CRIMSON TIDE’S TAILBACK PICTURE IS A CROWDED ONE
If only Alabama still employed the wishbone offense.
While the Crimson Tide seek to replace key personnel departures at tight end, left tackle and on all three levels defensively, there are a bunch of familiar faces who have returned at tailback with some promising newcomers as well.
“There are a lot of guys,” junior tailback Damien Harris said this past week in a news conference. “We will be out at practice, and I will look back in the line and say, ‘We’ve got this many guys?’ There are a lot of talented guys and a lot of guys who are ready to work hard.
“The new guys have come in and really adapted well to the mindset of how we do things around here. All the younger guys are doing a great job, and all the older guys are trying to get back to where we were and be better than we were last year.”
Alabama has conducted five spring workouts and will practice again Monday.
Harris and Bo Scarbrough were the primary tailbacks as sophomores last spring and the primary tailbacks last season, when they were joined by freshmen Josh Jacobs and B.J. Emmons. That quartet has been joined this spring by early enrollees Najee Harris, the No. 1 tailback nationally in the 2017 signing class, and four-star recruit Brian Robinson.
Alabama’s four returning tailbacks combined for 2,589 rushing yards last season, with returning quarterback Jalen Hurts providing another 954.
“We do have a lot of good running backs,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban admitted recently. “We went from not having very many to having a whole bunch. I think they’ve all done really, really well.”
Damien Harris rushed for 1,037 yards and averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season, while Scarbrough gained 812 and averaged 6.5 a rush until breaking his leg in January’s 35-31 loss to Clemson in the national championship game. Scarbrough has been doing “more and more” in practice, according to Saban, but he is unlikely to play in the April 22 A-Day game.
“Our goal for Bo is that by the end of spring, he’s fully confident that he can do everything he needs to do,” Saban said. “Whether he scrimmages or not is not something we’re that concerned about.”
A foot sprain recently sidelined Damien Harris for a couple of practices, which has enabled Jacobs to take advantage of more practice repetitions. Jacobs rushed for 567 yards and averaged 6.7 yards a carry last season.
Emmons, the No. 2 tailback nationally in the 2016 signing class, rushed for 173 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry a season ago. Throw in the early enrollees, and how can all these tailbacks possibly stay happy in terms of carries and playing time?
“When you develop such a close relationship with the guys in the room, it doesn’t matter who gets the ball more or who has the better stats,” Damien Harris said. “The tighter we get, the less that stuff matters.”
Said Saban: “I think it’s a good problem to have.”
Through he is the team’s top returning rusher and has been heading the depth chart this spring, Harris insists he is anything but complacent and is motivated by the desire to develop more leadership skills.
“There is always room for improvement,” he said. “There were plenty of plays last year where, after looking on film, I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. I had a little success, but that makes me want to have even more success this upcoming year.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@ timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.