The highly anticipated Alabama debut of 5-star freshman RB EJ Crowell could be coming earlier than expected. It appeared like Crowell was headed toward missing the season-opener after battling injury in fall camp, but OC Ryan Grubb provided a positive update on his star runner on Monday ahead of Saturday's season-opener against East Carolina.
Barring a setback this week, and assuming head athletic trainer Jeff Allen signs off, Crowell is on track to play against ECU.
"Yeah, we do," Grubb said when asked if he expects Crowell to be available. "He's pushing every day. He was out there yesterday practicing and moving. We always leave that decision up to Jeff (Allen). You know, ultimately he's going to be in charge of that. But EJ, I told him yesterday, he's like Wolverine. Him and Noah Rogers are on a different planet. So it's been really, really impressive. I didn't see any setbacks at practice. EJ was cutting off both of his feet. So we'll just see how he progresses."
Ryan Grubb expects 5-star RB EJ Crowell to be available for Alabama in the season-opener
Alabama was on the path of having just four healthy scholarship running backs available against ECU with Crowell and sophomore AK Dear sidelined. But it looks like Crowell has made a miraculous push over the past week since the last update, and he should be able to make his Crimson Tide debut on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Of course, patience will still be needed for the elite freshman back. Crowell has missed significant practice time both in the spring and fall camp. That lack of reps could cause a slower usage for Crowell to begin the season, but there's little doubt that he's going to make a significant impact from the moment he starts getting touches.
Crowell brings an explosiveness to the Alabama RB room that has been missing the last few years. He was one of the top players in the country in the 2026 recruiting cycle, and he pairs with fellow freshman Trae'shawn Brown to give the Crimson Tide two intriguing young running backs this season.
It remains to be seen how big a role that Crowell plays in the opener. You can expect carries for Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and Brown as well. That trio will probably be more prepared to play after getting through camp healthy.
But Crowell has consistently stood out when he's been able to practice. If he's able to go and they aren't worried about any kind of re-aggravation of the injury he's been hampered with, then he's going to get early touches.
Running the football better is a priority for Alabama in 2026. In what is expected to be a scorcher in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, there's no better time to pound the rock, limit possessions, and put the game to bed early.
Kalen DeBoer and Grubb are going to look to make a statement in Week 1 with the offensive line and the running game. Now, it looks like they're going to have their shiniest new weapon at their disposal.
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