Alabama football is heading into the next season with new energy, and they have finally managed to find their starting quarterback. After months of battling Austin Mack and freshman Keelon Russell, junior Ty Simpson finally secured the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback job on August 11.
This year, standing next to him in the backfield was supposed to be Jam Miller, the senior running back with more experience than anyone in the Tide’s running room. Last season, Miller was the only Alabama back to log 100+ carries and finished second in nearly every rushing category behind quarterback Jalen Milroe. However, the plans might have just been derailed.
Jam Miller Suffers Upper-Body Injury Ahead of Alabama’s Season Opener, Kalen DeBoer Confirms
The Crimson Tide’s second scrimmage of fall camp ended with unfortunate injury news. Head coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed that Miller suffered an upper-body injury during the session and required a procedure later that same evening. “Jam should recover fully with a timetable for his return yet to be determined,” DeBoer said in a statement, as reported by Mike Rodak.
Statement from Kalen DeBoer: “Jam Miller suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday’s scrimmage and went in for a procedure on Saturday evening. Jam should recover fully with a timetable for his return yet to be determined.”
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) August 17, 2025
This means that Alabama’s starting running back is out indefinitely. The opener against Florida State on August 30 suddenly looks much more complicated. The loss of Miller is not just about experience but about the loss of production.
Miller carried the ball 145 times last year for 668 yards and seven touchdowns. He holds a total of 1,092 rushing yards and 10 scores. To add on, Miller had 16 catches for 155 yards in 2024, and all through camp, Bama’s coaching staff sang Miller’s praises.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called Miller “the man” earlier this month. “I think Jam really wholeheartedly takes on, there’s things that (he) can get better at. He works at them extremely hard. He’s very diligent about his process,” added Grubb. Losing that could be detrimental to Bama’s plans for the season. However, not all hope is lost just yet.
Good morning – here’s six minutes of Jam Miller pic.twitter.com/56WW7WGOmB
— Waaaay Offsides Cotton 🏆🏌️🐘🏈⚽️🏀🥎🤸♀️🏆 (@AlafrigginBama) August 14, 2025
The Crimson Tide has roster depth this season. Richard Young, a redshirt sophomore who had flashes last season with 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard burst against Missouri, is on the roster.
There is also Daniel Hill, another sophomore. Hill made 61 yards and a score across nine games, proving reliable in short-yardage spots last season. He managed to rush nine times for 29 yards against Western Kentucky in Bama’s season opener.
Kevin Riley, a redshirt freshman, is also on the roster. However, Riley only played two games but managed 30 yards on 10 rushes. But if Miller is out, he will push for more reps this season.
