There were plenty of reasons that Alabama couldn’t stop Florida State’s offense in Week 1, and Tim Keenan III’s absence was certainly one of them. Keenan suffered an ankle injury that required tightrope surgery before the season and has yet to return to the field through Alabama’s 1-1 start.
Now, the veteran nose tackle is nearing a return and has a chance to play on Saturday in Week 3 against Wisconsin at Bryant-Denny Stadium. In his midweek teleconference with the media, second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer listed Keenan as a game-time decision, along with senior running back Jam Miller and sixth-year defensive lineman Jah-Marien Latham.
Last season, Keenan played the second-most defensive line snaps for the Crimson Tide, only trailing star edge rusher LT Overton. Keenan was a stout run defender, finishing fourth on the team with 18 run stops and managing an average depth of tackle of just two yards downfield.
Without Keenan on the field so far this season, Alabama’s run defense has struggled. The unit held up well against Louisiana Monroe, but allowed a 42 percent rushing success rate, 0.15 EPA/carry, and a 12 percent explosive rush rate to the Seminoles in Week 1. Isaia Faga has led the team in snaps at nose tackle, with London Simmons and James Smith also seeing increased workloads.
Keenan isn’t the only injury that the Crimson Tide have suffered up front this season. Alabama lost Jeremiah Beaman for the season in practice leading up to Week 2 with a lower-body injury, and Latham is still working his way back to the field after exiting in Week 1.
The Crimson Tide returned eight starters on defense from last season, but the defensive line depth was a concern coming into the year, and it has been tested early. The play up front should improve once Keenan returns, but DeBoer and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack would probably prefer to keep him sidelined for Week 3 with a bye week looming in Week 4 before a matchup with Georgia in late September to open SEC play. Unfortunately, the Tide may have forfeited that luxury by losing to FSU in Week 1.
Latest Tim Keenan III injury update:
Sixth-year defensive lineman Tim Keenan III is a game-time decision for Alabama’s Week 3 matchup with Wisconsin at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is slated for Noon ET.