The questions seemed reasonable before Alabama's season opener last weekend against Florida State in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Would Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough pick up where he left off before breaking his leg in January's national championship game against Clemson? Would freshman tailback Najee Harris have a breakout debut similar to T.J. Yeldon during the 2012 opener against Michigan in Alabama's first trip to AT&T Stadium in Texas? Would quarterback Jalen Hurts regain his midseason form from a year ago and rush for more than 100 yards?
None of those scenarios transpired during Alabama's 24-7 smothering of the Seminoles.
Instead, it was the underappreciated Damien Harris leading the charge. The 5-foot-11, 221-pound junior from Richmond, Ky., opened the game with a 34-yard run, blocked a third-quarter punt to set up a field goal and scored from 11 yards out late in the third for a 19-7 lead, which coupled with the two-point conversion all but sealed the outcome.
"I thought Damien did an outstanding job," coach Nick Saban said. "He has practiced really well and had a good camp. He and Bo - maybe we'll get Josh Jacobs (hamstring) back - and Najee Harris are all guys who I think can contribute at that position, but Damien had a really good night and made some big runs for us."
Harris, who rushed for 1,037 yards last season, had 73 yards on just nine carries (8.1 per rush) against the salty Seminoles.
His fellow rushers weren't as successful, with Hurts carrying 15 times for 55 yards (3.7), Scarbrough 15 for 40 (2.7) and the freshman Harris three for 5 (1.7). Jacobs has been practicing some this week but is not expected to play in Saturday's home opener against Fresno State.
"We have four or five guys in our backfield who can come in and contribute at any given moment," said Damien Harris, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season for the Southeastern Conference champions. "If I have a couple of runs and Bo has a couple of runs and the next guy is up, we have faith in him to execute just as well. That can take a lot of pressure off of everybody and a lot of beating. It's important to have a lot of guys who are developed and ready to play at this position."
Topping his opening carry and his score last week was the blocked punt, which was recovered at Florida State's 6-yard line. The Crimson Tide had to settle for a 25-yard Andy Pappanastos field goal and a 13-7 lead, but they came right back with another special teams play when Dylan Moses caused a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that Keith Holcombe recovered at the 11 to set up the Harris touchdown on the next play.
Harris didn't have an answer when asked how he was placed on the punt-block team - "I don't know. I guess the coaches just thought I would be good there," he said - but he was happy to relive the moment.
"We kind of brought the house, and everybody did a great job of occupying Florida State's hold-up team," he said. "I just saw a free lane, and so I just tried to go get it."
Alabama's opening win became overshadowed by the season-ending injuries to Seminoles quarterback Deondre Francois and Crimson Tide outside linebackers Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller. It was a game that was not overrun with highlight plays, but Harris did provide three of them.
Not that he's moving on with a favorite.
"It's all the same," Harris said. "Any kind of positive play you can have to help the team win is what we're looking for, and that's how I look at it. I don't really look at any one play being greater than another.
"However I can help this team win, whether it's on offense or on special teams, is what I want to do."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.