Alabama’s injury situation just got a little more complicated before its trip to Tennessee.
The Tide already knew they would be without three starters: wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, center Racin Delgatty and defensive tackle Terrance Green. All three were injured last week against Georgia and have now been ruled out for the game in Knoxville.
Then came the late twist. Sophomore tight end Josh Ford was added to Alabama’s availability report Friday night and listed as questionable for the Third Saturday in October matchup.
Ford’s status matters because he has been part of the Tide’s improvement on the ground this season. Alabama’s run game has taken a major step forward, and that should help in a tough road setting at Neyland Stadium as sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell tries to get comfortable. Delgatty and Ford’s portal additions have been a big reason for that jump, which makes the possibility of being without both on Rocky Top especially notable.
It is not clear whether Ford is dealing with the broken arm that forced him into surgery or something else that surfaced later in the week. What is clear is that the Oklahoma State transfer showed plenty of toughness by playing last week against Georgia only six days after the procedure.
If Ford cannot go, junior Jay Lindsey would likely see more snaps. Alabama has used five tight ends in meaningful roles this season.
Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett have handled the receiving work, and both are solid blockers. Ford, Danny Lewis and Lindsey have been used mostly in the blocking game.
Mid-October injuries have a way of stacking up, and Alabama is feeling that now. Depth matters more this time of year, and Kalen DeBoer has done well to get a number of players reps early, which should help absorb some of the damage.
Still, the expectation is that Ford finds a way to suit up.
In Other News...
DeBoer Called Out What Fueled Alabamas Offensive Meltdown At Tennessee
Tennessees defense spent the afternoon turning Alabamas offense into a mess, and the numbers told the story as much as the score did. DeSean Bishop ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns in No. 14 Tennessees 26-10 win over No. 6 Alabama, while the Crimson Tide managed only 201 total yards and went just 2 of 13 on third down. The turnovers piled up, too, and the result was a game in which Alabama rarely looked settled long enough to build any rhythm.
Kalen DeBoer pointed to the same issue at halftime, when he said his team needed to stay composed and make better decisions. Thats the part Alabama will probably spend the most time sorting through after a loss like this, because the problems were not limited to one bad series or one breakdown. Against a Tennessee defense that kept forcing the issue, the Tide never found a clean offensive answer, and the frustration only mounted as the game slipped away. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Suddenly Has Two Crucial Injury Questions After Tennessee Loss
Alabamas bruising night in the loss to Tennessee brought more than just a setback in the standings, it added two injury situations the Crimson Tide will now have to sort through. Cornerback Zabien Brown and running back EJ Crowell both went down with lower-extremity injuries in the first half, forcing Alabama to keep adjusting on the fly in a game already shaped by absences and patchwork depth at multiple spots.
Brown made it back to the sideline in the second half, offering at least a small sign of hope, but Crowell did not return and left with a knee brace. With Alabama already missing several key players and leaning on replacements throughout the game, the health of both Brown and Crowell could quickly become one of the biggest questions heading into the next stretch of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Offense Has Created A Playoff Problem Fans Cant Ignore
After a fast start that had Alabama looking like a playoff lock, the offense has hit a stretch that has made the margin for error a lot thinner. Consecutive losses to Georgia and Tennessee have put the spotlight on a unit that once seemed to have answers, with Kalen DeBoer pointing to the run game, penalties and the lack of explosive plays as reasons the Tide have stumbled.
At 5-2, Alabama is still very much alive in the College Football Playoff conversation, but the path forward looks different now. The bigger concern is whether the offense can regain enough rhythm and consistency to keep the season from turning into a weekly referendum on how much the Tide can afford to slip again. [Read more 🡒]