Alabama considering 5 different RBs this season

Alabama could give new meaning to the phrase "crowded backfield" this season.

Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Brian Daboll spoke to the media Saturday and noted the team could use five running backs in 2017.

"Look, running back is a position that you can't have too many of," Daboll said, according to Michael Casagrande of AL.com. "You can find creative ways to try to use them, and everyone will have a role if they earn that role. So, there's good players with all five of those guys, really. They've done a good job in the spring. And again, we've been out here for two days on with no pads on right now, so really it's more of an execution, a detail, an assignment thing."

Alabama boasts Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris, and Brian Robinson in the backfield, with Scarbrough believed by many to earn the main role after his strong finish to 2016.

That doesn't mean Scarbrough is upset by the competition, though.

"It's just like seeing your brother graduate," Scarbrough said. "If you see your brother graduate, you have to happy. So, when I see them dudes do anything spectacular or anything good to help the team, it makes me happy because they're in the position that I'm playing and we're all together."

This wouldn't be an extremely unusual strategy for Nick Saban and company, as last season three Crimson Tide backs rushed for more than 500 yards. That doesn't even include quarterback Jalen Hurts, who rushed for 954.

With Alabama's vaunted defense consistently able to take over games, keeping it on the ground most of the time usually makes sense.