Alabama’s 27–20 win over Auburn secured its spot in the SEC title game and kept its playoff hopes alive, but the victory came at a cost. As Alabama turns its focus to Georgia and the SEC Championship, questions about the availability of two key players, Josh Cuevas and Jam Miller, are beginning to shadow the week. On Sunday, Kalen DeBoer outlined where things stand heading into the matchup.

“I would expect Josh [Cuevas] to probably not be with us for the weekend,” DeBoer said. “Still don’t have much more information on Jam [Miller]. He’ll continue to go through his testing early this week, here today and tomorrow.”

 Meanwhile, running back Jam Miller left the Iron Bowl in the fourth quarter after being rolled up on and unable to put weight on his right foot. He later returned to the sideline on crutches. DeBoer confirmed Miller has a lower-leg injury and will undergo additional testing this week. Injuries have plagued Miller all season: he missed the first three games due to a dislocated collarbone suffered in fall practice and also sat out after a concussion against Missouri. Despite the setbacks, he remains Alabama’s leading rusher with 493 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Cuevas has been a key element in Alabama’s passing game throughout the season and even earned praise from quarterback Ty Simpson, who compared him to NFL legends Travis Kelce and George Kittle. Having missed the last two games due to a foot injury, Cuevas will be unavailable for the title game, leaving a mix of backup tight ends to fill the void. Jay Lindsey, Marshall Pritchett, Kaleb Edwards, and Brody Dalton might all get time on the field.

Meanwhile, running back Jam Miller left the Iron Bowl in the fourth quarter after being rolled up on and unable to put weight on his right foot. He later returned to the sideline on crutches. DeBoer confirmed Miller has a lower-leg injury and will undergo additional testing this week. Injuries have plagued Miller all season: he missed the first three games due to a dislocated collarbone suffered in fall practice and also sat out after a concussion against Missouri. Despite the setbacks, he remains Alabama’s leading rusher with 493 yards and three touchdowns this season.

However, injuries have been a part of Jam Miller’s season this year, as he has missed significant time because of them. He missed the first three games of the season with a dislocated collarbone, which he suffered during Bama’s second fall scrimmage. Then he was out after suffering a concussion against the Missouri Tigers. Despite all of it, Miller’s still the leading rusher of the season with 493 yards and three touchdowns.

DeBoer also addressed the status of running back Kevin Riley, who missed games earlier this season but returned against Eastern Illinois. Riley has 222 rushing yards on 56 carries this year with two touchdowns, and could also be limited for the SEC title game. In their absence, DeBoer expects AK Dear and Dre Washington to shoulder the load. “Just got to keep plugging away with guys who are excited about their opportunity,” he said.

But with that, their secondary takes a hit.

Kalen DeBoer gets another big blow at defense

With Miller and Cuevas’s status, Kalen DeBoer also made a key update on defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.’s suspension status. As the title game nears, DeBoer made it clear that Kirkpatrick Jr. is still suspended and will not be a part of their game against Georgia.

Kirkpatrick got arrested back on November 1, which later forced Alabama to suspend him, too. As per reports, authorities charged him with three counts of reckless speeding and for trying to get away from police. After the arrest, Kirkpatrick left the Tuscaloosa City Jail within an hour, paying a $1,500 bond.

Before the arrest, Kirkpatrick made a strong impact on Kalen DeBoer’s defense. Recording nine tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble this season. His absence will impact the depth, especially knowing his pedigree as the son of Dre Kirkpatrick Sr., who won two championships with Alabama and then became a first-round NFL draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012.

Now heading to the Georgia game; let’s see how Kalen DeBoer puts together a strong team with injuries and other factors keeping affecting them.