Jah-Marien Latham injury update: Kalen DeBoer gives latest on LB's hospitalization, gives teammates' reaction

Alabama revealed concerning news on redshirt senior linebacker Jah-Marien Latham Tuesday night. The defensive lineman suffered a neck injury in practice and was subsequently hospitalized. The good news is that he had full feeling and motion and is undergoing a battery of tests to make sure everything else is OK.

Latham is currently in the midst of his fifth season in Tuscaloosa. A four-star recruit out of the Class of 2020, he has recorded 43 tackles and 2.5 sacks over the course of his career. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer gave an update on Latham during Wednesday night’s weekly edition of ‘Hey Coach & The Kalen DeBoer Show‘.

“He’s in Birmingham still,” DeBoer said. “We got some messages back and stuff and he’s texted me and told me to tell the guys he can’t wait to see them again. He’ll be down for awhile, but he’s got all the feeling and ability to move and everything. So, he’s doing better.”

Alabama had previously released a statement from DeBoer that said virtually the same thing on Jah-Marien Latham. It read:

“During today’s practice session, Jah-Marien Latham sustained a neck injury,” DeBoer said via Yea Alabama. “He was transported to UAB St. Vincent’s Hospital for further evaluation and care. We are pleased to report that Jah has full feeling and motion, and he is currently undergoing a thorough medical assessment to determine the next steps in his recovery.

“Our top priority is Jah’s health and well-being. We are in close contact with his family and the medical team and will continue to support him in every way possible. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.”

Latham missed previous two games prior to this week’s injury

Injuries have already been an issue for Latham this season, missing the past two games. He got out there in the season opener against Florida State, recording two tackles. However, Alabama went without Latham against Louisiana-Monroe and Wisconsin. Latham was considered a game-time decision for Wisconsin but never took the field.

“Jah-Marien Latham is actually doing better,” DeBoer said before playing the Badgers. “Just the word I got here, doing better than we expected. Unsure yet of what that looks like for this weekend.”

However, the neck injury appears to be unrelated to his previous issue. DeBoer did not provide further details on the situation in his statement and his comments Wednesday provided minimal additional details.

Alabama is just days away from a massive game against the Georgia Bulldogs. It’s the team’s first trip to Athens, since the 2015 season, hopefully adding another chapter to what’s been one of the top matchups in college football in recent years.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh and Thomas Goldkamp also contributed to this report.