Crowell expected back next week as Sherman suffers injury

What Happened

Alabama finished its final preseason scrimmage with EJ Crowell and Lotzeir Brooks held out, while junior college transfer Nick Sherman left with a lower-extremity injury. Coach Kalen DeBoer said Crowell is expected to return to practice sometime next week and placed Brooks in the same category after both missed the previous scrimmage. Crowell is dealing with an ankle injury. Brooks is dealing with a concussion and participated in drills during the portion of Monday’s practice open to reporters. Sherman began preseason work in a black, no-contact jersey after an injury in Alabama’s A-Day scrimmage. DeBoer said Sherman will be evaluated.

Why It Matters

• Crowell and Brooks have now missed two scrimmages, limiting their game-like work during the final stretch of preseason practice.
• Crowell’s projected return gives Alabama a near-term personnel target, but his first practice back will matter more than the projection.
• Sherman’s evaluation creates a separate availability question at the end of preseason, with no timetable provided.

THE PATE STATE READ

Alabama has two players carrying missed-scrimmage concerns and a third now entering evaluation. The task is assembling clean preseason reps around those absences before the season arrives. Crowell’s expected return next week is the best news in the update, while Brooks remains tied to the same general timeline. Sherman’s situation is less defined. This is a reps problem before it’s a depth-chart problem, unless the missed work extends beyond next week.(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• Next week: Alabama’s final preseason practices, including whether EJ Crowell returns to the field.
• Next week: Alabama’s update on Lotzeir Brooks’ availability and Nick Sherman’s lower-extremity evaluation.