Can a Team Thrive Without a Running Game? Alabama’s 2025 Season and the Lessons of History
Let’s start with a bold statement: Alabama’s 2025 season was a fascinating anomaly. A team that couldn’t run the ball to save their lives yet still managed to stay relevant in the national conversation. Personally, I think what makes this particularly fascinating is how it challenges our assumptions about what makes a championship-caliber team. For decades, conventional wisdom has told us that a dominant running game is non-negotiable. But Alabama’s struggles—and their playoff appearance despite them—force us to ask: Is that still true?
The Curious Case of Alabama’s Ground Game (or Lack Thereof)
Alabama’s rushing woes in 2025 were the kind of thing that keeps coaches up at night. Bottom 20 in rushing PPA? Check. Fewer than a handful of 100-yard rushing games? Check. Yet, here they were, still in the playoff mix. What many people don’t realize is that this isn’t just a story about Alabama’s failure to run the ball—it’s a story about how they managed to succeed despite it. Their passing game, led by Ty Simpson, was good enough to keep them afloat. But is that sustainable?
From my perspective, this raises a deeper question: Can a team consistently rely on a one-dimensional offense in today’s college football landscape? The answer, historically, has been a resounding no. But Alabama’s 2025 season feels like a test case. If you take a step back and think about it, their success was as much about their opponents’ inability to exploit their weakness as it was about their own strengths.
Historical Precedents: A Mixed Bag
To understand Alabama’s situation, I dove into the last decade of college football to find teams that found themselves in a similar predicament. What I found was a mixed bag of outcomes, each with its own lessons.
One thing that immediately stands out is the Iowa Hawkeyes of the early 2020s. In 2021 and 2023, they had abysmal rushing attacks but still managed 10-win seasons. How? A stingy defense and a lot of luck. But here’s the kicker: both times, they followed up those seasons with 8-5 records. What this really suggests is that relying on a weak running game and a strong defense is a recipe for short-term success but long-term mediocrity.
Then there’s the 2016 Clemson Tigers, a team that I find especially interesting. They had a historically inefficient rushing attack but still won the national championship. Why? Because they had DeShaun Watson, a quarterback who could carry the offense on his back. The following year, they introduced freshman running back Travis Etienne, and suddenly their ground game became a strength. This, to me, is the most optimistic precedent for Alabama. If the Tide can find their own version of Etienne—say, EJ Crowell or Trae’Shawn Brown—they could turn things around quickly.
The Oklahoma State Comparison: A Blueprint for Success?
Another team that caught my eye was the 2015 Oklahoma State Cowboys. They had the 10th worst rushing attack in the country but still went 10-3, thanks to a high-volume passing offense led by Mason Rudolph. The next year, they introduced freshman running back Justice Hill, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry and transformed their offense. This, in my opinion, is the blueprint Alabama should be studying. A dominant passing game can mask a weak running game in the short term, but to sustain success, you need balance.
What This Means for Alabama’s Future
So, where does this leave Alabama? Personally, I think the key lies in their ability to address their rushing woes without sacrificing their passing strength. The retention of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has some fans worried, but I’m not so sure that’s the right focus. What many people don’t realize is that Grubb’s system is adaptable. If he can find a way to integrate a freshman running back effectively—and there’s no shortage of talent waiting in the wings—Alabama could look very different in 2026.
But here’s the thing: history tells us that teams with one-dimensional offenses rarely sustain success. Alabama’s 2025 season was an outlier, not a new normal. If they want to remain a powerhouse, they need to fix their running game. And soon.
The Broader Implications: Is the Running Game Dying?
This raises a broader question: Are we witnessing the decline of the running game in college football? In an era of spread offenses and mobile quarterbacks, is the traditional power running game becoming obsolete? I don’t think so. What makes this particularly fascinating is how teams like Alabama are being forced to innovate. The running game isn’t dead—it’s evolving.
From my perspective, the teams that will dominate the next decade will be the ones that can blend a modern passing attack with an efficient, if not dominant, running game. Alabama’s 2025 season is a cautionary tale, but it’s also an opportunity. If they can learn from the past and adapt, they could come back stronger than ever.
Final Thoughts
As I reflect on Alabama’s 2025 season, I’m struck by how much it challenges our assumptions about college football. It’s a reminder that the game is always evolving, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. Personally, I think Alabama has the talent and the coaching to turn things around. But they can’t afford to stand still.
If there’s one takeaway from all of this, it’s this: success in college football isn’t about sticking to what you know—it’s about adapting to what you have. Alabama’s 2025 season was a masterclass in survival. Now, they need to figure out how to thrive. And that, in my opinion, is going to be the most interesting story of the 2026 season.
