The Alabama Crimson Tide is just a couple of weeks away from the start of the season, and the team is going to need all hands on deck if they have any chance to avenge the way last year went in the first campaign of the Kalen DeBoer era.
With a new-look offense being quarterbacked by Ty Simpson along with a ton of returning talent in the group of pass catchers and complimented by an elite defense, hopes are high that Alabama is going to get back to the College Football Playoff and be a serious title contender.
But over the weekend, Alabama running back Jam Miller suffered an upper-body injury during Saturday’s scrimmage and underwent a procedure that could sideline him for the start of the season, head coach Kalen DeBoer said Sunday.
“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,” DeBoer said.
NEW: Alabama RB Jam Miller Suffers Upper-Body Injury, Kalen DeBoer Announces:
“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.”… pic.twitter.com/tkZtavJeFJ
— On3 (@On3sports) August 17, 2025
According to reports, the injury is a collarbone issue, but it is not expected to be season-ending and Miller could return as soon as the start of SEC play when Alabama faces the Georgia Bulldogs on the road in late September.
Even if Miller is not able to get back by the Georgia game, it certainly sounds like he should be back by October at the latest and slot right back into the offense for the meat of the schedule.
In the meantime, sophomores Richard Young and Daniel Hill are expected to step in and handle the workload in Miller’s absence. Five-star freshman AK Dear also could get onto the field earlier than expected if the coaching staff believes he is ready.
How DeBoer and his staff replace Miller could go a long way towards determining what the offense looks like over the first few weeks of the year.
The Tide will face Florida State on the road to start the season on August 30.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
