The buzz around Alabama’s backfield took a bit of a hit this spring when its five-star freshman, EJ Crowell, was forced to become a spectator. After reclassifying and arriving on campus with big expectations to replace the production lost in 2025, he suffered a frustrating ‘soft tissue’ injury in his right calf very early in the practice schedule. By the time the A-Day spring game rolled around at Saban Field, fans were disappointed to see him in a medical boot and using a medical scooter to move across the sidelines.

This June window is the “golden period” for college football because it’s when Player-Run Practices (PRPs) begin. While coaches can’t be on the field for those, it’s the time when Keelon Russell takes the Bama RB department aside to master the timing of the routes and the handoff exchange. Missing this would have been a disaster, but making it back by June means Crowell can still enter fall camp as a “full-go” participant.

Even with the missed time, the “insider” word from the coaching staff is that Crowell’s mental game has stayed sharp. Even though he couldn’t physically take handoffs, he was reportedly a ‘film room warrior.’ He spent his recovery time glued to Ryan Grubb’s playbook to master pass protection schemes, usually the hardest thing for a freshman to learn.

DeBoer has hinted that once the medical staff gives the green light, it will be “pedal to the metal” for the young star. While Crowell was sidelined, the rest of the running back room took advantage of the opportunity.

Alabama’s RB depth chart after the spring

Players like Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and AK Dear got an amount of “heavy lifting” reps that they wouldn’t have normally seen. This created a “silver lining” for the roster depth.

Entering the summer, Hill is the de facto RB1. He took the majority of first-team reps this spring and remained consistent throughout. Crowell has temporarily dropped to the “depth” line simply because of a lack of reps, while AK Dear and Kevin Riley are competing for the RB2 role.

With Crowell out, fellow true freshman Trae’shawn Brown impressed coaches during spring scrimmages, especially when it comes to explosive short-yard plays. Only time will tell whether Alabama’s RB department pulls itself out of the misery it caused last season.