Alabama freshman running back EJ Crowell keeps flashing the kind of burst that makes people sit up. He has ripped off a run of at least 29 yards in each of the last three games, including a 37-yard burst against Mississippi State when he shook off three tackles.
Even with that kind of juice, Crowell was limited to just three carries in the 33-point win over the Bulldogs. He still finished as Alabama’s second-leading rusher with 49 yards on those attempts, which only added to the questions from fans about why the ball wasn’t in his hands more often.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb addressed that on Monday, and the explanation centered on Crowell’s continued learning curve.
"He's still growing into the game plans," Grubb said. "There's parts that are difficult at times to have him on the field when he doesn't have the whole offense down.
But he's getting there, and he's fighting his tail off to learn. ... He's wildly effective when the ball is in his hands."
Crowell’s situation makes sense in context. He came into the season after missing significant on-field work because of an injury in the spring and again during fall camp. That left fellow freshman Trae'shawn Brown ahead of him in terms of comfort with the offense, since Brown didn’t miss any offseason reps.
There’s also a caution factor here. Crowell has dealt with minor injuries since arriving on campus, and Alabama appears to be thinking long-term. The season is a grind, not a sprint, and the Tide want him healthy and ready if they’re still playing into mid-January.
One encouraging sign for Crowell is the work he’s done as a pass blocker. Grubb pointed to that improvement in practice, and that kind of growth matters for getting on the field more often.
It’s a big reason Daniel Hill remains the starter even with Brown and Crowell offering more explosion as runners. Hill’s ability to pass block and protect Keelon Russell is a key piece of this offense.
Crowell is already too dangerous to leave out completely, though. Alabama has still found ways to use him, even if he doesn’t have the full offense down yet.
Against Mississippi State, that mattered because he had touched the ball on more than 70% of his snaps heading into the game, and breaking that pattern helped create a big play. On the play-action bootleg with Russell in the second quarter, the defense bit hard enough that Russell jogged untouched into the end zone.
This week could bring another opportunity for Crowell to matter in a different way. Alabama faces a physical Georgia defensive front, and his contact balance and tackle-breaking ability should be part of the plan.
The bottom line is simple: Crowell’s role is only going to grow. The talent is obvious, the touches are coming, and once everything fully clicks, the only real question will be how many carries he can handle.
In Other News...
Georgia Still Has One Ranking Problem Heading Into Alabama
Danny Kanells latest Week 5 top 12 brought a fresh jolt to the SEC pecking order, with Alabama climbing to No. 1 after its decisive win over Mississippi State. The updated list also included Texas, Georgia and Ole Miss, giving the conference four teams in the mix, while Alabamas rise was fueled in part by the play of quarterback Keelon Russell.
Georgia checked in at No. 5 after its win over Vanderbilt, which leaves the Bulldogs with some ground to make up compared with the Tide at the top. Texas and Ole Miss both had byes in Week 5, so their standing stayed in place for now, but the bigger storyline from an Alabama perspective is clear: the Tide have the top spot, and the SEC race still has plenty of movement left. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama May Have A New Wrinkle Georgia Can't Ignore
Alabamas offense showed a different look in its 56-23 win over Mississippi State, and it was enough to spark some real curiosity about where Ryan Grubb may want to take things next. The Crimson Tide used the I formation in the game, a wrinkle that stood out because it put more emphasis on running the ball from under center and gave the attack a more physical edge than usual.
Grubb addressed the approach in Mondays press conference and pointed to the offensive line and tight ends for the way they handled the assignment, even with a fumble on the first play out of the formation. He also said the staff could lean on it more in the 2026 season, which makes the look worth tracking now as Alabama keeps shaping answers that could matter later in the year and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Backfield Debate Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Alabamas backfield has become one of the more interesting depth-chart conversations around the program, and freshman EJ Crowell is right in the middle of it. Through his first stretch of work, he has piled up 204 yards and three touchdowns on just 26 carries, flashing the kind of efficiency that tends to make fans notice, especially when a young back is turning limited touches into steady production.
Even with that kind of return, Crowell has not been getting a heavy workload lately, which has only sharpened the debate about how the Crimson Tide should divide carries. Alabama has other backs involved too, with Daniel Hill and Trae'shawn Brown also factoring in, but the question now is whether Crowell has done enough to earn a bigger role as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]