Alabama got past South Carolina on Saturday, but the win didn’t come without some hits to the roster.
The biggest concern is on the offensive line, where left guard Will Sanders and right tackle Jayvin James both left the game banged up late. James was down on the field and needed help from trainers, while Sanders made it to the sideline on his own.
On Monday, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer offered a split outlook for the two linemen ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Mississippi State.
"Little upper body injury [for Sanders] during the game," DeBoer said during Monday's press conference. "I would expect [Sanders] to be able to play on Saturday. Working through it here, but I would expect that he would be ready to go.
"Jayvin has a lower-extremity. I would say he's very much questionable at this time. We'll see how the next 24, 48 hours look, and I think that will help."
There’s also movement on the defensive side, where Alabama will be without Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu. Both were listed out on the initial Wednesday availability report for the South Carolina game. Hill is dealing with a lower-extremity injury and is expected to miss a few weeks, while Umeozulu has turf toe with no return date known, according to Yea Alabama, UA's NIL collective.
Their absence matters because Hill and Umeozulu are the second and third Wolf linebackers on Alabama’s depth chart. That leaves Yhonzae Pierre in line for more work than usual as the starter, with sixth-year Wolf linebacker Jah-Marien Latham moving up the depth chart behind him.
"Those other two guys are still coming along," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said on Monday. "I mean, from a rehab standpoint, they're still going to be out for a bit."
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Alabama Heads Into Mississippi State With One Lingering Injury Concern
Alabama is getting closer to its trip to Mississippi State with a clearer picture of the injury situation along both lines, though not every answer is in yet. Kalen DeBoer said offensive lineman Jayvin James is questionable, while William Sanders is expected to be ready, which at least gives the Tide some needed depth as they head into another SEC road test.
The bigger concern may still be on the defensive side, where outside linebacker Justin Hill and defensive end Desmond Umeozulu are both out, and Umeozulu is expected to need more time. Safety Zavier Mincey also sat out the previous game after getting hurt in pregame warmups, leaving Alabama with a few moving pieces to monitor as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
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Ford said the offense is starting to come together, and that is the kind of message Alabama wants to hear with October approaching. The schedule ahead will be a real test of how solid that foundation actually is, and whether the Tide can turn early progress into something more dangerous when the games get tougher. [Read more 🡒]