There is plenty of competition in Alabama's RB room as talented players jockey for carries. That competition starts at RB2 on the depth chart, however, as returning senior Jam Miller is the unquestioned starter and leader of the group.
If there was any question of that, Miller solidified his position in Saturday's scrimmage, drawing rave reviews from head coach Kalen DeBoer.
“I thought Jam started out really well," DeBoer said. "I thought the offensive line did a nice job creating some seams for Jam to hit. Got to the second level and broke a couple tackles. I thought it was one of the better showings I’ve seen Jam have in a scrimmage."
DeBoer later commented that Miller broke a couple of big runs right out of the gate, speaking to his demeanor and how ready the senior was to get out onto the field for a live scrimmage.
Miller is entering his fourth season in Tuscaloosa. After being used in a reserve role in his first two years, Miller emerged as Alabama's No. 1 RB last season. He led the Crimson Tide's running backs in rushing in 2024. He ran for 668 yards and seven touchdowns on a less-than-stellar 4.6 yards-per-carry.
Improvement from the traditonal running game is a must for DeBoer in year two on the job. Miller is a talented back, but has never been viewed as an elite back. Alabama's offense line consistently struggled to open up lanes for Miller and his backfield mates, and at times the only way the Tide could run the football was with the quarterback.
DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb have both been complimentary of the offensive line in fall camp. If the OL has taken a step forward, then there should be better opportunities for Miller and the rest of the RB room to make their mark on the 2025 offense.
Daniel Hill continues to trend toward a major role
While DeBoer spoke highly of Miller, perhaps the most interesting part of what he had to say about the running backs is the fact that the second name he mentioned after Miller was redshirt freshman Daniel Hill.
"Daniel Hill is a guy we’re getting more and more comfortable with," DeBoer said. "He’s a big back, but I think he’s deceiving when it comes to what he does from a skillset standpoint because he can catch the ball out of the backfield."
Hill has drawn rave reviews from spring practice, the summer, and now fall camp. He's a guy who has been trending toward legitimate playing time this season, and could have made a major move up the depth chart in the Tide's first scrimmage of fall camp.
While DeBoer went on to compliment Louisiana transfer Dre Washington and returning junior Richard Young, it was Hill who drew the praise right after Miller. It could mean nothing, but Hill has taken a leap this offseason and brings a bruising dynamic to the RB room that the others cannot. The fact that he's showing his ability as a receiver, at his size, makes him all the more intriguing in this system.
It will be interesting to follow practice this next week to see if the order has changed through drills. For now, Miller is the unquestioned starter at RB. But don't be surprised if Hill has made a significant push up the depth chart.