Two Alabama linemen miss second straight scrimmage due to injuries

For a second week in a row, Alabama scrimmaged without two projected starters.

Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer revealed after Saturday’s second and final scrimmage of preseason camp that offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts and defensive lineman James Smith were once again held out, although neither injury is expected to be a long-term issue.

“Two guys that didn’t scrimmage today, Jaeden and James, same as last week,” DeBoer said on Saturday. “James has been working through and building up. Feel good about the progress he’s had in the week of practice, and with it being live, needed to hold back there. But he’s getting closer by the day. 

“Jaeden has a concussion. I’ll just tell you what it is. And he’s going through the protocol of that. And so, hasn’t done anything from a team standpoint, starting to work back into that protocol, which included being out there today but not to participate in the scrimmage.”

Roberts is a returning starter at right guard, having been in the starting lineup for 12 games last season. The redshirt senior has battled injuries the last two years, and last year, he rotated with Geno VanDeMark. That has continued throughout the Crimson Tide’s preseason camp.

Smith, a junior, appeared in 13 games a year ago, and with Tim Smith exhausting his eligibility, the former is expected to join Tim Keenan in the starting lineup this upcoming fall. His absence, or limitations, in practice, however, has created opportunities for younger Tide linemen.

Those were the only two injuries DeBoer mentioned after either scrimmage. The only other that we knew of was freshman wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks, but the newcomer has since returned to the practice field. A couple of consecutive off days, though, are welcomed for Alabama.

“There’s a lot of guys that are beat up a little bit,” DeBoer said. “But it’s something that it was gonna happen if you were gonna be physical at all during camp, and we still have two weeks left. So the next couple of days, it’s set up specifically for that reason to be able to get these guys off their feet, recover a little bit. And then we’ll certainly have a different type of week. 

“We’ll still have physicality, especially Tuesday. We’ll get back after it, but it will look different. We went hard last Saturday, with a big scrimmage today. But also Tuesday and Thursday, we did a number of live sessions, moving the ball, just like you would have seen out here today.”

Alabama will kick off the 2025 season in two weeks (August 30) on the road at Florida State.

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