The Crimson Tide will be returning every running back from the 2016 depth chart except for former walk-on Derrick Gore — who transferred to Louisiana-Monroe.

In addition, the team added the No. 2 and No. 8 running backs from the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, in Najee Harris and Brian Robinson. The unit is clearly loaded, but let’s take a look back on some interesting statistics from the 2016 season.

Here are 5 interesting facts about run game from last year.

1. Damien Harris finished with the highest yards per carry of any running back in the Saban era (with a minimum of 100 carries).

Harris ran for 1,037 yards on 146 carries — good for 7.1 yards per carry. Second in yards per carry for a Saban running back is none other Eddie Lacy, who averaged 6.5 yards in 2012.

Here are some of the other notable running backs, and how they fared during key seasons:

  • Mark Ingram (2009): 6.1 ypc
  • T.J. Yeldon (2013): 6.0 ypc
  • Trent Richardson (2011): 5.9 ypc
  • Derrick Henry (2015): 5.6 ypc

Harris didn’t receive the same type of workload as these other running backs, but it was still an impressive season for the former 5-star.

The negative to Harris’ performance is how much he struggled down the stretch. During the College Football Playoff, Harris only averaged 3.9 yards per carry. Compare that to Harris’ regular season numbers — where he averaged a whopping 7.3 yards per carry — and it’s easy to see why Bo Scarbrough and Najee Harris are being looked at as the future.

2. Damien Harris is also the only 1,000-yard rusher to not put up double-digit touchdowns.

Touchdown production is another area where Harris struggled. Here is a list of every 1,000-yard rusher under Saban and how many touchdowns they had:

  • Damien Harris (2016): 1,037 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • Derrick Henry (2015): 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns
  • T.J. Yeldon (2013): 1,235 yards and 14 touchdowns
  • Eddie Lacy (2012): 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns
  • T.J. Yeldon (2012): 1,108 yards and 12 touchdowns
  • Trent Richardson (2011): 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns
  • Mark Ingram (2009): 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns
  • Glen Coffee (2008): 1,383 yards and 10 touchdowns

With the 6-2 228-pound Scarbrough stealing goal-line carries, touchdowns were not easy to come by for Harris and the other running backs.

Discounting QB Jalen Hurts’ 13 rushing TDs, Harris actually finished third on the team in rushing touchdowns behind Scarbrough (11) and true freshman Josh Jacobs (4). Harris’ lack of action at or near the goal line isn’t a reflection of his ability, but rather a result of his usage. It’s still a surprising statistic, regardless.

3. Bo Scarbrough ran for 364 yards and 6 touchdowns during the postseason.

Scarbrough suffered a broken leg during the national championship game, but there is no denying he was playing at an elite level before the injury.

During the postseason, he was averaging 121.3 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns per game. To put that in perspective, here are what his numbers would have looked like if he could’ve kept up those averages over the course of an entire season:

229 carries, 1,820 rushing yards (7.9 ypc) and 30 touchdowns

Those numbers would put Scarbrough second for the most rushing yards in a single season — Derrick Henry rushed for 2,219 yards in 2015 — and first for most rushing touchdowns. What’s even more impressive is that Scarbrough would’ve done that on significantly fewer carries — 229 carries compared to the 395 that Henry had in 2015.

There are questions as to whether Scarbrough’s body can hold up with a heavy workload. With the presence of the other running backs on the roster, a heavy workload may not be necessary, however.

4. There have only been three years where the running backs received 400 total carries or fewer (2007, 2010 and 2013).

Now, you might ask what is interesting about this statistic. Well, since Saban arrived in 2007, there have only been three years that Alabama has missed both the SEC championship and the national championship.

Can you guess which years?

  • 2007: 400 carries
  • 2010: 374 carries
  • 2013: 391 carries

Is there a correlation? You be the judge.

5. Jalen Hurts only had one fewer rushing touchdown (13) in his first season than the previous four starters — over a 7-year period — had combined.

Hurts’ struggles as a passer have been analyzed and debated. His ability as a runner, however, has never been questioned.

During his freshman season, Hurts broke Alabama’s record for most rushing yards by a quarterback with 954 yards. More impressive, he scored 13 TDs. Jacob Coker, Blake Sims, AJ McCarron and Greg McElroy were only able to rush for 14 touchdowns over a seven-year period from 2009-2015.

Forget quarterbacks. Hurts’ season compared with some of Saban’s best running backs.

  • Derrick Henry (2015): 28
  • Trent Richardson (2011): 21
  • Eddie Lacy (2012): 17
  • Mark Ingram (2009): 17
  • T.J. Yeldon (2013): 14
  • Jalen Hurts (2016): 13
  • Mark Ingram (2009): 13

Hurt’ 13 rushing touchdowns ties him with Mark Ingram for the sixth-most in a single season.