Kalen DeBoer Optimistic Alabama Returns Closer to Full Health

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama was down multiple starters, and even more reserves, in the Tide's 31-20 victory over Texas A&M.

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Alabama Players Out Prior to Texas A&M

Zabien Brown (CB1)
Terrance Green (DT1)
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. (Suspension, Husky 2)
Racin Delgatty (Center 1)
Ryan Coleman-Williams (WR1)
EJ Crowell (RB3)
Cayden Jones (Out for season)
Nick Sherman (CB4)
Jeremiah Beaman (DT1)

Alabama Players Who Left Texas A&M Game

Red Morgan (Husky 1, targeting)
William Sanders (LG1, injury)

Safe to say, the Crimson Tide needed the upcoming bye week. After a gritty 31-20 win over the Aggies, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was "optimistic" about getting a lot of players back for the Tide's playoff-elimination game against LSU on November 7.

"...It’s good for us to have a bye week right now. I know a lot of guys that we’ll be optimistic on getting back for the next week, game against LSU," DeBoer said during his opening statement.

William Sanders, who left during the third quarter on Saturday, is a little more up in the air than everyone else after being carried off the field.

"He has a lower-extremity injury; get evaluated. He’s probably the one guy that could be out for a little bit," DeBoer said. "So, we’ll kind of see and know more tomorrow, for sure. But maybe not a week or two. It might be a couple more than that.”

Every week in the SEC has turned into some variation of "survive and advance," with ranked teams falling left and right in the conference. Just on Saturday, No. 7 Ole Miss fell to No. 19 Texas 34-27, and No. 11 Tennessee lost to unranked South Carolina 27-24. No. 12 Kentucky trailed 10-0 to Vanderbilt at home, and No. 13 Alabama was in a rock fight with Texas A&M before a 14-point fourth-quarter, paired with a shutout by Kane Wommack's unit, secured the 11-point win for the Crimson Tide.

Two SEC teams sit atop the conference standings with one loss in conference play (Georgia, Kentucky), while eight sit behind them with two losses (Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma). The race to Atlanta is still wide open, as Georgia still has to play Florida and Ole Miss, and Kentucky has to face Tennessee in Knoxville for their next game on November 7.

Alabama improves to 6-2 (4-2 in SEC play) in the 2026 season. The Crimson Tide will take a bye week next week before traveling to Baton Rouge to face the LSU Tigers on Saturday, November 7. Senior Associate Athletic Director of Health and Science Jeff Allen will need to be Alabama's MVP over the next two weeks if the Tide hopes to return key players for LSU.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.