Why Daniel Hill had most carries as starting running back for Alabama vs. Oklahoma

© SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Daniel Hill led the Alabama Crimson Tide in carries out of the backfield against Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Hill picked up 43 yards and got into the endzone once on nine carries against the Sooners. His six-yard rushing touchdown gave the Tide a commanding 34-24 lead in the fourth quarter. His longest run of the game came in the third quarter on a toss to the left when he broke free for 30 yards.

The 6-foot-1, 244-pounder started at running back against the Sooners with Jam Miller returning to the field for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury against Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Hill was the beneficiary of more carries than Miller due to the Crimson Tide wanting to limit Miller in his return, according to the Tide’s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

“Jam did a good job,” Grubb said. “We tried to keep his reps down a little bit. He and Daniel obviously shared the load back there tonight, and I thought he did a good job when he was in. He’s still nursing back to health a little bit, but he’s a soldier, man. He was out there battling. I thought he did a good job.”

Miller finished the game with 11 yards on seven carries. Alabama gained 73 positive yards on the ground against the Sooners as a team. Sacks on Ty Simpson significantly dropped the Tide’s final rushing stat as a team to 45. This was a significant improvement to the -3 rushing yards the Tide had against Georgia in the SEC Championship.

The Crimson Tide now has an opportunity to move its rushing attack in a positive direction ahead of facing Indiana at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.