Nick Saban addresses performance of Christopher Allen's replacement

When Alabama suffers a loss at any position, rest assured that head coach Nick Saban has an elite talent to plug into the position in his place. But at linebacker this season, that is especially true given the depth and quantity of high-level recruits the position group has welcomed in recent years. 

One of those “next men up” is linebacker and former five-star recruit Drew Sanders, who stepped in when starter Christopher Allen was likely lost for the season against Miami. 

“He played really well,” Saban said Wednesday about Sanders’ performance in a 48-14 win over Mercer last weekend. “He did a really good job. He’s a good football player, and I think the more experience he gets, the more reps that he takes, the better he gets. Chris was a really really good player for us and a really tough loss for us, but I think Drew certainly took advantage of the opportunity that he had and did a really good job.”

The 6-foot-5, 244-pound sophomore had two tackles and two pass break ups against Mercer. Because of his efforts, he was one of six Crimson Tide football players to earn player of the week honors from the Alabama coaching staff. 

Allen left Alabama’s opening game against Miami on Sept. 4 before halftime and was carted into the locker room. It was later revealed he had fractured his foot, and he is unlikely to return this season. Sanders stepped in and finished that game with six tackles plus had involvement in two of Alabama’s three forced fumbles. 

Sanders would have played this season regardless of the Allen injury, but his role will now be increased substantially.

Alabama’s embarrassment of young riches at linebacker

In total, the Crimson Tide have added six outside linebackers (some of them were recruited under different titles, but they currently play linebacker) in the last two years, and four of them have been five-star recruits. 

Will Anderson was the No. 17 player nationally per 247Sports, was named to the preseason Butkus Award Watch List (nation’s best linebacker), and has already contributed in a big way for Alabama. He suffered a knee injury against Mercer last week, but it is not serious, and he could play in this weekend’s game against Florida.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Saban said Wednesday. “If he continues to make improvement throughout the rest of the week, he certainly could play in the game.”

Chris Braswell is his backup, another former five-star recruit. He blocked a punt last weekend that was returned for a touchdown and has five tackles on the year. True freshman Dallas Turner was a Top-10 player nationally out of high school, in other words he was another five-star, and has impressed Saban so far. He has three tackles on the season.