Alabama may be getting a timely boost at tight end, but it won’t come without a fight. Kalen DeBoer said Josh Ford broke his arm in the South Carolina game, had surgery Sunday, and is still trying to make it back in time for Saturday’s showdown with Georgia.
“Josh broke his arm in the game Saturday,” DeBoer said. “Had surgery Sunday.
He’s determined to get on the football field. Actually progressing along fairly well right now.
We’ll kind of see how the week continues for him. I know where his mindset is at.
We just got to make sure he meets the levels we need him to meet as far as being physically ready. He’s doing a great job.
It’s going well. We’re optimistic.”
That’s the kind of update that keeps Alabama fans leaning forward. A return just one week after surgery would be a remarkable turnaround, and Ford’s value goes well beyond the box score. He’s been a key piece in the Crimson Tide’s run game, doing the dirty work as a blocker and helping set the tone even though his receiving numbers are modest: one catch for three yards and a touchdown this season.
The timing matters, too. Alabama and Georgia are heading into a game with major SEC and College Football Playoff implications, and both teams have looked like heavyweight contenders through the opening stretch. The Tide already know what it’s like to win a huge one against the Bulldogs, too - last season’s 24-21 victory in Athens helped steady Alabama after the Week 1 loss to Florida State.
Now they get another crack at a matchup that feels like it could be the first chapter in a longer story. Both teams have been that good to start the year, and this one has the feel of a game that could echo again later on.
In Other News...
Georgias Biggest Alabama Worry Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Georgias focus heading into Alabama has centered on the same thing it always does in this matchup: can the Bulldogs force the Crimson Tide out of rhythm before Alabama starts stacking efficient drives? Georgia brings the more experienced quarterback in Gunner Stockton and a defense that still has enough pass-rush talent to change a game, but Alabama has paired balance on the ground with an opportunistic style that can turn even a clean-looking possession into trouble.
The part that is getting harder to dismiss is the way Alabamas offense has settled in behind Keelon Russell. He has been giving the Tide a steadier week-to-week ceiling, and when that is combined with a defense that thrives on stealing momentum, Georgia is left needing answers in more than one phase. The Bulldogs can live with a long, physical game, but the margin shrinks quickly if they cannot create pressure and make Alabama uncomfortable early. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Backfield Suddenly Has A New Concern Fans Will Watch
Chauncey Bowens has given Georgia a steady presence at tailback this season, so seeing him added to the injury report after the Vanderbilt game immediately put a spotlight on the Bulldogs backfield depth. The right lower leg and ankle injury came in the middle of a contest where Bowens still found a way back onto the field in the second half, logging both carries and receptions and showing the kind of toughness Georgia has come to value in that rotation.
The bigger concern now is less about one game than the ripple effect across the room. With Bowens dealing with the injury and a cluster of other tailbacks already seeing the field, including Nate Frazier, Dwight Phillips Jr., Bo Walker, Nick Peal and Jae Lamar, Georgia has been forced to keep adjusting on the fly. The Bulldogs have options, but how healthy and settled that group can get will be worth watching closely as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias New Rotation Already Gives Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
The exhibition season already offered Georgia fans a first look at how the new rotation can take shape, and the early signs were encouraging. In a lopsided 94-61 win over Georgia State, the Bulldogs had a chance to mix transfers and freshmen into the lineup and see how the pieces fit before the games start to count for real.
Around the country, other programs were using the same kind of tune-up to sort out their own depth charts, from Cincinnatis comeback over Ohio State to Xaviers win over Dayton. For Georgia, the bigger takeaway was less about the final score and more about the way the new faces blended with the holdovers, giving the staff an early glimpse at options it can keep leaning on as the season moves closer to opening night. [Read more 🡒]