Dismissals, transfers, injuries, academic concerns.

Alabama’s once vastly-talented backfield will be down to three scholarship players listed as ballcarriers when fall practice begins in August, a major concern for an SEC frontrunner that has relied on a strong rushing attack during its reign as one of college football’s elites.

If you have a solution to the Crimson Tide’s running back situation that doesn’t include position switches from the secondary, Nick Saban’s all ears.

Behind junior bulldozer Derrick Henry, Alabama welcomes back the versatile Kenyan Drake (who is coming off a broken leg) and fall arrival Damien Harris, the nation’s top-ranked tailback in the 2015 class.

And that’s it.

Depleted for the first time in several years at a vital skill position, the Crimson Tide will need Harris to prove his worth early and often this season alongside the veterans.

Thanks to so much attrition, they won’t have a choice.

Harris tops the list of the SEC’s most valuable backups this season:

1. Damien Harris, RB, Alabama — For Lane Kiffin’s sake, let’s hope Harris is a quick learner. Expected to, at best, be a situational option for the Crimson Tide as a first-year player, Harris has moved several spots up the depth chart over the last five months after National Signing Day without even stepping foot on campus. With Drake expected to take a more expansive role from a receiving standpoint this season, Harris will likely be Alabama’s No. 2 option between the tackles behind Henry. When they can control it during practice, there’s a good bit of pressure on Alabama’s coaching staff to keep these three healthy throughout the season since the Crimson Tide are extremely thin on the ground and have been forced to move Ronnie Clark, a defensive back, to a ballcarrier role. Henry, a fellow five-star and No. 1 overall back, carried it 36 times as a true freshman in 2013. Harris could receive three times that number this fall. Henry and Drake will get the bulk of the touches, but Harris will be leaned on heavily to produce.

2. Channing Ward, DL, Ole Miss — Based on production numbers and total snaps played alone, there hasn’t been a more valuable backup to his team than Ward over the last three seasons in Oxford. Sprinkle in leadership qualities as a veteran who understands Dave Wommack’s system and his prowess for making impact plays on special teams and Hugh Freeze has an ideal depth option he wishes could be multiplied by 10. Ward has appeared in 39 games as a rotational defensive linemen and kickoff cover stalwart since signing as an Under Armour All-American in 2012, accumulating 75 career stops. Joined up front by Marquis Haynes, Fadol Brown and Robert Nkemdiche, Ward helps form one of the SEC’s best defensive fronts.

3. Lorenzo Nunez, QB, South Carolina — The Gamecocks’ incoming 2015 signal caller won’t be asked to take over the offense in his first season, but Steve Spurrier is expecting a competitive August position battle with projected starter Connor Mitch that could push the third-year sophomore to a higher level. Nunez’s mobility intrigued South Carolina’s coaching staff during his recruitment, drawing popular comparisons to Connor Shaw. Nunez has a long way to go from the pocket before he’s game-ready in the SEC, but he’s a solid No. 2 for the Gamecocks and could find success this season in a 3-to-5 play package that compliments his skill set. Based on the Head Ball Coach’s history, we wouldn’t rule out a visor toss and a quarterback switch if Mitch disappoints.

RELATED: Evaluating Nunez’s freshman expectations with the Gamecocks

4. Chuks Amaechi, LB, Georgia — Running back isn’t the only loaded position group for the Bulldogs this season. Amaechi, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound JUCO early enrollee, received rave reviews from Mark Richt during the spring after showcasing a combination of strength and speed on Jeremy Pruitt’s defense at the linebacker spot. Recruited to help absorb the loss of Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson inside, Amaechi was quickly moved to the outside and will be a part of a four-player mix headlined by Lorenzo Carter that backs up Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins. He calls the Bulldogs’ talent-rich set of outside linebackers ‘the wolf pack’ and says they developed a close bond during the spring. On his fourth school in four years, it appears Amaechi has finally settled in a place he can call home.