Breaking Down Start to Season for Alabama's Top Running Backs

Jam Miller and Justice Haynes are both averaging around nine yards per carry in the Crimson Tide's first three games.

Sep 14, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) rushes for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Alabama came into the season with one of the top backfield duos in the country, but through the first three games, the Crimson Tide's primary running backs haven't seen a super heavy workload.

When looking strictly at the stats, junior Jam Miller and sophomore Justice Haynes are both averaging right around nine yards per carry. But that number can be a little deceiving. Alabama's offense has been one of the best in the nation so far at creating explosive plays, and both backs have scored on plays of 30+ yards. In fact, the shortest rushing touchdown by Haynes or Miller this season is Haynes' 29-yard score against South Florida in Game 2.

Miller has one rushing touchdown in each of the first three games while Haynes scored against Western Kentucky and USF. Their touchdowns against USF came in the final 2:30 after the Crimson Tide had already put the game away in the 42-16 victory.

Overall, Miller has 29 carries for 265 yards and three touchdowns for 9.1 yards per carry while Haynes has 19 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns through three games for 8.7 yards per carry.

But what happens to the stats when the explosive runs get taken out? Miller's three touchdowns make up nearly half of his total rushing output. Haynes' two touchdown runs (85 yards vs. Western Kentucky and 29 yards vs. USF) account for 69 percent of his total rushing yards. Outside of those two plays, he is averaging exactly three yards per carry.

Against Wisconsin on Saturday, Haynes carried the ball just two times for 17 yards but was also targeted three times in the passing game for 16 yards through the air, including a 10 yard catch on Alabama's first play from scrimmage. Crimson Tide had coach Kalen DeBoer explained on Monday that it was not intentional for Haynes to only carry the ball twice against the Badgers, and the coaching staff still has full faith in Haynes and plans to utilize him more moving forward.

"Just some of the carries where he’d have been involved ended up being throws, RPO plays, keeps by the quarterback," DeBoer said. "And so all of a sudden, you get to the middle of the third quarter and you hit another explosive there at the beginning of the fourth and we’re pulling all our guys.

"I know we need him to be really a very productive guy for us. And I thought when he was out there, he was exactly that. We trust and believe in him like no other. The guy works his tail off every single day. He’s fun to coach. He’s great in protection. He’s out in the routes. He’s obviously a huge threat when he’s got the ball in his hands. And so just sometimes the flow of the game and the rotation we have, the ball didn’t end up in his hands as much, but the ball will continue to find him because I know Jalen [Milroe] believes in him, our coaching staff believes in him. And so you try to be intentional on some that stuff, and sometimes, it just doesn’t go exactly how you planned as far as who gets the touches and so forth.”

Jalen Milroe has been heavily involved in the run game early on with more designed runs for the Alabama quarterback under the new offensive system. Milroe has more rushing touchdowns in the first three games (six) than Haynes and Miller combined and 156 total rushing yards.

Alabama struggled to establish the run in its first two games, in large part due to the offensive line. Also, the explosive nature of Alabama's offense in the blowout victory in the season opener didn't allow many opportunities to even try to run the ball regularly. Saturday's victory at Wisconsin was the first time the Crimson Tide had its fully healthy offensive line to start the game with Kadyn Proctor at left tackle, Tyler Booker at left guard, Parker Brailsford at center, Jaeden Roberts at right guard and Elijah Pritchett at right tackle. Alabama was able to be more consistent in the run game against the Badgers.

With backup running back Richard Young's status uncertain after a lower leg injury against Wisconsin, Miller and Haynes will continue to be relied on for the bulk of the carries moving forward. The early bye week gives the entire backfield the opportunity to rest and recover, which is important with SEC play starting against No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 28. It will also allow more time to gel with the healthy offensive line.

Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said during Monday's press conference that Alabama has shown just a "small volume" of its defense in the first three games, and it is safe to assume that the same thing goes for the Crimson Tide offense. As Alabama enters SEC play, the playbook will continue to open up with more wrinkles for Milroe, Miller and Haynes.

Only two teams (Tennessee and Arkansas) have more rushing touchdowns than Alabama's 13 this season, but Georgia has yet to give up a rushing touchdown. The Bulldogs haven't allowed any touchdowns through their first three games.

"We've just got to flush this game and prepare for the next week when we play Georgia," Miller said after the Wisconsin win. "I'm gonna keep my thoughts on Georgia, watching the film and seeing how they play. It's a way for me to get better."

See also: Everything Kalen DeBoer Said to Open Alabama's First Bye Week

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