Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer makes his expectations clear for the Crimson Tide running backs ahead of A-Day

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is preparing for his second season at the helm of the Crimson Tide. The former Washington Huskies coach guided the Tide to a 9-4 record in 2024, but the team missed out on the College Football Playoff and lost its bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines.

A reason for the Crimson Tide's lackluster record in 2024 was their predictability on offense. DeBoer's side was over-reliant on the passing game, and their leading rusher was former starting quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Ahead of "A-Day", DeBoer has set his clear targets for the team's running backs.

On Friday, DeBoer said,

"I think finding times when they can get their rushing yards when they need to, put their head down. I think as a corps, as a group they can all try to do, if they can give us a little bit more, when maybe the perfect blocking is not in place, which is going to happen when you are playing in an SEC game in particular."

He continued,

"It is hard to block and so you need to make some things happen. I want to see the entire group improve in yards after contact, making people miss out in space, and not let that first guy bring you down.”

The Alabama Crimson Tide running back room will welcome Dre Washington and AK Dear to the fold. They're putting the finishing touches on preparation for A-Day on April 12.

Who is projected to be Alabama's starting running back in 2025?

Jam Miller is set to be the Alabama Crimson Tide's lead running back for the 2025 college football season. The Tyler Legacy High School, Tyler, Texas product was Bama's RB1 in 2024, and he's set to reprise the role in the upcoming season.

Miller is entering his senior year in 2025, and it's his final chance to prove to NFL scouts that he has what it takes to feature at the professional level. The shifty RB is fresh off a season where he ceded most of the rushing workload to dual-threat QB Jalen Milroe. Last season, Miller finished with 145 carries, 668 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Miller will likely lead a running back room that comprises Richard Young, Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, JR Gardner, Michael Lorino III, AK Dear and Dre Washington. The Crimson Tide starts their 2025 regular season campaign with a matchup against the Florida State Seminoles.