Alabama may have a path to get AK Dear more involved this weekend, but it starts with one simple condition: he has to get healthy first.
On Monday, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was asked whether Dear would see more carries after logging only two rushing attempts before the BYE week. Grubb didn’t sound ready to promise anything, but he left the door open if the sophomore can get back to full strength.
“AK has been working back through some health things even this week, so we’ll see how the week goes,” Grubb said. “If he got healthy, there will be a chance.”
Dear has been dealing with a lower-body injury since fall camp, and the missed time has clearly affected his place in the offense. What began as an injury issue has now left him fighting to re-enter the rotation at all, especially with Alabama’s backfield opportunities limited.
That’s part of the problem for any running back in this offense right now. The Crimson Tide have not shown much patience with the ground game when it doesn’t pop early, which means fewer chances for the backs to build rhythm or volume. If the run game isn’t working right away, the touches tend to dry up fast.
Still, the situation around Dear could create an opening. Daniel Hill has had ball security issues, and EJ Crowell is injured, which could make this the right moment for Dear to push back into the mix if his body cooperates.
Alabama heads to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.
In Other News...
Alabama Just Added More Pressure To A Huge Stretch For Nate Oats
Alabama basketball added another major piece to its future this week when five-star power forward Zion Green committed to the Crimson Tide, giving Nate Oats a second headliner in the 2027 recruiting class alongside Chase Lumpkin. It is the kind of early recruiting win that keeps Alabama in the national conversation, and it comes at a time when the program is already carrying plenty of momentum across the athletic department.
The timing also adds a little more pressure to a critical stretch for Oats, with Alabama heading into a tricky matchup at LSU after the line swung from the Tide being a slight underdog to a bigger favorite for the Tigers. Alabamas rise to No. 9 in the AP Poll only sharpens the spotlight, and with coaching movement elsewhere in college football potentially affecting recruiting, the Tide are trying to balance present-day expectations with the future they are building. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas LSU Buildup Just Got More Complicated Up Front
The buildup to Saturdays trip to Baton Rouge already had the usual SEC edge, and now Alabama is dealing with a little more uncertainty on the offensive line. Kalen DeBoer offered updates on several injured players this week, saying Zabien Brown, Ryan Coleman-Williams, EJ Crowell, Racin Delgatty and Terrance Green are all moving forward in their recoveries and taking part in workouts with different levels of contact.
The bigger concern is up front, where left guard Will Sanders is expected to miss time after ankle surgery. For an Alabama team heading into LSU week, any shakeup along the line adds another layer to a matchup that already demands clean protection and physical play, and it leaves the Tide monitoring how quickly the rest of the group can settle in around the loss. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Injury Update Puts Several Possible LSU Returns In Focus
Kalen DeBoers latest injury update offered a clearer picture of where Alabama stands heading into the LSU matchup, and it was a mixed one. Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams is among the players making progress in recovery and getting work in, with his availability for Saturdays game in focus as the Tide continue sorting through a banged-up roster.
There was less encouraging news elsewhere. Edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu is still sidelined with turf toe and is expected back later in the season, while left guard Will Sanders is projected to miss the next two to three weeks because of a lower-extremity injury. For Alabama, the timing matters, especially with a high-profile SEC game looming and depth being tested on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]