Fans have been consistently frustrated with Alabama's lack of a run game through the two seasons Ryan Grubb has been the offensive coordinator. After a promising start to the 2026 season, Grubb has fallen back into old habits, and the Crimson Tide has not effectively run the football in the last few weeks.
To make matters worse, Alabama isn't giving the backs many opportunities, either. In the last three games, Alabama running backs are averaging just a hair over 16 attempts per game. That's not a single back. That's the entire RB room combined.
That's not enough.
And if you think we, the fans, are the only ones who have noticed, think again.
The lack of RB usage has caught the attention of Alabama 4-star commitment Nigel Newkirk. Despite remaining committed to the Crimson Tide, Newkirk has reopened his recruitment and has a planned trip to Ohio State on the docket.
Why is Newkirk exploring his options?
He's been watching Grubb waste Alabama's talented backfield.
"I feel like they should really use the run game just a little more," Newkirk said, via Bama247's Olivia Sayer.
Kalen DeBoer may have to choose between Ryan Grubb and the future of the Alabama RB room
Losing one recruit is not enough to sound the alarm. But you are kidding yourself if you think Newkirk is the only one thinking this.
He's not the only recruit, and that sentiment has undoubtedly infiltrated the locker room.
Alabama's leading rusher, junior Daniel Hill, averages under nine carries a game. Talented true freshmen Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell are averaging eight and five, respectively.
Sophomore AK Dear has been off the injury report since Week 4 and has two carries on the season.
Grubb's RB usage simply isn't good enough. And it looks like it's going to prove very costly for Alabama, both in recruiting and potentially in the Transfer Portal.
DeBoer may face a difficult decision after the season ends, regardless of what happens down the stretch and whether or not Alabama makes it to the College Football Playoff. Grubb's issues with building a running game are well documented now. It's a big reason he was let go after one season with the Seattle Seahawks, and it's a big part of Alabama's offensive struggles in his two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
If you think guys like Crowell, Brown, and Dear are going to stick around with the limited touches they've gotten, you're kidding yourself. The sharks are going to be circling this offseason to try and pry them out of Tuscaloosa. Hell, the tampering has probably already begun.
And it would be impossible to blame any of them for considering a change. They deserve better than they've gotten from their offensive coordinator.
In the 2027 class, Alabama holds commitments from Newkirk and 3-star Tai Phillips. Shortly after it was reported that Newkirk would be taking a trip to Columbus to visit Ohio State, the Crimson Tide offered Wisconsin commit and the nation's leading rusher, Kingston Allen. But why would Allen seriously consider a flip away from a place that will feature him for an Alabama offense that might give him five touches per game if he's lucky?
Grubb has a chance to begin to change the narrative this weekend against LSU, assuming he can take the advice he gave to his RB room this week. Alabama showed the ability to run the ball effectively early in the season. They've gotten away from it recently, and it's not a coincidence that the offense has gotten stale as a result.
Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge may not only determine this season for Alabama, but it could have a ripple effect on the future of the Crimson Tide's running back room.
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