Alabama
By the Numbers: Top 7 Returning Alabama Running Backs
Four-star Elba senior tailback Alvin Henderson produced the season of all seasons in 2024 leading the state of Alabama, and the nation, in total rushing yards (3,620) and rushing touchdowns (61) and accomplished the feat in far less carries (276) than the next six players on the national leader board. But with each new season brings new opportunities for the elite and determined to make their mark in the record books. The 2025 fall schedule in the Yellow Hammer State has a lot of ground and pound talent with speed that has a high bar to reach thanks to the Auburn signee.
Fans of the rushing attack have to love what Cameron Phinizee is doing for Russellville. The 2026 prospect put together another 2,000-plus yard season and contributed to the passing attack against 5A competition. In just 11 games, Phinizee romped for 2,331 yards off 231 totes, scoring the rock 28 times. He also hauled in 17 passes for 175 yards. The sophomore season was much of the same, but in 12 games played, rushing for 2,378 yards with 40 ground scores. Recruiting interest is coming in from FSU, Troy, and Georgia Southern with three D-I offers extended.
The offensive attack for Berry High School was unrelenting throughout the fall months, piling up 619 total points in a 13-game season. The headliner in the Wildcats onslaught was Ayden Lake Norris. Norris turned 203 carries into 2,293 yards popping into the end zone a mind-blowing 39 times. The big plays continued with 12 receptions going for 175 yards posting six more points on the board. If the all-out effort on offense wasn’t enough, the Class of 2026 talent was credited with 119 tackles, punted three times, and took eight kicks back for 153 yards and six punts for another 142.
When opportunity knocked, Spencer Unruh answered the door. Jumping from 87 carries as a sophomore to 274 as a junior, Unruh went beast mode compiling 2,029 yards in 11 games with 23 trips into the end zone earning 5A first team All-State honors. Getting the ball to Unruh in other facets of the offense, 12 receptions went for 104 yards with another touchdown on the board for Corner High School. Added to the great season, a 96-yard kickoff return. Auburn, Ole Miss, and North Alabama got Unruh on campus for game-day visits in 2024.
All eyes are on Ezavier Crowell. The 2027 recruit is racing to the 30-offer milestone listed by some services as a five-star. Blessed with size and 10.6 speed in the 100 meters, Crowell surpassed the 1,700 rushing mark again in 2024, this time reaching 1,964 yards in 15 games with 31 rushing scores. Jackson High School worked their standout into more of the offense seeing nine receptions go for 258 yards with two more touchdowns. Offers have been handed over from Alabama, Washington, USC, Tennessee, Ohio State, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Auburn among others.
A big sophomore year turned into an even bigger junior campaign for Braden Gilliland. After just popping over 1,000 rush yards in 2023, Appalachian High School rode to a 9-3 season thanks in part to Gilliland’s 1,923 yards and 24 touchdowns. The smaller schools need their athletes on both sides of the ball, and Gilliland did just that for the Eagles tallying 84 tackles and three sacks.
Taking on 5A Alabama squads, Jake Harper was an all-everything player for Fairview High School in ’24. On defense, Harper had 61 tackles and five sacks. On offense, the 2026 recruit completed 10-of-14 pass attempts for 164 yards with three touchdowns and without an interception. The attention is on Harper out of the Aggies’ backfield producing 1,901 yards off 160 carries with 25 touchdowns.
One can’t think of Green County High School without Ronald Wilder Jr. popping into mind. Wilder was a two-way player and did everything possible in the Tigers’ backfield. Wilder added another 1,000-yard season to the resume hitting 1,884 as a junior with 15 touchdowns. He completed 17-of-25 for 264 and even caught four passes. On defense, Wilder chipped in 51 tackles. North Alabama and Troy have given Wilder offers with a game-day invite to Tuscaloosa.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — A bipartisan bill is making its way through Washington that would preserve and possibly restore a famous piece of naval aviation history.
The F-14 Tomcat was in service with the Navy for more than 30 years and was famously used in the original “Top Gun” movie.
But when the aircraft retired in 2005, the U.S. government destroyed a majority of the airplanes that were here in the U.S. This made the prospects of the jet returning to the skies next to impossible.
The “Maverick Act” hopes to bring a jet that inspired a generation back to life.
“The Maverick Act got a lot of support,” “It passed the Senate unanimously. It now heads to Congress for a final vote.”
Pensacola Navy veteran Dan McCort can still feel the raw power the F-14 Tomcat brought to naval aviation.
“It was a blast to fly. I gotta tell you I got it,” McCort said. “I love the airplane. I love the missions because it came with a huge mission set.”
The only country in the world flying the jet was Iran. The jets were given to Iran in 1979. But when the government was overthrown, the jets fell into the hands of an anti-American government.
Because of that, when the jet retired in 2006, the U.S. ordered most of the aircraft and its parts be destroyed.
During Operation Epic Fury, American and Israeli pilots destroyed Iran’s entire Air Force, including all the remaining flyable F-14s.
“We had to take them out, but boy that was hard for me to watch,” McCort said.
A bill dubbed the “Maverick Act” was introduced through a bipartisan effort. The legislation would preserve and restore three F-14s sitting in our nation’s boneyard.
“That airplane inspired an entire nation, partly because of the movie, partly because of the times it was hard Cold War, and it represented frankly American air power,” said McCort.
“A fantastic piece of equipment that served our country well,” Congressman Jimmy Patronis said. “But I can’t help but poke fun at it simply because of what Tom Cruise has done with the most recent ‘Top Gun’ movies.”
The bill calls for the Navy to donate the Tomcats to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where they will be restored. If there’s enough spare parts, the bill calls for one of them to be restored to flight status to be flown at airshows across the country.
All of this would be funded by private donors, and not American taxpayers.
“If there’s no taxpayer dollars being used to restore these things then put it on the table,” said Patronis.
McCort says restoring the airplane will cost millions of dollars.
“A foundation that could generate some donations to defer the costs of making this thing fly because it will not be inexpensive,” said McCort. “I believe we’ll pay dividends down the road, both for the museum as well as a recruiting opportunity… as well as a recruiting opportunity for the country in general, and for the Navy frankly.”
Alabama football’s first game of the 2026 season has a kickoff time.
Alabama vs. East Carolina will be at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Sept. 5 from Bryant-Denny Stadium on ABC. The game will be a part of an SEC tripleheader on the network, along with Baylor vs. Auburn (2:30 p.m. CT) and LSU vs. Clemson (6:30 p.m. CT).
East Carolina is one of three nonconference games for Alabama in 2026, along with Florida State on Sept. 19 and Chattanooga on Nov. 21.
Here’s a look at Alabama’s full 2026 schedule:
- Sept. 5: Alabama vs East Carolina; 11 a.m., ABC
- Sept. 12: Alabama at Kentucky
- Sept. 19: Alabama vs. Florida State
- Sept. 26: Alabama vs. South Carolina
- Oct. 3: Alabama at Mississippi State
- Oct. 10: Alabama vs. Georgia
- Oct. 17: Alabama at Tennessee
- Oct. 24: Alabama vs. Texas A&M
- Nov. 7: Alabama at LSU
- Nov. 14: Alabama at Vanderbilt
- Nov. 21: Alabama vs. Chattanooga
- Nov. 28: Alabama vs. Auburn
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
-
Rhode Island3 minutes agoWeather Now: Showers, T’storm Today
-
South-Carolina9 minutes agoSouth Carolina school administrators honored at annual awards dinner
-
South Dakota15 minutes ago6 Most Relaxing South Dakota Towns
-
Tennessee21 minutes agoNashville SC named Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame ‘Professional Team of the Year’
-
Texas27 minutes agoERCOT Warns Texas AI Power Boom May Not Materialize
-
Utah33 minutes ago‘It means building hope’: USU brings independence to refugee group through chicken coop project
-
Vermont39 minutes ago
VT Lottery Powerball, Gimme 5 results for May 13, 2026
-
Virginia45 minutes agoVa. governor concerned redistricting battle could make voters reluctant to cast ballot this fall – WTOP News