Five Alabama players are listed as probable in the initial availability report ahead of the Crimson Tide’s trip to Vanderbilt.
Zabien Brown, Keelon Russell, EJ Crowell, Chuck McDonald III and William Sanders all carry the probable tag. Russell had been described as day-to-day earlier this week by Kalen DeBoer after he dealt with a lower-body injury and pushed through it against LSU.
“You’re weighing how he feels with what the medical staff says as far as we never want to hurt him,” DeBoer said on Monday. “He’s got to go out there and obviously play at a level that can help us win.
We have a lot of confidence if we had to move to Austin [Mack] at some point. He’s day-to-day.
He continued and finished out the game, so that’s a good sign right there. He’s had other things that have popped up in game where he’s played through it, and you guys have seen that too when you’re paying close attention.
He stays out on the football field and keeps doing his thing. For him to play at the level that he played at, getting dinged up a little bit, was impressive in itself.
I’d expect him to do everything he can to get out on the football field.”
Crowell and Sanders sat out last week against LSU. Brown played, though he was limited, while McDonald was on the field against the Tigers.
Jeremiah Beaman, Nick Sherman, Desmond Umeozulu, Josh Ford, Cayden Jones, Mhari Johnson and Casey Poe are listed as out.
Alabama will head to Nashville to face Vanderbilt. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:45 a.m., and the game will air on the SEC Network.
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For Alabama, the timing matters. The program is still pushing to add Upshaw to its 2027 recruiting class, and getting him back on campus for one of the seasons biggest games gives the staff another chance to make its case. With his decision still open enough for Alabama to stay in the mix, this now looks like a situation worth watching closely as signing day approaches. [Read more 🡒]
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The early sign was encouraging, with Russell listed as probable in the SECs initial availability report for the upcoming game against Vanderbilt. Alabama does not need much drama at this stage of the season, but getting its young quarterback trending in the right direction is the kind of update that can steady a team with postseason goals still very much in reach. [Read more 🡒]