The Alabama Crimson Tide running back room suddenly looks a lot deeper on paper than it may feel in practice, because the real separator early in the season could be something much less glamorous than speed or power: pass protection.
AK Dear was in the middle of a strong push before an injury in Alabama’s first fall camp scrimmage interrupted it. Alabama OC Ryan Grubb had been pleased with Dear not only as a ball carrier, but also for his much-needed improvement in protecting the quarterback. Estimates now point to Dear returning by the Mississippi State game.
That opens the door for the rest of the group, and especially for Trae’shawn Brown. Brown has been drawing attention since spring and did it again in the first scrimmage.
He’s built like a load, he’s fast, he catches the ball well, and he can make tacklers miss. The question is whether he can hold up when the defense brings pressure.
If he can’t be trusted in pass protection, his snaps could stay limited.
Freshman EJ Crowell also missed the scrimmage, either because of a new minor injury or a tweak to an old one. Alabama’s staff believes he won’t miss any games, and there’s a chance he could be ready for the final camp scrimmage on Thursday. Even so, there’s still some uncertainty about whether he’ll be ready for the early part of the season.
That uncertainty isn’t about Crowell’s talent. It’s about how quickly he can handle the details.
Grubb said Crowell “must learn the game.” That points to areas of his development that may take time, and pass blocking appears to be one of them.
With Alabama’s rebuilt offensive line still needing time to come together, the Tide may not be able to lean heavily on Brown and Crowell in passing situations right away. If that becomes a real issue, Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley could end up carrying a bigger load early.
Running the ball should be manageable with either of them. The tougher question is whether, until Dear gets back, Hill is the only back the staff can fully trust to protect in the passing game.
That chain of problems is unlikely to hit all at once, but it isn’t impossible. And if it does, it creates another layer to the QB conversation: if only Hill can handle pass protection early on, wouldn’t a more mobile Keelon Russell need to be QB1?
In Other News...
Alabama Already Faces An EJ Crowell Question It Didn't Want
A lower-body injury has put freshman Alabama running back EJ Crowell on the shelf just as the preseason competition is starting to sharpen, and the timing is less than ideal for a player the Tide have been eager to see in a fuller role. Crowell missed Thursdays scrimmage and Mondays practice, another brief setback in a stop-and-start arrival that has already included injury issues since he got to campus.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has tried to keep the focus on the long view, expressing optimism that Crowell will be back soon and should be ready for the season opener. For Alabama, the hope is simple enough: get the freshman healthy, get him on the field, and find out whether the flashes he has shown when available can translate into something more meaningful once the games begin to count. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's QB Battle May Be Reaching A Brutal Week For Austin Mack
The quarterback competition at Alabama has reached the point where the calendar may matter almost as much as the reps. Kalen DeBoer has made clear he would like to settle the job soon after the final fall camp scrimmage, with the staff trying to give the offense some much-needed continuity before the season begins. For now, the battle is centered on Austin Mack, a fourth-year player, and Keelon Russell, the sophomore who has worked himself into the thick of it.
Mack has stayed in the mix long enough to keep this from feeling settled, but the next few days could still be decisive in a fight that has already put real pressure on the veteran. Even if the answer does not come immediately, Alabama is clearly heading toward a choice it hopes will steady the entire offense, and the tension around that decision is only going to sharpen as the scrimmage approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Quarterback Race Is Starting To Reveal Something Important
Alabamas 10th preseason camp practice offered another glimpse into how the quarterback competition is unfolding, even without the full-on offense-versus-defense setting fans usually crave. With media watching only a portion of the workout in Tuscaloosa, the session leaned heavily on group and individual work, which still gave a useful look at the rotation between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell while the staff kept sorting through battles along the offensive line.
The other notable development was the return of Lotzeir Brooks, who was back on the field and appeared to be fully involved after missing the previous scrimmage. Kalen DeBoer also spent a significant stretch working with the defense, a reminder that camp remains a broad evaluation process rather than a single-position showcase, and this one wrapped up after the seventh period with more questions than answers still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]