A push is building around Alabama freshman running back EJ Crowell, and it’s easy to see why after what he did with just three carries against Mississippi State.
Crowell turned those three touches into 49 yards, continuing a season-long trend of making noise whenever he gets the ball. Through Alabama’s first stretch of the year, the former five-star has totaled 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. He’s averaging 7.8 yards per carry, which is exactly the kind of number that gets people asking for more opportunities.
That chatter picked up fast after the Mississippi State game. Former Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland posted, “Man where EJ at?” and later added, “Facts I would give EJ hill touches though but that’s just me”
The discussion didn’t stop there. Alabama fans also started weighing in on the workload split, with one post pointing out that Trayshawn Brown had 16 carries for 66 yards while Crowell got three carries and still produced 49 yards.
“EJ needs to be fed much more. Every time he touches the ball, he breaks at least two tackles.”
Another post highlighted Crowell’s recent production over the last three games:
“EJ Crowell last 3 games:
7 carries for 51 yards (1 TD) vs Florida St
6 carries for 50 yards vs South Carolina
3 carries for 49 yards vs Miss St
Why is he not getting 10+ carries a game ?”
Alabama does have options in the backfield, and that’s part of the story here. Daniel Hill has been a steady presence for the Tide most of the season, while Brown and Crowell have both flashed the kind of explosiveness that makes the rotation worth watching. Brown led Alabama on the ground against Mississippi State with two rushing touchdowns.
So the question hanging over the Tide now is simple: how will the carries be divided as the season keeps rolling?
In Other News...
Alabama Found Two Reasons To Feel Better Before Georgia
Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods Struggles Leave Michigan With An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality
Keelon Russells rise has become one of the more notable developments around Alabamas early-season start, and the quarterbacks recent stretch has only sharpened the attention. After throwing four touchdowns in the spring game and then piling up 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over three games, he has helped steady a team that rolled to a 56-23 win and moved to 5-0.
For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]