How Will Jam Miller’s Absence Impact Alabama’s Running Game?

The Alabama Crimson Tide were recently dealt a significant injury blow. A week and a half ago, star running back Jam Miller suffered a dislocated collarbone during a scrimmage. The injury means that Miller will not play in the Crimson Tide’s season opener against the Florida State Seminoles on August 30th. He will also be absent for the team’s following two games against ULM and Wisconsin.

Fortunately for Kalen DeBoer and company, Alabama has their first bye week in Week 4 following the Wisconsin game. This gives Miller an extra week of rest before a potential return for the Crimson Tide’s SEC opener against the Georgia Bulldogs on September 27th. Recent reports indicate that the game against Georgia is the most likely return date for Miller.

Who Fills In During Jam Miller’s Absence?

Not having Jam Miller on the field is far from ideal for the Crimson Tide. Miller was Alabama’s leading rusher at the running back position in 2024, rushing for 668 yards and seven touchdowns on 145 carries. Alabama’s other two leading rushers from 2024, QB Jalen Milroe and RB Justice Haynes, are both no longer on the team.

In Miller’s absence, Alabama will turn to the likes of Richard Young, Daniel Hill, Dre Washington, and AK Dear to fill their running back void. Young is sophomore who served as the Crimson Tide’s third string running back in 2024. He had 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries over the course of the season. Young will presumably handle a majority of the carries during Miller’s injured stint.

Daniel Hill, like Young, is a sophomore who played a marginal role for the team last season. Both Dre Washington and AK Dear are newcomers to the Crimson Tide. Washington is a redshirt senior transfer from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, while Dear is a true freshman from Quitman, Mississippi. It remains unclear at this point in time as to which one of these running backs will serve as Young’s backup over the first couple of weeks, or if all of them will see some game action.

Is There Any Cause For Concern For The Crimson Tide?

While Miller is a very important player for Alabama in the long-term, they will likely have him back before he is seriously needed. First off, Alabama’s first three games (the games which Miller is projected to miss) are rather favorable. The Tide are 13.5-point favorites against Florida State in their season opener, a team that won only two games in 2024. Alabama will likely be even bigger favorites in their next two games against Louisiana-Monroe and Wisconsin, both of which are in Tuscaloosa.

As I stated previously, Alabama has a deep running back room that blends together new and returning players, all of which should be capable if called upon. On a positive note, Miller’s absence could see these players get valuable playing time against several so-so opponents that they are likely to find some success against.