer Suddenly Has A Risky Alabama Roster Decision
As the fallout from the NCAAs latest eligibility debate continues to ripple through the sport, Alabama finds itself watching a situation that could open an unusual late-summer roster door. The issue centers on athletes from the 2022 class who are seeking a fifth college season, including some who have already spent time on NFL preseason rosters, and LSU is expected to move forward with several such additions even with SEC objections hanging over the conversation.
For Kalen DeBoer, the complication is whether Alabama could or should get involved if former players Jam Miller and Domani Jackson become available after their releases from NFL teams. Neither has publicly signaled any interest in a college return, and there is still no clear indication that Alabama would try to bring them back. Still, the possibility underscores how quickly a roster plan can become unsettled when the rules, the league and the transfer market are all moving at once. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Faces The Alabama Standard Nobody Can Truly Match
As Alabama gets ready to open the season against East Carolina, the conversation around Kalen DeBoer is already drifting back to the one standard that still hangs over the program: Nick Sabans. Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy recently pointed to the current college football landscape as a major reason that level of dominance is so hard to duplicate, with the sports new reality changing how teams are built and sustained.
McElroy also suggested the Tide have not had the same kind of raw talent on recent rosters that Alabama fans came to expect in the Saban years, even if this group could prove to be steadier from week to week. That leaves DeBoer in the familiar Alabama position of being measured not just by wins, but by how closely his team can come to matching a legacy few programs have ever been able to approach. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russells Alabama Debut Already Brings One Big Week 1 Debate
The first look at Alabamas 2026 season comes with a little more intrigue than a typical opener. The Crimson Tide are set to welcome East Carolina to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 5, with Kalen DeBoer entering his third season and Keelon Russell taking over at quarterback after Alabamas 11-4 finish and College Football Playoff quarterfinal run a year ago. East Carolina brings its own momentum to Tuscaloosa, arriving off a 9-4 season under Blake Harrell and with Mitch Griffis installed as the new starter.
For Alabama, the conversation around Russell has already started to spill beyond simple debut buzz and into how the matchup itself might look. East Carolina has enough recent success to make this more than a routine warmup, even if the Tide are expected to be the better team on paper. The bigger question hanging over Week 1 is how quickly Alabama can settle in behind its new quarterback and whether the opener will reveal anything meaningful about how far this group can go. [Read more 🡒]