Alabama injuries: Crimson Tide lose key linebacker for national championship game

Betallsports · Jan 3, 2018

[h=2]Anfernee Jennings had surgery for a knee injury he sustained in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson[/h]
Just as No. 4 Alabama's much-depleted linebacker group was starting to get healthy again, it suffered another setback ahead of next Monday's CFP National Championship against No. 3 Georgia.

In a Twitter post on Wednesday morning, linebacker Anfernee Jennings said he had surgery for a knee injury he suffered during Monday's Sugar Bowl win over Clemson. While another MRI is upcoming, he will not play in Atlanta.

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Anfernee Jennings

* @anferneejenning

<time class="dt-updated" datetime="2018-01-03T11:09:34+0000" pubdate="" title="Time posted: January 03, 2018 11:09:34 (UTC)">6:09 AM - Jan 3, 2018</time>

After the Sugar Bowl, Alabama coach Nick Saban said Jennings had a sprained knee and that his status for the national championship game was undetermined.
The injury soured what was otherwise a great game for Jennings, who led the team with three tackles for loss against the Tigers and caused the hit for Da'Ron Payne's interception.

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Alabama has already been dealing with major injuries at linebacker, most notably the season-ending injury to Shaun Dion Hamilton. Christian Miller, Terrell Lewis and Jamey Mosley are options to replace Jennings against the Bulldogs.

rolltide · Jan 3, 2018

yeah, will need either Lewis, Miller, or Ray to step up for Jennings. All 3 of those guys are far less than 100% but both Lewis and Miller played a few snaps vs Clemson. Ray would be the nature edge rusher replacement for Jennings but broke his foot in November and been in black no-contact jersey in practice. I expect Lewis to play majority of snaps and then Ray to come in on 3rd down passing downs....

at inside LB both SDH and his backup, Dylan Moses, are out but missed Clemson game too. Deionte Thompson will get the start at safety over injured Hootie Jones...Thompson started 1st game in Tide shirt on Monday and played well. Unsure of status of starting RG, Lester Cotton, who got rolled up on by Clemson def tackle and never returned.

Bama missed something like 77 man games to injury which isn't bad but something like 71 were to linebackers so very thin at that position.

Jennings played best game in a Tide jersey on Monday so need someone to step up...

Albatross · Jan 3, 2018

I don't watch every Bama game, but it looked like to me Thompson played better Monday than Jones has in his whole career.

Remember Dylan Moses during his recruiting....was hoping Kirby could flip him.....he is a stud.