Alabama feels running back is showing he can be ‘the guy’ to go to for tough runs

Alabama football feels it has found a running back, who is playing as if he can be a dependable back when it comes to picking up tough yards.

Daniel Hill carried the football 15 times against Oklahoma and finished the game with 60 yards and two touchdowns. He outperformed the Tide’s starting running back Jam Miller while carrying the football six more times than the veteran back.

Alabama’s recent struggles in the run game are well documented. However, one can make an argument Hill has been the only slightly bright spot in the Tide’s rushing attack as of late.

Alabama’s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was asked about Hill on Monday.

“He’s grown, everything you want for young players,” Grubb said. “All the guys are competing for playing time. That’s the most valuable thing to them is getting on the field and show that they can help the team. For Daniel, he’s certainly done that. He wasn’t perfect, just like any player. He’s working to try to get better at things. But I think he’s shown the capability of being the guy that can get those tough yards.”

Grubb feels the Tide’s offensive line played better as a unit against the Sooners, and Hill and Miller benefited from this. He also pointed out he felt the Tide’s running backs were missing holes.

“I know it doesn’t feel like that with 80 yards, but the reality is we’ve been, for the last month or better, it’s tough to say, but we’ve averaged between seven to nine negative yard run plays per game, and on Saturday night we had two, and they were gains of zero, so technically they weren’t negative,” Grubb said. “And both of those runs, we just missed them. We had big holes that we just didn’t freaking hit, and it sucks, because the o-line worked their tails off. And that’s a part that I know they see that, I know that our guys see that on film. And so I thought the o-line played well.”

Alabama fans may need to get used to seeing more of Hill.