There have been some strong reactions from A-Day. Especially with the QB battle that was happening on the field. While most fans were focused on that, the run game quietly went under the radar. I saw only a few users on X tweet about the lack of production on the ground. A majority of it was negative, but some leeway should be given. Did the run plays look familiar to the ground game of last year? Yes. It's a spring scrimmage, though. Alabama fans need to give them time before asking their QB1 to throw every play.
If there is one unit that takes the longest to develop, it's the offensive line. Timing, chemistry, and communication with this group are going to take a while. You have almost an entirely new group of offensive linemen that are going to be put into starting roles, including a lot of young players. They are not going to look like the dominating forces of the Saban era this spring, and I don't expect them to look that great before SEC competition.
New offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, whom I have been critical of, is going to have a long way to go with this group of young linemen. Fans should brace themselves for that. It is going to take months, not weeks, for this position group to grow. Right now, the goal is growth, not perfection.
Alabama fans need to be patient as the offensive line comes together
I do think that the run game will also get a boost when EJ Crowell returns from injury. The high school phenom should be able to provide an instant boost to the run game by making defensive players miss and by stretching the defense east/west. Combine that with A.K. Dear, who made some plays on the field by catching a few passes, and it should bode well for the run game to thrive off this dynamic duo. The viral clip of Dear getting blown up in pass protection had more fans reacting to the power of the defensive lineman, as it should, and less concern about the running back's pass protection.
There will be a bit of a downward curve, as Jam Miller did well in pass protection last season; however, the young backs have time to prove themselves as worthy replacements. If Dear and Crowell can't make an impact on the field? Then, Daniel Hill is back for another season and should be relied on heavily in the run game. Hill looks leaner and has a little more boost. Hill is not afraid of contact, as fans remember from last season, and should be able to provide an opportunity for the young running backs to grow and learn from his experience. These three should be able to elevate the growing offensive line by making defenders miss, providing stable pass protection, and stretching defenses from sideline to sideline.
If the same offensive line play and run game show up in October, it's a problem. A serious one. But for right now? It is a controlled scrimmage, with limited play calling, no real game plan, and a defense that has likely seen some of these offensive looks before. If you're judging Alabama's 2026 rushing attack based on A-Day alone, it is an overreaction. Alabama has steadily been improving year by year in the Kalen DeBoer era, and if that trend holds, the run game and offensive line play will see improvement as well. DeBoer's programs, even at Washington, are built on development and progression.
The struggles early on in spring should be viewed as growth. April very rarely resembles November.