No worries for Crimson Tide running backs

Juniors Glen Coffee and Roy Upchurch, sophomore Terry Grant and true freshman Mark Ingram are the four horsemen that comprise the Crimson Tide backfield.

They’ve all had their moments in the spotlight:

• Coffee carried 30 times for 121 yards and a touchdown in his first career start last season against Houston.

• Upchurch ran for 55 yards and a score on just six carries versus Western Carolina last season.

• Grant led the team in rushing a year ago as a redshirt freshman.

• Ingram, the most recent back to impress, ran for 96 yards on 17 carries in his first career game.

All are respectable individual statistics, but it’s not about the “me” aspect with this group of guys. These four backs are not worried about sharing the backfield wealth.

“It’s no reason to worry because you affect how many carries we get,” said Coffee, who rushed for 90 yards against Clemson. “If everybody’s playing good, everybody gets carries. If you’re not playing good, it’s no reason to complain because football is a team sport.

"You can’t be selfish. Selfishness doesn’t get you anywhere, so no matter who gets the ball, as long as we’re winning, everybody is gonna be all right.”

Upchurch, who had 37 rushing yards to go along with 30 receiving against Clemson, felt the same way Coffee did.

“Gotta suck it up because it happens to everybody,” Upchurch said. “(When) you get your opportunity, you gotta make the best of your opportunity.”

Ingram made the best of his opportunity in his first collegiate game. Coffee was quick to speak highly of Ingram.

“He’s like a little bowling ball out there, but it’s impressive what he did out there Saturday,” Coffee said.

Upchurch noted that Ingram also asks a lot of questions because of his freshman status.

“He asks us a lot,” Upchurch said. “He’s a pretty smart player. A smart player. Whenever he needs help, he’ll ask.”

Coffee, Upchurch and Grant were all at Alabama before the arrival of Saban and first-year offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. However, both believe that utilizing the running backs is vital to the offense.

“When you are running the ball you are creating positive down and distance situations for yourself offensively,” Saban said. “The defense is out of balance and you are going to get more circumstances where the passing game can be a little easier to execute because you are not getting in those passing downs. I think it is a real critical factor.”

Grant, who rushed for minus-3 yards on just four carries against Clemson, thinks that McElwain’s system is an advantage for the backs.

“Coach McElwain put in a lot of things for the backs to catch the ball and get up the field,” Grant said. “It’s kind of to our advantage to get out and lined up one-on-one and try to outrun them.”

The backs believe it is important to run the ball well, catch out of the backfield and block when senior quarterback John Parker Wilson drops back to pass, and they have to be ready for anything and everything at the drop of a hat.

“We were told basically just to wait,” Coffee said. “If you don’t get in, wait your turn and when you do get in, do your thing. Do what you gotta do. If you’re not getting carries, then you’ll know why.”

So with all the competition for playing time at the position, does it make each player a more complete back?

“Yes,” Upchurch said. “You have to, and you gotta pull your own weight and do everything you need to do when your number is called.”

These four backs have all felt as if they’ve bettered their all-around skills in the spring, fall and during the win over Clemson. Combine the individual talent with the high ranking, and egos can develop. However, this group of backs continues to understand what’s important for the success of the team.

“Like I said, it’s no selfishness in that group, so we don’t have that problem in that area,” Coffee said.