Alabama football’s featured running back Daniel Hill has gotten his junior season for the Crimson Tide off to a running start.
Hill has picked up 151 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He has led the Tide’s rushing attack in its first two games of the season, and Richardson said he feels Hill’s performance so far has earned him the right to get the bulk of the Tide’s carries moving forward.
“I don’t think we give Daniel Hill enough credit for what he’s done up to this point,” Richardson said on “The Dynasty” podcast. “Like, why wouldn’t you have him take the bulk of the carries? When me and Mark (Ingram) was there, it happened like that with us. The next year when he came back from an injury, we still knew that Mark was the guy. He just won a Heisman. Alabama has this thing to where you wait your time, and but you still get your reps in, and good quality reps in, and opportunities when you do go in. I know that’s how it was when I played. Nowadays, it’s a little different because of the, the NIL, you know, stuff. But I definitely think that he should be getting the bulk of the carries. I mean, you look at what he did, man, and what he did last year, going into this year, why not? I think the kid did a really good job of finding a way to get it done and to finish a game, and to finish runs too, man. I’m proud of him. I think that we need to capitalize on that and to capitalize on all these different backs that we do have in the backfield that can do different things.”
Alabama’s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb highlighted Hill in his Monday press conference.
“I think Daniel is, and I pointed this out to the offensive staff and credit to Coach Gillespie,” Grubb said. “He’s done such a great job with Daniel. But, you know, when I got here, there was question marks around four and, he was injured, and what’s this guy all about? All the normal things with young players. Daniel went through his first spring ball, played with an injured shoulder all the way through, and then had surgery afterwards. And then just to watch Daniel at a walkthrough or a practice, and his communication skills, his leadership, his attention to detail, understanding I’m on the ball in an empty formation, signaling it to the receiver, like, it, it’s awesome. I mean, that’s the stuff you wanna coach for, is to see guys like Daniel Hill that, number one, grow in their role and earn it, quite frankly.”
Hill and Alabama will be back in action Saturday when the Tide takes on Florida State.
