Postgame injury updates on Deontae Lawson, Jaylen Key
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Two defensive starters for Alabama left Saturday night’s game against LSU with injuries and did not return to the field. After the 42-28 win over the Tigers, head coach Nick Saban provided the latest injury updates on Jaylen Key and Deontae Lawson.
“One guy has an ankle. One guy’s got a quad,” Saban said. “I don’t know how bad the injuries are until they do MRIs and all that kind of stuff. So I can’t tell you more than that.”
Key was the first player to exit the field. In the first quarter, he stayed down and grabbed his left thigh before gingerly walking to the sideline with members of Alabama’s medical staff. After a visit to the medical tent on the home team’s sideline, Key walked to the locker room and didn’t return to the game, although he was spotted on the sideline wearing street clothes.
Key was initially replaced at free safety by Kristian Story. But the Tide made some changes to its secondary in the second half, playing Terrion Arnold at Star, Trey Amos at left cornerback and Malachi Moore at free safety in its nickel defense, which it utilized more often than not. UA limited LSU to seven second-half points, and Arnold came up with an interception.
The third-year defensive back said the defensive backfield played for Key after his injury.
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“We looked at him and we said, ‘Key, we got you,’” Arnold said after the game. “We have guys that prepare for moments like this and we practice hard. We have position versatility, and we went out there and we just told him, ‘Hey, man. We’re going to go out there and fight for you.’ I wouldn’t say we weren’t already motivated, but it just added fuel to the fire.”
Lawson was slow to get to his feet after Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels juked him near the Tide’s sideline. He was briefly on the bench before returning to the field before the end of the third quarter, but he limped to the locker room early in the fourth quarter. Lawson later emerged but was wearing a walking boot on his left foot while Jihaad Campbell and Trezmen Marshall finished the game. Marshall returned to action after dealing with bruised ribs.
Also sustaining an injury Saturday was wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks. He was spotted on the Alabama sideline with his left arm in a sling. The extent of Brooks’ injury is not yet known.
The Crimson Tide will return to game action Saturday, Nov. 11, when it travels to Kentucky.
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