Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Confirms Injury to Wide Receiver

The Crimson Tide sophomore was injured at practice on Tuesday and will miss extended time.

Sep 23, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jalen Hale (14) hauls in / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Alabama football program completed its eighth day of spring practice on Thursday, holding its first scrimmage under new head football coach Kalen DeBoer.

DeBoer assessed all the wide receiver play in Bryant-Denny Stadium, but one player unable to play was Crimson Tide rising sophomore Jalen Hale. DeBoer confirmed reports from TideIllustrated earlier in the week that Hale suffered a lower leg injury during practice on Tuesday and will miss some action.

"An update on Jalen Hale, he did have a significant knee injury. He'll be down for the spring but there's some evaluation that will still take place to kind of figure out what that timeline will be as far as the rest of the year and so forth," said DeBoer.

The Longview, Texas product broke onto the scene as a freshman in the fourth game of the year. He hauled in two receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Ole Miss Rebels. His contested catch in the endzone in the second quarter put Alabama in control of the SEC opener and was a bit of a season-defining play for quarterback Jalen Milroe who took a big hit on the pass.

Hale ended his freshman year with five receptions in 13 games for 148 yards and a touchdown. The Crimson Tide still has a number of receivers to help them work through the rest of spring practice ans has three more enrolling in May to provide reinforcements.

Alabama likely leans on Kendrick Law, Kobe Prentice and Germie Bernard in Hale's absence. His injury means younger players like Jaren Hamilton, Emmanuel Henderson, Cole Adams and Caleb Odom will receive more opportunities in the second half of spring practice.

The Crimson Tide has six more practices remaining until its annual spring A-Day game on Saturday, April 13.