Alabama will be without one of its starting offensive linemen when it takes the field against Mississippi State on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide released its third availability report of the week Friday evening, officially ruling starting right tackle Jayvin James out for the matchup with the Bulldogs.
James was listed as questionable on both Wednesday and Thursday after suffering a lower-extremity injury in Alabama’s 49-18 win over South Carolina. The right tackle exited the game in the fourth quarter and was seen wearing a walking boot on his left foot as he headed to the locker room.
Now, Alabama will have to adjust its offensive line for a difficult road matchup against an undefeated Mississippi State team.
Tyrell Miller Likely to Get the Start
With James unavailable, Tyrell Miller appears to be the most likely option to take over at right tackle.
Miller stepped into the first-team role against South Carolina after James went down and played 14 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He did not allow a pressure during his time on the field.
That experience could be particularly valuable with Alabama heading into its first road game of the season against an SEC opponent ranked No. 16 in the country.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer provided an update on James earlier in the week but said the team would continue to monitor his progress.
“Jayvin is working through it,” DeBoer said on his radio show. “So, he was out there on the football field a little bit, but we’ll kind of see. We still got a few more days. It’s what we expected that the progress that he’s making. So, still questionable at this time.”
James ultimately did not make enough progress to be cleared for Saturday’s game.
The Crimson Tide will now turn to Miller as it looks to maintain the progress its offensive line has made through the first four games of the season.
Alabama enters the matchup ranked No. 7 nationally with a 4-0 record and a 2-0 mark in SEC play. Mississippi State is also 4-0 and 2-0 in conference play, setting up one of the more intriguing games on Alabama’s early-season schedule.
The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs will kick off at 11 a.m. CT Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi, with the game airing on ABC.
How Alabama handles the change at right tackle could be an important storyline to watch from the opening snap.
Alabama’s Offensive Line Is About to Look Different Against Mississippi State