Why Ryan Grubb is excited about Alabama running backs

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Richard Young (9) attempts to stiff arm Missouri Tigers safety Sidney Williams (3) as linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez (20) dives to stop him during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Ryan Grubb is excited to see what Alabama football’s running backs can do in his offense in 2025. 

The Crimson Tide’s leading rusher out of the backfield during the 2024 season, Jam Miller, has returned to the program after rushing for 668 yards and six touchdowns last season. He is joined by Richard Young, who rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns for the Tide last season, and Dre Washington. Washington is a senior running back, who rushed for 478 yards and five touchdowns for Louisiana as a junior in 2024 before transferring. 

Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear round out this group as the younger members. Grubb feels the different styles Alabama has in its backfield could be a strength for them. 

“I’m excited to see what those guys can do healthy too.” Grubb said. “I know they were both battling a lot of injuries last year, and the room was in general. So, it’s going to be nice to see what they can do out there from a physical standpoint because they’re a little more fresh than they were during the season. I like the fact that our guys are multiple-tool players in our offense. I’ve always felt like the running back has to be a weapon out of the backfield as well. He’s also got to be a really good pass protector, which backs over the years have been really good at from the University of Alabama. They’ve been able to do every thing, not just take a handoff and go. You look at guys like Najee, what they could do out of the backfield and obviously you go down the line with all the backs here from Bama. But for me, if I was a running back at this university, I would be looking at it as the ultimate challenge. There is no place like Alabama when it comes to running backs. There’s eight signs downstairs that have letters to the University of Alabama that have big murals down there by the locker room. Four of those eight are running backs. I’m excited to what they see, what they can do, like are they complete backs or is this guy, he’s not as good at that. We’re going to have to supplement with this guy and then you know what some of the off speed guys can do. You know, what’s a Kevin Riley look like out of the backfield with his speed, stuff like that. So excited to see them all.”

The Alabama offensive coordinator has previously expressed he wants the Tide’s run game to be multi-dimensional. 

“I think that guys want to be physical type of football players,” Grubb said during his first media availability. “So for us, we’re pretty wide as far as the type of runs that we run, just like we always have been. You’re going to see inside, outside zone, counter, power, pin. pull, fly, sweep, all the stuff we’ve always done. So, I don’t think anything from that standpoint will change. But I think that guys know that to win the late games and the playoffs and things like that, there has to be a mindset and demeanor that you got to be able to run the football.”

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Justin Smith is the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith