The expectations for Kalen DeBoer’s second season in Tuscaloosa have been high, and since the program named Ty Simpson its starting quarterback for Week 1, the vibes have been even higher. Until Alabama’s second scrimmage of the preseason, when starting running back Jam Miller sustained an upper-body injury that has him expected to miss multiple games.
Miller was the team’s second-leading rusher behind Jalen Milroe last season, racking up 668 yards on 145 carries, and was positioned for a breakout in 2025. Miller’s place as RB1 was so cemented that RB2, Justice Haynes, transferred away to Michigan this offseason, and now that departure looms much larger with the Tide forced to turn to inexperienced runners for the early part of the season.