Alabama’s been trying to position itself for an SEC Championship Game berth despite some costly stumbles along the way. The Crimson Tide’s loss to Oklahoma last Saturday dropped them squarely in the middle of a chaotic tiebreaker scenario. It’s not an ideal situation, but there’s at least one piece of encouraging news heading into the final stretch. Head coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed Saturday that wide receiver Germie Bernard and center Parker Brailsford should both be available for next week’s Iron Bowl.​

Kalen DeBoer confirmed the news during his pregame comments to the Crimson Tide Sports Network before Saturday’s matchup with Eastern Illinois, saying, “We got a few guys — probably more offense than anything that we’ll be missing. We’ll have Germ [out]. He’ll be all right for next week. Germ, Parker [Brailsford] — who we’d expect to be back for next week. That was from the game against Oklahoma.” 

That’s huge for an Alabama offense that looked out of sync at times during the Oklahoma loss. They desperately need their most reliable weapons healthy for what amounts to a playoff elimination game against Auburn.

Bernard’s been dealing with an injury he suffered during the Oklahoma game last weekend, though he managed to tough it out and finish the contest despite clearly being banged up. The senior wideout caught seven passes for 71 yards on 14 targets in that 23-21 loss. And while he had a couple of drops that hurt the offense, he was still the focal point of the passing attack. 

Alabama decided to hold him out of Saturday’s game against Eastern Illinois as a precautionary measure, giving him extra rest to be 100% for the Iron Bowl. The same goes for Brailsford, the starting center who’s been a key piece of the offensive line all season and also got dinged up against Oklahoma. Both players returned to the game after initially getting hurt, which suggested the injuries weren’t serious.​

Bernard’s absence against Eastern Illinois will not matter much in terms of the final score. But it’s a testament to how valuable he’s been to this Alabama offense that Kalen DeBoer made it a priority to get him healthy rather than risk further injury. The 6-foot-1 transfer has been Alabama’s most consistent receiver all season, leading the team in receptions (48), receiving yards (676), and touchdown catches (six). He has also contributed 16 rushes for 97 yards and two scores on the ground. He’s recorded at least 50 receiving yards in all but two games this season and ranks in the top 10 of the SEC in all three major receiving categories. 

“We got all the trust in the world,” DeBoer said of Bernard during the South Carolina postgame press conference. “You’ve seen us every week have different things that we do where he’s lined up in a Wildcat and get him out of the backfield, throw him the ball, double pass opportunities. Guys who are disciplined, the game slows down for them. You give them the opportunities as much as possible in critical moments to go make plays for you.” 

That trust is going to be critical next Saturday when Alabama travels to Auburn, knowing that anything less than a win means the end of their SEC Championship hopes and a serious blow to their College Football Playoff aspirations.​

DeBoer’s go-to guy

Getting Bernard back for the Iron Bowl is massive for Alabama. And it’s not just because of what he brings to the stat sheet. DeBoer has made it clear throughout the season that Bernard’s the one guy he can count on week in and week out. He called him “probably the most consistent” player on the team during the Wednesday teleconference. 

“I mean, that’s a lot of guys. I think Germie Bernard has just been really consistent from start to finish,” DeBoer said. “It’s as a receiver, and that’s what you see a lot of but, I felt like he raised his game as a blocker. There were some run game things that he got involved with that helped create some explosives. We always focus so much up front. I mean, those guys are the ones that can help pop big plays. And his effort all-around and his leadership, I would say he’s probably the most consistent.”

That’s high praise from a coach who inherited a roster full of five-stars and has plenty of talented players to choose from, but Bernard’s proven he deserves it.​ That trust is exactly why Alabama needs Bernard healthy for Auburn. He’s the one receiver who’s shown he can deliver when everything’s on the line.​

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