Update emerges on Tennessee LB Kamal Hadden after injury vs. Alabama

As Alabama was marching down the field for an eventual touchdown drive against Tennessee in the second quarter, Vols linebacker Kamal Hadden left the field favoring his shoulder. While he didn’t go into the injury tent initially, he did after a little while, according to CBS’ Jenny Dell.

Hadden went to tackle Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond and wound up forcing him out of bounds with less than nine minutes to go. He eventually left the field with the training staff, and Dell said they were working with him on the sidelines to see how much movement he had in his shoulder.

“Tennessee linebacker Kamal Hadden, he hurt his shoulder with 8:45 left to go in the second quarter. The trainers, they messed around with his right shoulder pad, were testing out his mobility there,” Dell said. “Now, he was frustrated on the sideline as Bama scored, and it wasn’t until after that that he went into the injury tent.”

Hadden ended up returning in the third quarter.

Hadden is a key part of the Tennessee offense this year, leading the Volunteers with three interceptions entering Saturday’s game. He also had 17 tackles coming into the matchup against Alabama. In his absence, though, the Tennessee defense stepped up to pick Milroe off late in the second quarter to help set up an eventual touchdown drive to make it a 20-7 lead heading into halftime.

How Tennessee took a halftime lead against Alabama

The Crimson Tide wound up scoring on that drive to make it a 13-7 game after Tennessee took an early 13-0 lead. Just before halftime, the Vols scored one more time on a pass from Joe Milton to McCallan Castles to extend the advantage to 20-7 heading into the locker room.

The offense looked strong in the first half for Tennessee, and Josh Heupel offered a simple reason why.

“Just doing the ordinary things at a high level,” Heupel told Dell on his way to the locker room. “Fundamentally, [Milton is] playing well, but the guys outside, protection’s been really solid. Gonna need more of that in the second half.”

As for how the Volunteers can keep things going after the break, Heupel said three words will be key, and he channeled his inner Nick Saban with his message to the team.

“Reset, replay, refocus,” Heupel said. “Play one play at a [time] in the second half, man. You’ve got to play for 60 in this one.”