⚡ CFB Dashboard

- After Alabama's September 12 win at Kentucky, Kalen DeBoer said Jireh Edwards recorded a sack 19 days after surgery for a broken arm. This confirms participation in that game despite the recent injury; DeBoer did not say Edwards was fully recovered or specify any snap restriction or future medical clearance. - Daniel Hill reached 100 rushing yards as Alabama's ground game helped relieve pressure on Keelon Russell in the second half. DeBoer said running lanes had existed earlier, but sacks, penalties and some RPO decisions kept the offense behind the chains. He wants Russell to hand off when the run is available rather than force a contested pass. - DeBoer praised Russell's improved pre-snap command and second-half response while identifying forced throws, screen-pass throwing lanes and down-and-distance decisions as unfinished work. He also cited needless pressure on sprint-outs from failing to block the edge, stressing that clean passing opportunities are not solely the offensive line's responsibility. - DeBoer said Alabama's defense largely controlled Kentucky before halftime and benefited after the lead forced more passing, allowing the rush to get home. He credited fourth-down stops, the fake-punt stop and only one third-down conversion allowed through two games. Those results include favorable game-script effects, rather than proving every defensive issue is solved. - Alabama lost coordinator-to-quarterback communication during the third quarter. Russell said the staff's practiced sideline-command fallback let the offense continue, although he had to look to the sideline on some plays. The interview describes how the disruption was handled, not a confirmed permanent fix to the communications equipment.

- Injury: Alabama's starting right guard, Michael Carroll, will not play Saturday at Kentucky.

- Alabama starting RG Michael Carroll was downgraded from doubtful to out for Kentucky on Friday's SEC availability report. Carroll played 74 snaps against East Carolina; Bama247 cites sources saying he is recovering from a mild concussion. His Kentucky absence is confirmed by the report, rather than merely projected. - Bama247 identifies William Sanders and Mal Waldrep as possible Alabama starting guards at Kentucky after they split left-guard time in the opener; the replacement pairing is not confirmed. Sanders entered the opener with an oblique injury but has not appeared on this week's SEC availability report. That omission alone is not an explicit medical-clearance announcement. - Alabama RB AK Dear is ruled out for Kentucky after previously being listed questionable. He also missed the season opener. The article does not identify the reason for his absence or announce how his carries would be redistributed. - Alabama freshman CB Zyan Gibson was added to the SEC availability report Thursday and ruled out for Kentucky. The article supplies no diagnosis or replacement assignment. These reported absences precede the next scheduled availability update Saturday afternoon.

- Alabama's Daniel Hill remains the lead running back in the reporter's assessment after rushing for 47 yards against East Carolina, while EJ Crowell, Trae'shawn Brown and Kevin Riley also received work in the opener. - Alabama is projected by the reporter to settle around a three-back rotation with Crowell favored for the second spot and Brown competing with AK Dear for the third, but neither that order nor a clear separation in workloads is reported as finalized. - Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer expects AK Dear back soon from a lower-leg injury, but the report does not give a specific return date or confirm availability for Kentucky. - Alabama coordinator Ryan Grubb praised Hill's contact balance and ball security and Brown's acceleration and decisive cuts, while Brown's long touchdown was erased by holding rather than counted in his official production. - Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell led the team with 13 carries for 86 yards against East Carolina, establishing a meaningful quarterback-running contribution in the opener without proving that he will lead the rushing workload every week.

- Injury: Multiple things can be true at one time and that is exactly the case for the Alabama running back room very early on in the 2026-27 season.

- RB/LB: Crowell will eventually win out but you have to pass block and brown whiffed on one and almost got 12 killed.

- Injury: If Dear has the explosiveness we have been hearing before his injury and was in fact at the top of the depth chart, I see it as follows.

- Ryan Grubb praised Keelon Russell's calm response to coaching and off-schedule ability but identified two poor passing decisions and late reads, timing, footwork and sliding as priorities to reduce unnecessary scrambles and hits. - Alabama's left-guard rotation partly reflected William Sanders battling an oblique issue all week, with Mal Waldrep having taken substantial first-team camp reps; Grubb said Sanders is doing well now and wants greater lineup consistency. - Grubb said Alabama's RPO usage will depend on the opponent and available throws rather than dominate every game plan, with conventional under-center runs and receiver blocking remaining deliberate parts of the offense. - Grubb said Alabama will continue featuring Ryan Coleman-Williams despite his drops, emphasizing that the receiver responded confidently and held onto catches through contact. - Grubb praised Daniel Hill's square-shouldered power and ball security through contact and Trae'shawn Brown's cutting and breakaway speed, while noting that Brown's long run was called back rather than counting as a completed explosive play.

- Pick/market: Give them an average QB and RB and they are a 6-6 team…if that.

- Alabama listed William Sanders and Mal Waldrep Jr. as co-starters at left guard; Waldrep also projects as the first reserve at all three interior offensive-line spots. - Jayvin James is listed first at right tackle with Nick Brooks pressing for snaps, the one offensive-line position the report viewed as unsettled entering the opener. - Three large Y tight ends in Kaleb Edwards, Josh Ford and Danny Lewis, plus Marshall Pritchett's improved blocking from the hybrid H role, point to heavier personnel and a renewed emphasis on the run game. - Ryan Coleman-Williams is listed at X but is expected to move across the formation, with Rico Scott at Z and Lotzeir Brooks in the slot; Noah Rogers is unavailable for the opener. - Daniel Hill, Trae'shawn Brown, Kevin Riley and EJ Crowell are all listed as co-starters at running back, and Brown could receive a larger Week 1 workload than expected; Keelon Russell is the clear starting quarterback ahead of Austin Mack and Jett Thomalla.