Kalen DeBoer provides promising injury update for Alabama ahead of CFB Playoff game against Oklahoma – but it’s not all good news
Kalen DeBoer is optimistic about Jam Miller, Josh Cuevas, and Parker Brailsford playing on Friday, while LT Overton looks like a longshot.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is working hard at practice as it prepares for its first matchup of the College Football Playoff against the Oklahoma Sooners.
It’s win or go home from here on out for every team in the College Football Playoff, and Alabama will have to avenge a loss against Oklahoma to move on to the next round. There’s a lot of doubt surrounding this team after recent struggles, including a bad loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship.
The best way to silence critics, and even rumors about DeBoer leaving for Michigan, is by winning. Alabama needs to be healthy to have its best chance, and it sounds promising for some key players, but not for one.
Alabama starts the week with positive news on Jam Miller, Josh Cuevas, and Parker Brailsford
Playing a tough defense like Oklahoma on the road is a hard enough task, but it’s not ideal if Alabama doesn’t have its starting center, running back, and tight end. The offense has already been struggling over the last few weeks, and luckily, it sounds like Alabama might be getting Jam Miller, Parker Brailsford, and Josh Cuevas back by Friday.
“Parker [Brailsford] has been practicing,” DeBoer said. “Jam [Miller] is making good progress. Just kind of continue to see how the week goes along. You guys saw him out there doing some things today. [Josh] Cuevas, very similar to Jam, is making progress out there. Doing some work, and really, you know, I guess you’re optimistic at this point. We still have four days left. So those guys are heading in a good direction, making good progress, and continue to evaluate them.”
That’s a great update on the offense, will official status’ yet to come before the game, but we can’t say the same for one key defender who will be unlikely to play on Friday.
EDGE LT Overton is doubtful against Oklahoma
The defense has had its ups and downs over the last few weeks, and missing LT Overton would be a huge loss for the front seven. Alabama needs to get pressure on John Mateer to keep Oklahoma out of the end zone, and it’s a unit that’s been struggling lately. The defense only had 11 pressures and one sack against Georgia in the SEC Championship game, and we saw what happened.
Alabama will likely have to find a way to get to Mateer without Overton, and DeBoer calls him “doubtful” today.
Expect players like Yhonzae Pierre and Keon Keeley to get their opportunities to make a play, and they will need to if they want to help the offense out by getting them back on the field as often as possible.
Alabama Crimson Tide News
Oklahoma starter gives Alabama Crimson Tide the bulletin board material it needs ahead of rematch in College Football Playoff
Here is what Oklahoma is saying ahead of the Alabama game this Friday.
