Fans have been waiting all off-season for Alabama football, but they will have to wait a little longer for four potential stars.
With an Alabama football game this week, it is time to finally see what the Crimson Tide have in store on both sides of the ball. However, Alabama won’t be at full capacity for the beginning of the game. They have recently suspended four players, including three starters, for the first half of their upcoming game vs. Duke. These players are Terrell Lewis, Najee Harris, Brian Robinson, and Devonta Smith. All of these suspensions are from missing a team event.
Alabama has already lost other players for the opening game. Potential starting guard Deonte Brown will be suspended the first four games of the season due to a prior rule violation, and Kedrick James and Eyabi Anoma have recently transferred from the team.
The predicted starter at running back will be freshman Jerome Ford. Ford started this fall as the fourth-string running back behind Harris, Robinson, and Trey Sanders. He also recently went down with an injury at practice, but he should be good for the game. If not, look for Keilan Robinson to stand out.
Devonta Smith is amazing, but he is probably the easiest to replace thanks to Jaylen Waddle. With the loss of the two running backs, I expect the Tide to be pass-heavy to start.
The biggest question mark with replacing a player is Terrell Lewis. Lewis is coming off of an injury last year, and he is very eager to show his talents this season. His replacement is likely Chris Allen, another player coming off of an injury.
The good news for all of this is that the Tide should have an easy win no matter what. Also, these suspensions aren’t firm. Until Saban officially says how long they are being suspended, he can put them back in whenever he decides it is the right time. It could be a half, a quarter, or just a drive.
These suspensions aren’t a huge deal. The Tide should still win, and these players are not permanently in the dog house. Nonetheless, it is something to keep an eye on in their season opener.