TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama football’s season opener began with notable injury news as projected starting left tackle Kadyn Proctor was a late scratch due to an undisclosed upper-body injury. Proctor started warming up with the team in uniform but went back to the locker room before kickoff and returned in street clothes and his left arm in a sling.
Alabama’s starting offensive line (left to right) featured Elijah Pritchett, Tyler Booker, Parker Brailsford, Jaeden Roberts and Wilkin Formby.
Proctor’s injury meant that both Formby and Pritchett, the two competitors for the right tackle position started on Saturday: Formby at right tackle and Pritchett at left tackle. It’s the first career start for both players.
Pritchett, a sophomore, played in 13 games last season and was the projected starter at left tackle before Proctor returned to the team from Iowa in June. Formby, a redshirt freshman, is seeing his first notable live action.
The original plan by coach Kalen DeBoer and staff was for Formby and Pritchett to rotate at right tackle on Saturday.
“Both guys have their strengths and things they do really well,” DeBoer said during the week. “Those come out. I don’t feel like either of them are a liability, I think it’s just a matter of figuring out which one is going to be our guys. They both have done a lot to earn a lot of reps.”
(Photo: USA Today)
