Jam Miller sidelined for season opener

Jam Miller suffers upper body injury during scrimmage and will miss the opener at Florida State.

Jam Miller sidelined for season opener

Jam Miller will miss at least the season opener at Florida State after suffering an upper body injury in Saturday's scrimmage. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed the injury and said Miller would undergo a procedure with the timetable for return yet to be determined. Miller led Alabama last season with 668 rushing yards and added 155 receiving yards, making his absence a meaningful hit to the Tide backfield.

With Miller out, Alabama must turn to a group of backups in a tough early test. Options include Richard Young, Daniel Hill, Dre Washington, AK Dear and Kevin Riley. Young, Hill and Washington have been the main backups in camp. Young rushed 146 yards on 27 carries as a redshirt freshman last season; Hill ran for 61 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman; Washington transferred in after 478 rushing yards at UL last season. Dear is a four-star true freshman who enrolled early and practiced in spring. Initial post-scrimmage assessments suggested a minor issue, but later testing showed a more serious injury and a longer recovery path.

The setback exposes Alabama’s depth at a crucial position and tests how the coaching staff will manage increased responsibility for younger backs. The early-season game against a ranked Florida State program will be a revealing gauge of the Tide’s readiness and resilience. If Young, Hill and Washington step forward quickly, the offense could still function smoothly, but the learning curve for Dear and Riley will shape the team’s ceiling this fall. Injuries like this remind programs that season plans can hinge on a single health event, especially when a veteran contributor carries a large share of the load.

Highlights

Injuries redefine teams as much as victories do, and Alabama will learn fast how its young backs respond.