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Richard Young’s development could mean 3-man backfield rotation for Alabama

By Zach Breathwaite

Sep 2, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Richard Young (25) runs the ball against Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders cornerback Jalen Jackson (23) during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 56-7. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Richard Young (25) runs the ball against Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders cornerback Jalen Jackson (23) during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 56-7. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
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Alabama returns what is expected to be one of college football’s most dynamic backfield duos in junior Jam Miller and sophomore Justice Haynes. Both Miller and Haynes showed flashes of vision, speed, and, most importantly, explosiveness in their reserve reps last season. As the full-time backs, they should give opponents headaches and put up big numbers. 

A third back, redshirt freshman Richard Young, has also emerged in fall camp. Young spent a lot of time as a 5-star prospect in the class of 2023 and was one of the best running backs in the country, eventually committing to the Crimson Tide. As the fifth man in the rotation, he got very limited opportunities in his first season but will play a lot more in 2024.

Young is a big back at 216 pounds, yet possesses breakaway speed to deliver big plays in the running game. He will bring a very physical element to Alabama’s ground game, which already won’t be lacking in that department with Miller, Haynes, and quarterback Jalen Milroe leading the way. Rumbling through opposing secondaries wearing no. 9 this season, Richard Young will give Bama fans shades of Bo Scarborough.

It will be tough for Alabama to have a true three-headed monster at running back, simply because there aren’t enough touches to go around. Nick Saban was known for his deep backfield rotations, but the Tide’s last true three-man rotation was in 2018.

That season, Bama running backs Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, and Najee Harris all had at least 117 carries and at least 640 yards. As a result, none of the three finished the season with more than 150 carries and none approached 1,000 yards. This balanced rotation kept all three of the backs fresh and effective throughout the season. 

Will Alabama be able to replicate this with a running quarterback like Jalen Milroe? It’s hard to envision, as I believe Milroe’s legs will be highly featured in Kalen DeBoer’s offense. Clint Lamb and Stacey Blackwood give a really good breakdown of the difficulty of rotating three backs along with a running QB on their Cover Crimson podcast.

I think Young’s role will more closely resemble that of 2016 Josh Jacobs, 2019 Keilan Robinson, 2020 Jase McClellan, or Jam Miller over the past couple seasons. In all of those instances, these players didn’t have a major role in the offense as the third back. However, they were very effective when they got their opportunities, and many of them led their respective teams in yards per carry. 

Richard Young could definitely be that change of pace option for the 2024 Alabama offense, and he might be the best RB3 in all of college football.

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