Five-star freshman running back EJ Crowell was spotted at A-Day with a walking boot and a scooter ahead of the Crimson Tide’s spring game. Crowell has been limited all spring with a soft tissue issue.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Crowell hasn’t really been taking many reps since spring practice began. The early-enrollee is considered week to week, but the coaching staff aren’t looking to chance anything by putting him on the field.
“EJ hasn’t practiced since last week,” DeBoer said on April 3rd. “So probably more of the same for next week.”
That appears to have been the case. The scooter and boot combination is certainly cause for concern for Alabama fans, however, five months separate the spring game from the season opener.
While Crowell won’t be practicing during the scrimmage, the rest of the Crimson Tide will look to put on a fun performance for fans itching to see what the newest installment of Alabama football will look like. The bad news for fans outside of the Tuscaloosa era, however, is that the game won’t be televised. General admission is free for fans in the local area or traveling to attend the annual event.
Fans will be excited to see what Crowell is able to bring to the table once healthy. He arrived on campus as a Five-Star-Plus+ recruit — the No. 2 ranked running back in the 2026 cycle as well as the No. 23 overall recruit according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. Crowell is also an Alabama native.
Everyone will have to wait to see what he’s capable of until the fall when Alabama opens the season against East Carolina on Sept. 5. SEC play is a quick turnaround this year, with the Crimson Tide hitting the road during Week 2 to take on Kentucky in Lexington.