Nick Saban addresses injuries ahead of Miami showdown in Atlanta

Alabama head coach Nick Saban provided updates on injuries for a few Alabama units ahead of the Tide’s showdown with Miami in Atlanta on Saturday.

Saban spoked to media on Monday and first touched on injuries along the offensive line.

“I think we’ll obviously see when the games comes,” Nick Saban said on Monday. “But we’ve had some injuries on the offensive line so we haven’t always had the same group together. Which, the good thing about that is, you get more experience for other guys who may have to play. The bad news is, those guys didn’t get to play together quite as much. But I’m confident in the group, there’s a lot of competition up there which I think is a good thing and we’ll see. They’re going to play against a good front, an active front, a very aggressive front in this game so it’ll tell us where we’re at.”

On Alabama’s Week 1 depth chart, the starting offensive line is listed as left tackle Evan Neal, left guard Javion Cohen, center Chris Owens, right guard Emil Ekiyor Jr and right tackle Kendall Randolph.

Owens and Randolph were among the offensive lineman who missed time with injuries this fall. Owens and Neal missed last week’s scrimmage, though it is unknown if Neal’s absence was related to an injury.

Owens finished off 2020 as the starting center in relief of Landon Dickerson. Entering the 2021 season as the incumbent starter, Owens ultimately won the battle but was pushed by Darrian Dalcourt for the starting job. Nick Saban previously updated the position battle last week. Neal moved from right tackle to left tackle this season, his second position change in as many years. Neal played left guard as a freshman, right tackle as a sophomore and will now play left tackle as a junior. Neal is expected to be a first-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft should he declare. Randolph missed time with an ankle sprain and enters 2021 as a starter for the first time in his five-year career.

Nick Saban also provided an update on listed starting free safety Demarcco Hellams.

“DeMarcco (Hellams) will start running today,” Saban said. “He’s still probably questionable for this game so I can’t answer whether he’ll be available for the game or not.”

Hellams is recovering from a sprained ankle suffered earlier this month.

If Hellams is unavailable, Brian Branch is listed alongside him on the depth chart as the other starter. Behind Branch and Hellams is second-year defensive back Kristian Story.

Hellams is entering his third season at Alabama and his first as the expected starter. In a rotational role in 2020, he totaled 62 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Hellams also had three pass breakups.

Branch, who is expected to play a good number of snaps regardless of Hellams’ status, is entering his second season at Alabama. As a freshman,  Branch had 27 tackles in 12 total appearances, making three starts.