Nick Saban offers updates on injuries following win over Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Two Alabama players exited Saturday’s win over Texas A&M with injuries. Crimson Tide defensive back Malachi Moore and punter James Burnip each sustained injuries during the 26-20 win, and head coach Nick Saban provided updates on both.

“Malachi’s got a twisted ankle,” Saban said. “(Burnip)’s got a pulled muscle in his leg.”

Burnip exited the game first, doing so in the second quarter, as he suffered his injury in pursuit of Aggies punt returner Ainias Smith, and after visiting the sideline medical tent, he walked to the locker room with members of Alabama’s medical staff. Burnip would later return and even held for kicker Will Reichard, but it was Reichard who punted the rest of the game.

Moore was also injured in the second quarter and needed help off the field, unable to put any pressure on his right leg. After he spent time in the medical tent, Moore sat in the front seat of a cart and went to the locker room. He was seen on the Alabama sideline in the second half, but he was in street clothes and was moving around with a walking boot on his foot.

When Moore went down, the Crimson Tide secondary experienced some changes. Cornerback Terrion Arnold moved from the boundary to Moore’s position at Star, while Trey Amos replaced Arnold at cornerback. When Alabama deployed its dime defense, safety Jaylen Key played the Money role while Kristian Story entered the game on the back end to play safety.

“Trey did a good job,” Saban said. “He got the one penalty for holding, but he did a really good job while he was in the game. The bigger adjustment is for Terrion, who goes and takes Malachi’s place when Malachi goes out, and then (Story) goes in and plays. So it’s a lot of changes.

“It’s hard to practice two positions as thoroughly as you need to to go in the game and execute, and when Malachi first went out of the game, we made some mental errors because of that. But I thought both guys did a good job of adapting in the game, and the other players around them really helped them play well by communicating well.”

In addition to the players who sustained injuries during the win at Kyle Field, Alabama made a change at right guard due to a setback. Jaeden Roberts, who is a native of nearby Houston, got his first-ever start in place of Darrian Dalcourt, who was in uniform but did not play. The Tide’s offensive line had its issues, but Saban was complimentary of Roberts’ play.

“Obviously we had a tough time running the ball,” Saban said. “But they (brought) lots of pressure, which we were able to take advantage of making explosive plays down the field. It’s hard for me to say how he played, but Dalcourt had a little shoulder problem, so he was struggling a little bit. I thought (Roberts) went in and did a pretty good job.”

Alabama will return to game action Saturday, Oct. 14, in a home game against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide’s 2023 Homecoming contest is set to start at 11 a.m. CT and air on ESPN.

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