Entering spring practice, Alabama football was already thin at tight end. On Friday, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer announced the situation became worse.
With Danny Lewis Jr. already out for the entire spring, DeBoer said UA was down two more tight ends.
“Josh Cuevas, he’ll be back for the fall but he’ll be done for the rest of the spring, and then Marshall Pritchett,” DeBoer said. “So the tight end position went from, pretty thin at one point, with not all the guys already here at that position, you know (incoming freshman) Kaleb Edwards isn’t here yet and with Danny Lewis not practicing in the spring, so thin there.”
Alabama lost its two regulars at tight end to the NFL Draft process, with CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts both out of eligibility. Lewis and Cuevas were expected to take over many of the snaps, and are still likely to do so once they return for fall.
The Crimson Tide now has just one available scholarship tight end, redshirt freshman Jay Lindsey. DeBoer spoke of how UA is still scrimmaging despite so many losses at one spot.
“So offense and defense worked together to really try and get the looks we want,” DeBoer said. “Try to make the most of some substitution, things like that, putting guys in certain spots that they’re not used to being in until all of a sudden today.”
DeBoer discussed a few injuries to non-tight ends Friday as well. He said wide receiver Ryan Williams missed the scrimmage and won’t be participating much for the rest of the spring due to minor injuries, but also provided an update on Keon Sabb.
Sabb missed the end of the 2024 season due to a lower-body injury.
“Keon, just continuing to get feedback and reports, it’s been super positive,” DeBoer said. “Even today, another positive report, probably as positive as we’ve had. And we expected that, but just exciting for him to be able get going and keep taking those steps when you get to those benchmarks and going off to the next level.
“He’s on track. He’s on pace. It was quite an injury that he was coming back from. The fight, I’m never going to question that because maybe some of you know, but last fall, what he worked through and the way he sacrificed himself, the Tennessee game in particular, kind of that two-game stretch there leading up to it. Man, got a lot of fight. People respect him, and I do too for that.”
Alabama will continue spring practice through April 12, when it will hold an open session for A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. A-Day will not be a game or scrimmage in 2025, and will not be shown on television.