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By Alex Byington Sports
TUSCALOOSA — Nick Saban wasn’t in a very giving mood the night before Thanksgiving, at least so far as it came to revealing information about several of Alabama's injured players.
Nevertheless, the coy Crimson Tide head coach once again described a trio of injured linebackers, a starting offensive lineman and the team’s senior kicker as game-time decisions for Saturday’s highly anticipated Iron Bowl.
“That's going to be a decision that we have to make from A) a medical standpoint, and B) what are they able to do? Can they be effective?” Saban said Wednesday without specifically referring to any particular player. “And C) do they feel like they can go out there and do their job relative to how they've been able to be effective in practice? And (those decisions are) not really going to happen until the game. So you can keep asking me about it all you want, but that's basically all I can tell you.”
For the first time since suffering their injuries, linebackers Terrell Lewis (elbow), Christian Miller (bicep) and Mack Wilson (foot) each participated in practice Wednesday, but were dressed in black, non-contact jerseys during the open viewing period, which involves very little contact anyway.
“Look, all these guys are at a different stage of rehabilitation — rehab, whatever you want to call it — (and) they're all able to practice to some degree,” Saban said. “I can't sit here and tell you any of them are healthy enough to play in the game (Saturday) — ‘not healthy enough’ is probably not the right word — (or that they’re) able to practice enough to be in the kind of playing shape they need to be in to go out there and do their job.”
Saban was even a bit reticent with the status of All-American junior safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has played through a lingering hamstring injury but was held out of last Saturday’s game against Mercer as a precaution.
“Minkah has been practicing, I'll say that,” Saban said.
Earlier this week, Fitzpatrick claimed he was “100 percent right now” and has been a full participant during practice this week.
Wednesday was the first time since the opening week of the season that both Lewis and Miller were seen at practice after undergoing what was, at the time, believed to season-ending surgeries following the Florida State game. But over the last few weeks there have been rumblings that one or both could be available in some capacity as early as the Iron Bowl.
Wilson, meanwhile, underwent foot surgery the Sunday after the LSU game and has been spotted in a walking boot ever since.
Also spotted at practice Wednesday was junior guard Ross Pierschbacher, who wore a black jersey and worked with the second-team offensive line behind senior lineman J.C. Hassenauer. Pierschbacher suffered a high ankle sprain on the first drive against Mississippi State two weeks ago and was replaced by Hassenauer, who was named the SEC offensive lineman of the week following his first career start last Saturday.
Senior kicker Andy Pappanastos — who sat out last Saturday’s game as a precaution with a nondescript “pull” — was also back at practice Wednesday, seen off to the side warming up by himself during the viewing period.
"I think he'll be a game-time decision, but we're hopeful that he'll be better. We really won't know until the game,” Saban said of Pappanastos.
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Nevertheless, the coy Crimson Tide head coach once again described a trio of injured linebackers, a starting offensive lineman and the team’s senior kicker as game-time decisions for Saturday’s highly anticipated Iron Bowl.
“That's going to be a decision that we have to make from A) a medical standpoint, and B) what are they able to do? Can they be effective?” Saban said Wednesday without specifically referring to any particular player. “And C) do they feel like they can go out there and do their job relative to how they've been able to be effective in practice? And (those decisions are) not really going to happen until the game. So you can keep asking me about it all you want, but that's basically all I can tell you.”
For the first time since suffering their injuries, linebackers Terrell Lewis (elbow), Christian Miller (bicep) and Mack Wilson (foot) each participated in practice Wednesday, but were dressed in black, non-contact jerseys during the open viewing period, which involves very little contact anyway.
“Look, all these guys are at a different stage of rehabilitation — rehab, whatever you want to call it — (and) they're all able to practice to some degree,” Saban said. “I can't sit here and tell you any of them are healthy enough to play in the game (Saturday) — ‘not healthy enough’ is probably not the right word — (or that they’re) able to practice enough to be in the kind of playing shape they need to be in to go out there and do their job.”
Saban was even a bit reticent with the status of All-American junior safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has played through a lingering hamstring injury but was held out of last Saturday’s game against Mercer as a precaution.
“Minkah has been practicing, I'll say that,” Saban said.
Earlier this week, Fitzpatrick claimed he was “100 percent right now” and has been a full participant during practice this week.
Wednesday was the first time since the opening week of the season that both Lewis and Miller were seen at practice after undergoing what was, at the time, believed to season-ending surgeries following the Florida State game. But over the last few weeks there have been rumblings that one or both could be available in some capacity as early as the Iron Bowl.
Wilson, meanwhile, underwent foot surgery the Sunday after the LSU game and has been spotted in a walking boot ever since.
Also spotted at practice Wednesday was junior guard Ross Pierschbacher, who wore a black jersey and worked with the second-team offensive line behind senior lineman J.C. Hassenauer. Pierschbacher suffered a high ankle sprain on the first drive against Mississippi State two weeks ago and was replaced by Hassenauer, who was named the SEC offensive lineman of the week following his first career start last Saturday.
Senior kicker Andy Pappanastos — who sat out last Saturday’s game as a precaution with a nondescript “pull” — was also back at practice Wednesday, seen off to the side warming up by himself during the viewing period.
"I think he'll be a game-time decision, but we're hopeful that he'll be better. We really won't know until the game,” Saban said of Pappanastos.
Decatur Daily—Continue reading...
