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After losing to Texas earlier in the season, a lot of people wrote Alabama football off. However, you can never count out Nick Saban and a Crimson Tide team, and since that loss, they have rattled off five straight wins. Alabama has been lurking right outside the top-10 since that week two defeat, and everyone seems to assume that the Crimson Tide will eventually lose again and see their College Football Playoff hopes disappear. That hasn't happened yet, however, and the schedule sets up nicely down the stretch for Alabama as well.
Last week, Alabama football let Arkansas football back into the game after leading 24-6 late in the third quarter. The Razorbacks clawed their way back into the game, but the Crimson Tide escaped with a 24-21 victory.
Alabama ended up playing four running backs on Saturday, including Justice Haynes who had two carries for 11 yards. It wasn't much, but Haynes, and some other backs, could see the field some more down the road.
“He played great,” Nick Saban said of Justice Haynes, according to an article from Sports Illustrated. “He's been playing really well all year… Justice played really good when he was in there. We're pleased with all those guys, and maybe there will be some opportunity for him to make a bigger contribution in the future.”
Nick Saban wasn't the only one impressed with the younger backs. Running back Roydell Williams also liked what he saw, and he enjoyed seeing his fellow RBs get some attention.
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“It felt good seeing those guys,” Roydell Williams said after the game. “As they grow, they’re maturing in the running game, the passing game in pass protection. Justice does a great job. Jam does a great job as well. When they get in, it’s their time, and they can do it.”
Seeing all of these guys succeed is great, but it also puts Nick Saban in a bit of a difficult position. He has four guys that all deserve playing time.
“So we got four guys at the position, and all those guys deserve reps and playing time,” Saban said. “It's really, really hard to get four guys at the running back position to be in rhythm and to play a significant number of snaps. Jam played well when he was in there. Roydell, Jase both played really well when they were in there.”
It's a tough spot for Saban, but that's still a good problem to have. Alabama is back in action this weekend with one of their toughest remaining tests of the season. Tennessee football is coming to Tuscaloosa on Saturday, and the Crimson Tide will looking to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss against the Volunteers.
