Nick Saban provides lengthy injury update, timetable for Cam Latu

Nick Saban provided some insight into how Alabama tight end Cameron Latu is feeling as he deals with a knee injury, providing a timetable during a press conference on Sunday.

“He has a minor knee injury. He’s going to be out a couple of weeks,” stated Saban. “I don’t know exactly how long that is. It happened about ten days ago. So these things usually go day to day.”

Last year, Latu had 26 receptions for 410 yards and eight touchdowns in his first full season in the Alabama offense. He started his career in Tuscaloosa primarily on special teams, but earned a starting role last year as the Crimson Tide made it to the national championship.

Additionally, the Crimson Tide leader gave an update on the rest of the Alabama roster, including the health of athletes like defensive lineman Isaiah Hastings and offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett.

“We had [Isaiah] Hastings come in with an injury. We fixed, he’ll be back shortly. Probably. Elijah Pritchett. Tore his pec in the weight room awhile back in the summer, so he’ll be out for a little while. … Little, had a shoulder injury coming in. It was bothering him. So we decided to fix it, so he’ll be out for a little while, as well,” added Saban. “Aaron Anderson has a little knee injury, but he’ll probably be back in a few weeks, as well. So those are kind of all the guys on our team that have issues.

“Four of them are freshman, so we’re just kind of trying to get better each and every day, and challenge guys to be the best that they can be on a consistent basis.”

Nick Saban defends comments made about 2021 being ‘rebuilding’ year

Moreover, Nick Saban previously said the 2021 Crimson Tide football team was one that was “rebuilding” even though quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy — the first quarterback in Alabama history to do so. Alabama also won the SEC Championship and came up just short of winning the national championship.

With criticism of the comments coming from all corners of college football, Saban defended his comments, following up on the discussion when asked during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

“I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand,” Saban said. “We were young, and [this year], we should have nine starters back on offense and nine starters back on defense. That’s the point I was trying to make … So – as we usually have to do – we have lots of rebuilding to do again this season. That’s the point that I was trying to make.

“I don’t think our standard is like everybody else’s standard, but when you have a lot of young players playing, you’re actually trying to rebuild so those guys get the kind of experience you need so they can play at the level you need to play.”