Auburn football HC Hugh Freeze underestimated this player before spring

There has been a lot of attention on the Auburn football running backs room ahead of the 2023 season. With Tank Bigsby off to the NFL, set to make his debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars, most of the focus has been put on returning junior Jarquez Hunter.

However, an unfortunate situation involved Hunter and several other players on the team took place at the beginning of the summer that had the potential to put the running back’s breakout season in jeopardy. By now, Hunter has returned to practice and is participating with the team, but during the time of uncertainty, the spotlight was put on the other running backs.

Incoming transfer Brian Battie and true freshman Jeremiah Cobb have impressed during fall camp, but for the coaching staff, the other returning running back has made a name for himself during the offseason. In fact, head coach Hugh Freeze said himself after A-Day that he underestimated Damari Alston this year, per The Montgomery Advertiser:

"“I didn’t give enough credit to (Alston) coming into this job,” Freeze said April 8. “But he’s had one heck of a spring for us.”"

Alston, who had 14 carries for 85 yards last season behind Hunter and Bigsby, has cemented himself as a team leader, pulling together what he learned from Bigsby and inspiration from his position coach Cadillac Williams.

The running back noted that he truly started to embrace his leadership role during winter workouts, wanting to be there to support and better the team, but he took it to the next level during summer workouts.

"“There’s going to be some bust plays in football,” Alston said. “It’s football. Everybody’s going to mess up. But if you’re doing it at 100%, that play might turn out like it didn’t look like a bust play, you feel me?“I feel like if we keep our attitude right, we keep our mentality right and our effort, man, we can be really good.”"

The running backs room is arguably the strongest asset of the Auburn football team heading into the 2023 season, and the run game is going to be operating at the highest level come September.