Alabama football has found a third emergency running back.
Nick Saban announced Thursday on “Hey Coach” that Slade Bolden has been training alongside Christian Leary and Demouy Kennedy in practice. Bolden, a redshirt junior, is in his fourth season as a wide receiver for the Crimson Tide. He arrived in the 2018 signing class from West Monroe, La. A former three-star recruit, Bolden was an athletic high school quarterback.
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The 5-foot-11, 194-pounder does not have blazing speed, but he’s quick enough to make plays. Alabama can use him on direct snap runs as it did in 2020 with Miller Forristall. Bill O’Brien could also motion Bolden into the backfield to take snaps from Bryce Young in the spread.
He is tied with Brian Robinson for third in receptions (23) and has 224 yards with one touchdown.
Bolden carries a lot of skills; however, the play-calling must put him in situations to be successful. Alabama has to exercise all options at running back, and Bolden is one of them.
During his senior year at West Monroe High School, he recorded 1,460 yards rushing with 20 touchdowns. Bolden totaled 80 rushing scores in his career. We will see how Saban and O’Brien choose to feature him versus Arkansas and going forward.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
