Kalen DeBoer had a few roster updates to sort through, and the biggest one involved a freshman who is no longer with Alabama.
Crimson Tide offensive lineman Chris Booker is not with the team, according to DeBoer. Booker, a freshman, has not appeared in Alabama’s first three games, all victories over East Carolina, Kentucky and Florida State. He also was not seen at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium during Saturday’s win over the Seminoles.
DeBoer did not offer details on why the former four-star recruit is no longer on the roster. Alabama dealt with a similar situation last year when wide receiver Aeryn "Bubba" Hampton left the team.
The Tide also got a tougher update on linebacker Cayden Jones, who is out for the year with an undisclosed injury. Jones had not played in Alabama’s first three games and was already listed as out on the SEC availability report before the Kentucky game. The junior has mostly contributed on special teams during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
There was better news on the injury front, though. DeBoer said running back AK Dear and wide receiver Noah Rogers "will be available." Neither has played this season because of injuries.
“Again, just really progressing well in practice, just being comfortable with them out there and the reps that they need to be able to go out there at a high level," DeBoer said of Dear and Rogers. "And a little bit is them and how they feel, and also a little bit with the reps that they can get to where they can go execute. And we’ve got some other guys that are in those positions right now that are getting their job done.
“I have no doubt that these guys can come in and help us, but they need to be at a level where they can fly around and do their thing, as well. So, we’re excited to have them back.
I love seeing the reps that they’re getting out there. I feel like they’re getting more and more confident with just their injuries and return over the last couple weeks, for sure.”
In Other News...
Alabama's First Night Game Brings Another Dangerous South Carolina Test
After a five-year gap between meetings, Alabama and South Carolina are now lining up for their third straight season of football against each other, and the recent history has made the matchup feel tighter than the long drought before it. Alabama has won the last two, but both came down to the final minutes, which is enough to keep this one from feeling routine even with the Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The setting adds a little more edge, too, because this will be Alabamas first scheduled night game of the season, with a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN in Tuscaloosa. For a team that has already had to work to separate from South Carolina late, the combination of a prime-time stage and another tricky SEC test gives the game a different kind of weight than a typical early-season home date. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama May Already Have A Freshman Fans Can't Ignore
Alabamas ground game drew plenty of attention in the season-opening win over Florida State, and freshman running back EJ Crowell was a big reason why. Kalen DeBoer singled out the running game afterward, pointing to a performance that gave the Crimson Tide a sturdier offensive foundation and offered an early glimpse of what Crowell can bring to the backfield.
Crowell finished with 51 rushing yards on seven carries and scored a touchdown, but the numbers were only part of the impression he made. His two hurdles in the game turned heads as well, and both teammates and quarterback Keelon Russell have already shown confidence in what he can do moving forward, a sign Alabama may have found an early contributor it will keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Got A Clearer SEC Warning Before Week 4
Week 3 around the SEC did not leave much room for comfort, and the leagues middle tier only got more crowded as Arkansas, South Carolina, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Florida and Texas A&M all came out of the weekend with their own fresh questions. Ole Miss and LSU drew the biggest attention, but the broader picture mattered just as much for Alabama, which is watching the conference sort itself out one week at a time as the schedule tightens.
The updated power rankings reflect a league where every result seems to matter twice, once for the standings and again for how it shapes the next Saturday. Week 4 now brings another round of tests for those same teams, and Alabama has plenty of reason to track how the rest of the SEC handles it, because the warning signs are getting clearer even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]