Qua Russaw injury update: Star LB injured in first half against Georgia

UPDATE: Qua Russaw has been ruled out for the rest of the game.

Alabama has taken an early lead on Georgia in the first half, but could find themselves without one of their most important defensive pieces.

Junior LB Qua Russaw suffered a lower-body injury in the first half against the Bulldogs and was taken to the locker room. Alabama has officially listed him as questionable to return:

Alabama already thin at Wolf LB before Qua Russaw's injury

Russaw's injury comes at a position Alabama already entered pretty thin at Saturday night. During practice this week, senior OLB Jah-Marien Latham suffered a scary neck injury and has been hospitalized in Birmingham since then.

He and Russaw were listed as co-starters on the Crimson Tide's official depth chart to open the season. With those two out, it puts a lot of weight on redshirt sophomore Yhonzae Pierre, who has played a lot of football but has mostly been asked to be a pass rusher. He'll have to hold up on the edge against the run, but also drop back into coverage from time-to-time like Russaw does.

Behind Pierre are likely to be a couple of young and unproven players. Redshirt freshman Noah Carter and true freshman Justin Hill could be relied upon to play meaningful snaps against Georgia if Russaw is not able to return.

Alabama is already struggling to stop the run, and Russaw is without a doubt Alabama's best at setting the edge. Pierre, Carter, and Hill can rush off the edge, but setting the edge against the run is just as important. Alabama has struggled to stop to stop a few outside runs with Russaw out.

Alabama needs all the bodies it can have in the front-seven against a physical Georgia front that has won the battle in the first half so far. Hopefully Russaw is able to return to the game in the second half.