How will Alabama football’s run game change in 2025 without Jalen Milroe?
With Jalen Milroe off to the NFL, Alabama football needs to find a new quarterback for the 2025 season. That won’t be the only change to the Crimson Tide offense in his absence, as Milroe led the team in rushing as well as passing yards.
None of the three competitors, Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, are as mobile as Milroe. According to UA head coach Kalen DeBoer, the offense will look different this coming season.
“You kind of think, ‘Well, the runs Jalen had just translate over to running backs,’” DeBoer told reporters Tuesday in Tuscaloosa. “But I think a lot of it was a style of offense too. To me, those runs should go to the running backs, but they also might be a few more pass attempts that you have, that the play-action game gets opened up by, with more handoffs to the tailbacks.
“I see a lot of that developing right now with the play-action game, because there are more carries that the running backs have. The system is the same, the concepts are the same, it’s just what direction, you call more plays when it comes to the style of runs, which are definitely more tailback-oriented right now, for sure, than what we saw a year ago.
Jam Miller returns to his role as the top running back for the Crimson Tide. Behind him, Justice Haynes transferred to Michigan, so Richard Young is expected to take more carries.
Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley are also back after playing reserve roles last year, and will be joined by freshman AK Dear. Dre Washington joins the room as well, after he transferred into Alabama from Louisiana.
DeBoer said the running back group dealt with injuries last season, so he was seeing things for the first time from some of the players at the position. He broke down the group, beginning with praise for Miller’s presence.
“We know what Jam can do, you guys know as well and have seen a lot of him,” DeBoer said. “He continues to just work, whether it’s in the weight room here in the offseason. And then just a new quarterback, do his thing there. Most of the stuff is the same, but even a few little things that we’re doing differently just to fit him in the offense.”
Washington’s addition provides another veteran presence at running back for Alabama. He rushed for 478 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
DeBoer described the 5-foot-9, 218-pound redshirt senior’s game.
“I think he’s a little combination of, kind of, all the guys,” DeBoer said. “Kevin’s probably our shiftiest, kind of the explosive guy on the roster. Dre is compact, much like you would maybe we with Daniel and Rich, but has got some shiftiness to him. I like his mindset, he just comes here ready to work, knows he’s got a lot to learn and focused on what he can control.”
Alabama returned to the practice field Tuesday after pausing spring practice due to spring break. The Crimson Tide will continue spring ball through April 12, when it will play the annual A-Day game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
