Nick Saban finds himself with a shortage of running backs right now
Nick Saban finds himself with a shortage of running backs right now. (USATSI)

Speaking after Alabama's first 2015 fall practice, coach Nick Saban announced that 5-star running back Bo Scarbrough has been suspended for the first four games of the season for what the coach described as an NCAA issue related to amateurism.

Scarbrough, a redshirt freshman who is recovering from an ACL tear suffered during spring practice, is reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation but still unlikely to be medically cleared for the start of the season, according to al.com.

Currently working non-contact drills for the Crimson Tide this summer, Scarbrough was rated as the No. 2 athlete and No. 16 overall player in the Class of 2014 by the 247Sports Composite.

1. Running back depth an issue for the Tide: Alabama finds itself thin at running back when you combine Scarbrough's injury/suspension with a transfer and dismissal from last season. While junior Derrick Henry showed out in 2014 with 990 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns on the ground, he only started two contests and will be counted on to handle the bulk of the workload in 2015. Senior Kenyan Drake will also be part of the rotation, though he is recovering from a broken leg that cost him all but the first five games of last season.

2. Expect the freshman to step up: With Scarbrough out at least four games and potentially more due to his knee, 5-star RB Damien Harris (Berea, Ky.) is a candidate to be a featured player for the Tide. The explosive athlete was rated as the nation's top running back, according to the 247Sports Composite, and could be poised to take most of the carries available after Henry gets his share.

3. Does Scarbrough have a future at Alabama? Though he still has plenty of eligibility remaining, Scarbrough may well be pushing his college football career further behind the eight ball with this suspension and injury. If Harris steps up and proves to be a solid contributor alongside Henry, turning a thin running back corps into a capable (or explosive) two-man system, there may not be many touches left for Scarbrough this season.

That would mean two years in Tuscaloosa without much production and a younger player in Harris already ahead of him for touches in 2016. It is too early to say, but hopefully Scarbrough will be healthy by the end of his suspension and able to contribute for the Tide this season. Otherwise, he would not be the first four- or five-star recruit to get buried on the Alabama depth chart.