Alabama Running Back EJ Crowell Dressed for Pregame Warmups

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- We are less than 90 minutes away from kickoff between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the East Carolina Pirates in the 2026 season opener! Alabama is dealing with some injuries on the offensive side of the ball, with former five-star freshman running back EJ Crowell a game-time decision, and wide receiver Noah Rogers and running back AK Dear expected to be out for Saturday's contest. However, Dear and Rogers both were dressed for Alabama during pregame warmups.

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Will Crowell play for the Crimson Tide on Saturday? The Jackson, Alabama, native is dressed for Alabama's season opener and is with the running backs on the field for warmups, led by junior Daniel Hill.

Crowell, a former five-star running back from Jackson, Alabama, chose the Crimson Tide over Texas, Auburn, Florida State, and others. He was named Mr. Football in the state of Alabama in 2025, where he ran for 2,632 yards - a school single-season record. He also ran for 35 touchdowns on just 209 carries in 14 games before reclassifying from the 2027 recruiting class to the 2026 class to sign with Alabama and enroll early.

Wyatt Fulton will provide updates from Alabama and East Carolina on X at @FultonW_. Kickoff between the Crimson Tide and the Pirates is currently scheduled for 11:07 a.m. CT. You can watch Alabama and East Carolina on ABC or by listening to the Tide 100.9 app.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.