There weren’t many negatives from Monday night’s 24-6 win for Alabama, but, as has been the case for much of the season, the injury bug jumped up and bit again.
Starting right guard Lester Cotton went down with lower body injury and starting outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings sustained what UA coach Nick Saban described as a knee sprain. Cotton was spotted on crutches after the game while Jennings was on a cart with ice on his knee.
During a teleconference for the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Saban said both players were being evaluated.
“Well, we don’t have complete medical information on either one of those guys,” Saban said. “They’re being evaluated today in Birmingham. You know, we’ll let you know when we find out that information probably tomorrow.”
Cotton was replaced by J.C. Hassenauer and Saban said Christian Miller, Terrell Lewis and Jamey Mosley would be called on if Jennings couldn’t play against Georgia.
Saban also used the teleconference to express his concern with the timing of next Monday’s game. In the past, there has been about a week and a half between the semifinal and the title game. This year there is a week. With Alabama traveling back from New Orleans and Georgia from Pasadena, that’s a tight window.
“…I think that some kind of way, somebody has got to think about the players a little bit when it comes to these games and not just what’s convenient for the media or TV or whatever,” Saban said.”
Saban lives in a world where is schedule is detailed literally to the second. He prefers to keep players in the routine of a regular game week. That will be difficult this week.
“I just think that it’s a little bit different when you’re playing in the season and you go to a game on Friday, you play on Saturday, you come home after the game,” Saban said. “The players are kind of off on Sunday or some people do it differently and give them off on Monday and then you start the new week on Monday. But when you go to a bowl game and you’re there for a week, it’s really kind of hard to pack up and leave at 1:00 in the morning to get home.
“We spent the night and had to come back this morning, and this is like a regular Sunday preparation for us. I do think it’s a little quicker turnaround for the players, and obviously a pretty quick preparation for both teams, as well. I don’t think you need two weeks, and I think just an extra day, just put a travel day in there.”
The team arrived in Tuscaloosa this morning and will stay in town until it leaves for Atlanta on Friday.
Another bowl
The Senior Bowl announced that Alabama players Rashaan Evans (linebacker), Da’Shawn Hand (defensive line), Anthony Averett (cornerback), JK Scott (punter) and Levi Wallace (cornerback) have accepted invites to play in the annual NFL scouting event.
Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.
