Keon Sabb injury update: Kalen DeBoer provides update on Alabama safety

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer revealed Monday that safety Keon Sabb has a lower extremity injury.

“We do expect him to be down for a while,” DeBoer said. “That could be an extended amount of time, and we’ll just continue to evaluate that.”

Sabb, a redshirt sophomore who transferred in from Michigan this offseason, ranks fourth among all Crimson Tide defenders with 39 total tackles, and third with 24 solo tackles, this season. He’s defended four passes and picked off two while starting every game this season.

Sabb popped up on the SEC availability report with an undisclosed injury last week. He was a game-time decision for this past weekend’s matchup between now-No. 15 Alabama and now-No. 7 Tennessee.

During the heart of the second quarter, Sabb exited the game with the help of trainers. He had his left leg wrapped on the sideline, according to the Tuscaloosa News, before ultimately returning to action in the second half. Sabb clocked out with 30 defensive snaps in the 24-17 road loss to Tennessee, where he recorded two total tackles and one pass break-up.

Second-year safety Bray Hubbard is expected to replace Sabb this week against Missouri. Hubbard has logged 89 defensive snaps across five games this season, per Pro Football Focus, 51 of which came against Tennessee this past weekend.

Hubbard is a former four-star prospect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi — there, he emerged as the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 26 safety in the 2023 class.

Sabb, meanwhile, was the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 8 safety in the 2022 class. The Glassboro, New Jersey, native spent two seasons at Michigan.

While playing for the Wolverines, Sabb appeared in 18 games, including 14 during a national championship campaign in 2023. In fact, he got the starting nod five times last season for an undefeated Michigan squad, most notably in the title game against Washington. Sabb clocked out as a redshirt freshman with 28 total tackles that year, plus seven PBUs and two interceptions, one of which he turned into a pick-six.

He earned a starting role with the Crimson Tide this offseason and has been up and down in coverage — while he’s logged more interceptions (two) than touchdowns allowed (one), he did give up 135 receiving yards in the loss to Georgia, per PFF. Sabb has made an impact as a tackler, though, and, according to PFF, he’s lined up 122 snaps in the box so far this season.

Alabama is looking to right the ship this week against Missouri. The Crimson Tide will have to do so without one of their starting safeties, Keon Sabb.