On Monday night, Justice Haynes’ number was called. He dreamt about opportunities like this when he was 12 years old.

Playing against Michigan at the Rose Bowl, the San Gabriel Mountains hanging overhead, Haynes earned his most valuable carries for Alabama, four totaling 31 yards, in the thick of UA’s 27-20 overtime, season-ending loss.

“Trusting in God’s plan, it was all to the man up top,” Haynes said of his runs postgame, the longest of which gained 11 yards. “The offensive line blocked great, the quarterback made the right reads, wide receivers blocked great. We trusted the plan.

“I come into every week prepared to play. I’m willing to do whatever the team needs me to do. … That’s how I go about every week and I don’t think this changed from a normal week.”

The five-star freshman had an interesting first season in Tuscaloosa. After arriving for Sugar Bowl practices from Buford (Georgia) High, Haynes made a splash in the spring. He scored three touchdowns on A-Day and made a strong case for Alabama’s running back room being the best in the nation with Haynes joining two seniors, Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams, a promising underclassman in Jam Miller and another elite recruit in Richard Young.

Haynes, son of NFL veteran Verron Haynes, worked on special teams primarily this fall, earning carries against Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Chattanooga and Kentucky with the Tide already up big on the scoreboard. His best game was a two-touchdown showing in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 18.

Haynes finished his season with 25 carries for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Throughout the year, when asked about Haynes and the larger running back rotation, Saban mentioned how the stacked group has competed for time and Haynes and Miller were set for larger contributions.

With McClellan injured, the extra carries went to Miller in the SEC Championship game against Georgia. Against the Wolverines, Haynes had the second-most carries of any running back behind McClellan’s 94 yards on 14 attempts. With potentially both upperclassmen departing Tuscaloosa, Haynes used the final game of the season to preview what’s in his future.

“I think I’ve grown in every aspect in my game, on and off the field, as a man. I’ve learned a lot. My faith in God, I’ve learned a lot,” Haynes said. ” … Just showing up each and every day, just controlling what I can control. What I control is hard work, my effort and my attitude.”

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].