Like last year, Alabama will return a loaded stable of running backs. Unlike last year, the Crimson Tide is confident its backfield will get more of an opportunity to capitalize on its talent.

Last season, Alabama’s ground game was led by dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe, who ran for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns on 168 attempts. While effective, Milroe’s designed runs ate into the reps for the Tide’s backs. Jam Miller’s 145 rushing attempts were the fewest by an Alabama lead back since 2017 when Damien Harris carried the ball 135 times.

That should change this season, as Milroe is moving on to the NFL while all three of Alabama’s possible starters at quarterback are more traditional pocket passers.

Last week, Kalen DeBoer discussed how this year’s offense might look, stating that he foresees less designed quarterback runs an more production out of the backfield.

“To me, the runs go to the running backs, but there also might be a few more pass attempts that you have,” DeBoer said. “The play-action game gets opened up with more handoffs to the tailback. I see a lot of that developing right now with the play action game, because there are more carries that the running backs have.

“The system is the same, the concepts are the same, it’s just the direction you call more plays when it comes to the style of runs, which are definitely more tailback oriented than we saw a year ago.”

With Alabama switching back to more of a traditional running game this season, here’s a look at how each of the Tide’s backs could be used this fall.

2024 stats: 145 attempts; 668 rushing yards (4.61 ypc); 7 rushing TDs; 16 receptions; 155 receiving yards; 1 receiving TD

How he’ll be used this year: After starting seven games last season, Miller projects to be Alabama’s primary back this year. What that means in terms of caries isn’t clear.

During the 2023 season, DeBoer and Ryan Grubb’s Washington offense relied on bell-cow back Dillon Johnson to handle most of the production on the ground. Johnson received 233 of Washington’s 411 carries (56.7%) that year, rushing for 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns. Miller won’t likely take on that much of a workload this year, but his reps should go up from last season.

While Miller is a hard runner, he’s a bit shiftier than some of Alabama’s other primary options out of the backfield. The senior has also shown nice pass-catching abilities and could become a reliable check-down outlet for whoever wins the Tide’s quarterback battle.

Perhaps the biggest factor in Miller’s usage will be his pass-blocking. In 2023, Johnson earned a respectable 70.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. That allowed him to remain on the field for all three downs.