Tide RB hurt in spring break basketball game

The Alabama football team was back on the practice field this afternoon, but spring break took its toll on one backup running back.

Coach Nick Saban told reporters Blake Sims suffered a minor injury playing basketball.

“Blake Sims had a little hip injury playing basketball or something during the break,” Saban said. “We try to get these guys not to play basketball, but they all think they can play in the NBA, so I guess we’ve just got to suffer the consequences for that.”

Sims experimented with the quarterback position last season but was moved over to the already-banged up running back position this spring.

Top returner Eddie Lacy will miss the entire 15-date spring practice schedule. That leaves Jalston Fowler, redshirt freshman Dee Hart, early-enrollee T.J. Yeldon and Sims to carry the load.

Read more on this and other football stories tomorrow.

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C.J. Mosley progressing after unsightly injury in BCS title game

Decatur Daily photo by Gary Cosby Jr.

It’s hard to forget the play that ended C.J. Mosley’s sophomore season at Alabama. It was borderline grotesque. LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson’s clean tackle following Mosley’s third-quarter interception certainly could have been worse.

It turned out to be just a dislocated hip. And the rising junior appears to be close to returning to the field.

Coach Nick Saban he began running at full speed this week as the Tide readies for spring practice starting Friday.

“He was running in the pool for awhile, doing straight-line stuff, working on his own rehab program,” Saban said. “This week he was cleared to go and do what everybody else is doing.”

Mosley figures to be a huge part of the retooled Alabama linebacker corps that loses future NFL picks Courtney Upshaw and Dont’a Hightower.

Read more about this in tomorrow’s newspaper.

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Saban also updates Dee Hart situation

Dee Hart made his debut in a crimson jersey Saturday night against LSU. He just wore it. Didn’t play in it.

So, four months after his reported torn ACL injury, where does the star freshman running back stand? Nick Saban faced that question this afternoon in his weekly news conference. His answer took a few turns.

He said it was another step in his recovery process. Hart has been cleared for football-related practice a few weeks ago, which we documented with video a few times (here and here).

So will be play this season?

“No we probably won’t do that, unless we have to do it, or need to do it, relative to the health of some other players. We’re certainly not going to put him in a situation that he’s not ready to physically be able to be safe in, and that’s going to be up to the medical staff, but he is at that point now where he’s starting to get very close to being able to come back.

“We don’t really have any timeframe to say ‘He’s going to play in this game.’ Or even that we would play him in that game if he was cleared to play in the game.”

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Saban updates injuries to Jones, Kirkpatrick, Smelley

Nick Saban’s weekly news conference began with a stern warning about living in the past. He also updated a few of the injuries experienced in Saturday’s 9-6 loss to LSU.

Left tackle Barrett Jones (ankle), cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (concussion) and Brad Smelley will sit out practice this afternoon as preparations for Mississippi State begins.

Saban didn’t elaborate on Smelley’s injury, but he left early and returned in the second half.

One player drawing rave reviews was linebacker Alex Watkins. Playing two weeks after weeks after breaking his arm against Tennessee, the senior had two tackles and was named special teams player of the week in the LSU loss.

More on all of this in a bit.

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Updating injuries to Maze, Barrett Jones, Kirkpatrick

It was physical. Everyone expected it. And Alabama is feeling the effect this morning and certainly into next week.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban updated the following injuries after the game:

• Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick got a concussion defending a fourth quarter punt. He walked to the locker room a few minutes later with glassy eyes. LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu was flagged 15 yards for the hit that left Kirkpatrick on the ground.  Saban said Kirkpatrick was knocked out for a few seconds.
• Wide receiver Marquis Maze sprained his ankle in the second half, but came back and played the rest of the game.
• Left tackle Barrett Jones also sprained his ankle on the play when AJ McCarron was intercepted in the third quarter. He went to the locker room, but ran back without missing a series. Jones was obviously hobbled, but played through it.

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Video of C.J. Mosley practicing Monday

Here is a peek inside the practice currently taking place on a cloudy Monday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Injured linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) is taking part in the contact drills from which he was restricted the past two weeks with the elbow injury. Notice the new brace not worn in previous weeks. More video to come.

 

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Saban updates Mosley’s status for Florida

Updating Mosley’s status: All week Saban called linebacker C.J. Mosley “questionable” for Saturday’s game at Florida.

By Thursday night, he sounded less optimistic about the elbow injury healing enough for the sophomore to see playing time in Gainesville.

Speaking on his weekly radio show, Saban first said Mosley “probably” wouldn’t play. He later said the versatile linebacker would be out “for sure.”

The right elbow injury suffered early in Saturday’s 38-14 win over Arkansas kept him from practice much, if at all this week.

A few notes from Wednesday practice

The weather couldn’t be nicer this early-fall afternoon here in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide were back outside for the third straight day — the second in full pads. Here’s a quick rundown of the observations from the media viewing period:

• Linebacker C.J. Mosley was back out there again today, but like the last two days, he wasn’t doing anything during our time to watch. His right elbow is still wrapped from Saturday’s unnamed injury.
• Running back Eddie Lacy was also moving slow again today. He was limping slightly and not participating in all individual drills. The toe injury that he returned from against Arkansas appears to be giving him trouble through three practices this week.
• Coach Nick Saban is expected to give an update on the status of both at this evening’s news conference. Stay tuned for that.

Video of Lacy at practice is also coming up very soon.

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Video of C.J. Mosley at practice

Here’s the moving picture version of Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) from today’s practice. The first clip shows him playing the opposing running back for the starters before defensive coordinator Kirby Smart sends him out. The injured right elbow is wrapped, as you can see.

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A few practice notes, injury updates

C.J. Mosley (32) watches the middle linebackers practice.

The Tide is back outdoors today practicing in full pads for Saturday’s trip to Florida. Here are a few observations:

• Linebacker C.J. Mosley (pictured above, No. 32) was obviously suited up for practice, but wasn’t doing anything during the media viewing period. As you can see, his right elbow is covered after suffering an undisclosed injury early in Saturday’s Alabama win over Arkansas.
• He wore his helmet the entire time and appeared ready to go, but excused himself any time a drill came his direction.
• Running back Eddie Lacy was also in full pads and in a white jersey, but his reps appeared to be limited after hurting a toe against Arkansas.
• Former offensive line coach Joe Pendry was spotted taking in the action from the sideline. He still works with the university.

Updating injuries to Dee Hart, Chris Jordan

Here is your second update of the day concerning the health of Alabama football players.

• Freshman running back Dee Hart tore his ACL over the summer, but his rehab continued Monday with an impressive sprint. He ran the full length of a practice field a little bit ago showing definite signs of progress.
• How well he can cut and change direction, though, is the more telling measure of stability and strength in the knee. We didn’t see any of that today.
• Backup linebacker Chris Jordan was back in a crimson jersey working with his group this afternoon. He missed all of last week’s practice and didn’t dress for Saturday’s game.

Practice video will come in a little bit. Stay tuned for that.

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A few notes from practice, injury news

Kevin Norwood at practice today

No Labor Day break in this corner of Tuscaloosa this afternoon. Here’s a list of the important notes from the media viewing period.

• Still raining like I haven’t seen in some time. The team, obviously, used the indoor practice facility as parts of Tuscaloosa flooded.
• The injury of note belongs to Kevin Norwood. The receiver sprained his ankle against Kent State, coach Nick Saban said earlier today. He was on a stationary bike wearing a black uniform.
• Saban said he could be back in a few days. Stay tuned for that. He caught one pass for five yards before the injury.
• Duron Carter was working full-time with the receivers. He looked pretty solid from the few minutes we saw. Look for video on that soon.

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Video of Dee Hart rehabbing at practice today

Take a look at Dee Hart, once the star running back recruit, working to rehab the torn ACL he suffered over the summer. He’s working with Alabama’s head athletic trainer Jeff Allen. More to come.

 

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Incoming basketball player tears ACL

A day after receiving good news about one freshman basketball player, the Tide got bad news today about another newcomer.

Sophomore transfer Moussa Gueye tore his ACL in a Wednesday pick up game. The 7-footer from Senegal had surgery Friday in Birmingham with Dr. Lyle Cain.

Gueye will be out indefinitely.

More later.

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A few quick prescrimmage notes

The first scrimmage of August is about to begin and we just got a brief peek inside the proceedings at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

• William Vlachos was back in uniform after missing the Thursday afternoon practice and Friday’s two-a-day.
• Dont’a Hightower was again working with the linebackers and the wrapping on his left hand.
• The 1961 national champion team is in the building and they’ll be chatting with us in a little bit.
• Video to come.

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