It's no secret that Alabama needs its running game to take a massive step forward in 2026. That's especially true considering the Crimson Tide will be rolling out an inexperienced QB regardless of who wins the starting job between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.
Last year's running game was one of the worst in school history. A combination of mediocre play at the RB position and an offensive line that could never find consistency led to season-long struggles that culminated in blowout losses to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
But there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. Kalen DeBoer hired a new OL coach in Adrian Klemm, and completely flipped the roster on the offensive line, bringing in 11 new players with five returnees.
But the biggest reason for optimism in the running game is the addition of 5-star EJ Crowell to the RB room.
Crowell is the No. 14 overall prospect in the 247 composite, and brings a level of talent to the Crimson Tide's backfield that hasn't been seen since Jahmyr Gibbs went pro.
Following the flip of NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers to Texas, more pressure was added to Crowell to be an immediate contributor. If he lives up to the comparison ESPN's Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill made this week, that won't be a problem.
ESPN believes EJ Crowell could follow the trajectory of Ohio State's Bo Jackson
In a recent post on ESPN, Haubert and Luginbill agreed that Crowell is the most college-ready RB from the 2026 recruiting class.
They believe Crowell could follow a similar trajectory to Ohio State true freshman Bo Jackson, who had an impressive season for the Buckeyes in 2025.
Jackson emerged as the leading back for Ohio State this past season. After not getting any carries against Texas in the season opener, Jackson put up back-to-back 100+ yard rushing games against Grambling and Ohio on just nine carries in each game.
From there, he became Ohio State's lead RB for the remainder of the season, racking up 1090 yards and six touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry, helping to lead the Buckeyes to a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Jackson's immediate emergence took some pressure off of redshirt freshman QB Julian Sayin, allowing him to settle into the role without ever having too much on his shoulders.
If Crowell can do the same for Mack or Russell next season, that would be a major development for the Tide's offense.