Bye week gives Alabama Football much-needed opportunity to get healthy

Heading into its first bye week of the season before a gargantuan matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Football is sitting pretty. The Tide is 3-0, having won its first three games by a combined score of 147-26 despite still having plenty to work on. 

Bama is a little beat up coming out of week three in the wake of two physical games against USF and Wisconsin. The Crimson Tide offensive line is finally intact, but the team sustained several injuries elsewhere against the Badgers.

Reserve running back Richard Young and key defensive pieces Qua Russaw and Malachi Moore all left the game with injuries, with none able to return. This news comes with redshirt freshman wide receiver Cole Adams already out with an arm injury. 

Richard Young, a redshirt freshman and Bama’s RB3, had just entered the game when he suffered a lower-body injury. Alabama will certainly need him for backfield depth as the season progresses. 

Qua Russaw is a redshirt freshman from Montgomery who assumed the starting role at the Wolf position and has been a revelation for the Tide. Malachi Moore, a starting safety, is perhaps the most experienced player on the roster and is one of the unquestioned leaders of the team. 

Both were injured in apparent cases of friendly fire, as Russaw was hit in the left leg by Alabama safety DeVonta Smith and Moore took what looked like a blow to the head from fellow safety Keon Sabb. 

Needless to say, it will be critical for Alabama to get these playmaking defenders back in the lineup. Hopefully, none of the injuries sustained today will prove to be serious. If they are minor, Alabama can capitalize on the upcoming bye week to be at full strength when it opens up SEC play at home against Georgia.