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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama was without one of the biggest members of its offense during its second scrimmage Saturday. During his post-scrimmage news conference, Nick Saban revealed that starting right tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. had to leave after suffering a sprained ankle.
“We don’t know the extent of the injury,” Saban said. “We’ll do an MRI. He didn’t come back. We didn’t expect him to come back. We wouldn’t let him come back. We’ll see what the deal is when we do an MRI and all of that probably on Monday.”
Wills, a junior, started all 15 games at right tackle last season. Tasked with protecting left-handed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside, the 6-foot-5, 316-pound lineman did not allow a sack and earned a 77.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Wills is expected to retain the starting right tackle sport this season while stepping into a leadership role in the unit.
“I feel like I definitely have to step up and be a bigger leader than I was last year, as well as a different feel with the O-line coaches and just the whole coaching staff in general,” Wills said earlier this spring. “But everything’s running smoothly and I feel like in the end, it’ll all be fine. Just be the same offensive line, same Alabama team.”
Sources present at Alabama’s closed scrimmage told BamaInsider that Matt Womack filled in for Wills at right tackle during the scrimmage. Womack started all 14 games at right tackle during the 2017 season but has switched to right guard this spring.
“He’s seen all the changes made around here. He’s been through multiple coaching staffs and also been through multiple offensive lines,” Wills said of Womack. “He knows everything that’s going on, knows the ins and outs of everything, and I feel like just for him to step up and give his knowledge of what’s actually happening is helpful not only to me, but the younger guys and everybody else around there.”
