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The 3-2-1 - You don’t want Alabama football, so stop saying you do
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama head coach Nick Saban provided updates Monday on defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand and defensive back Trevon Diggs who both left Saturday’s 66-3 victory over Ole Miss with injuries.
“Da’Shawn Hand has an MCL strain. He will be out probably and really doubtful for at least this game and maybe more,” Saban said. “Trevon Diggs has a foot injury, and he’ll be day-to-day so it’s very questionable for this game."
Hand went down with what appeared to be a major knee injury after he was chop blocked in the third quarter. He had to be helped off the field and was later carted to the locker room. While Saban said the play was legal, he questioned the use of such blocks due to players’ safety.
“It was legal, it was a cut block,” Saban said. “If it’s illegal we should eliminate cut blocking. I’ve been an advocate of that for a long time, but you’re allowed to cut, it’s a legal block. So until they change the rules, there’s nothing illegal about it.”
Sunday, the starting defensive end provided some reason for optimism, tweeting that he’d “Be back sooner than later.”
A preseason first-team All-SEC member, Hand has started all five games for Alabama this season tallying 11 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, with a sack and a fumble recovery. Before leaving the game Saturday, he recorded a sack and three tackles against Ole Miss.
Diggs came back from the locker room on crutches in the second half. The sophomore cornerback was also wearing a boot on his right foot. Diggs returned two punts for 37 yards in the game, putting the ball on the ground on his second return. He was replaced in punt return duty by freshman Henry Ruggs III. Diggs has returned 10 punts for a total of 75 yards this season, an average of 10.71 yards per return.
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