With AK Dear nearing his return, Kalen DeBoer may have an unexpected problem at RB

Alabama sophomore RB AK Dear has missed the first two games of the season after suffering a high-ankle sprain during the Crimson Tide's first scrimmage of fall camp. Dear was having a breakout camp and was making a serious push for significant playing time.

Heading into this week's matchup against Florida State, Dear is questionable for the game, according to On3:

Dear dressed out and went through warm-ups in back-to-back weeks. He was listed as questionable a week ago against Kentucky, which made many assume he was set to make his Tide debut this weekend against Florida State. But it's trending toward the sophomore back being more of a game-time decision once again.

Without him, Alabama has been in good hands with junior Daniel Hill leading the charge as the starter, and true freshmen EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown carving out roles and acquitting themselves nicely in the process.

When Dear is back and ready to play, Kalen DeBoer may actually have a problem that nobody expected this season:

Too many good running backs, and not enough carries to go around.

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama can afford to be patient with AK Dear

There's no need to rush Dear back too quickly. The Alabama ground game has been effective in the first two weeks of the season. Last week against Kentucky, Hill produced the Crimson Tide's first 100-yard rushing day since Jam Miller in early October last season vs. Vanderbilt. Alabama picked up 150 yards on the ground in just the second half alone in Lexington, and did so without sophomore guard Michael Carroll, who missed the game with a concussion.

When Dear gets back, DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb will have difficult decisions to make with carries. It's going to be a real challenge to find carries for four running backs, but who comes off the field? Hill has been the best back so far, and he's too steady to lose too much work.

But both Crowell and Brown have flashed their immense potential, as well. Crowell is the 5-star with superstar potential, but he's worked behind Brown in both of Alabama's games so far this year. It's hard to see Crowell not having a role, though, with how high his usage has been when he's on the field. They are bringing him along slowly, but it's obvious that they intend for him to be a major part of the offense this season.

But Dear was arguably the best running back on the roster in fall camp. Scrimmage attendees noted that he was having a terrific day before the injury, and he got hurt on a play that resulted in a touchdown as he was dragged down from behind going into the end zone.

How do you not get him carries to see if that explosiveness he showed in camp can translate to the games?

So is Brown the odd man out, eventually? That's hard to see, but he probably makes the most sense, assuming Dear can have the impact he seemed to be on the path to.

In any case, it's a good problem to have, and not one that many expected DeBoer to have to worry about this season. If anything, most assumed that Alabama might not have an impact running back on the roster after not landing a big fish in the Transfer Portal.

Now, heading into Week 3, they might have too many, and figuring out how to divvy up the carries will be challenging with SEC play beginning in earnest next week.

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