How Alabama's Left Tackle Position Looking Ahead of South Florida Matchup

The Crimson Tide had to make a last minute adjustment on the line on Saturday after a surprise injury.

Alabama offensive line / Alabama Athletics

The Alabama football team opened the year with a 63-0 drubbing of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. By all accounts, it was all systems go for the Crimson Tide but a closer look will show the teams character as they overcame a last minute injury in a key position.

Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor had to leave warmups on Saturday with an upper body injury and was unable to play in the Crimson Tide's season opener. His injury opened the door for Elijah Pritchett to step back into a role he's manned before despite focusing more on right tackle in the fall.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer said on Monday that Proctor would manage his injury and see how quickly he can return to the lineup. DeBoer updated the sophomore's status on Wednesday during the SEC Coaches Teleconference.

"He's working towards it," DeBoer said. "We'll have to kind of see right towards the end of the week. If it was up to him, he'd probably be out there. But we gotta be smart, and that means that these days earlier in the week, we've gotta be smart and careful.

"He's doing really well. He's pretty much living in the training room. He's got strong aspirations to get on the field as fast as possible. So I can't said one way or the other kid of where that would be as of right now with still three days left before we play."

Pritchett gave up the Crimson Tide's only sack on Saturday but largely played well on the short notice. If Proctor misses this weekend's game against South Florida he'll stay in the left tackle role but questions arise around the backups? Who's the next left tackle to play behind Pritchett?

"So you've got, you know Miles [McVay] is been getting reps there. Wilkin [Formby] can go back and forth. We've got a combination of guys we're working there to be ready to go for that," Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic said.

The coaching staff didn't even baulk at considering standout guard Tyler Booker for the role if the circumstance arrived.

"We have all kinds of thoughts and Booker's played every position since I've been here. He's had center reps in the summer. He's had tackle reps in the spring. So anything is possible, you're just looking to evaluate who are the best guys, who are the guys who can do it? And then you have them ready to go," Kapilovic said.