Kadyn Proctor’s Injury Raises Déjà Vu Concerns for Kalen DeBoer as Alabama Plans Revaluation

Kalen DeBoer proved he’s the new king in the post-Nick Saban era. He ensured his Alabama’s dominance with a huge 63-0 win over Western Kentucky today. While the mood in Tuscaloosa is all celebratory, there’s a bit of concern for DeBoer. It seems history is repeating itself for the Crimson Tide as the team lost one of its star players right before the game.

There were reports swirling that offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor participated in the pre-game warmups but left mysteriously halfway through, to the locker room. Later, he was seen on the sidelines with his arm in a sling. Now, after the match, more details about Proctor’s status are emerging.

On Saturday, Alabama reporter Matt Stahl shared on his X handle, “DeBoer confirms that Kadyn Proctor got hurt during pregame warmups. Says Alabama will reevaluate tomorrow and know more as the week goes on.”

Coach DeBoer had to scramble when Proctor got hurt just before the WKU game. Elijah Pritchett, who’d been practicing as the right tackle, had to fill in for the left tackle. Now, Pritchett did okay, but it was quite a tough ask for him on Day 1. And Proctor’s return is still under question, as DeBoer opened about it in their post-win press meet. He simply said,  “We will know more here as the week goes on,” adding an intrigue to the situation. 

However, Alabama fans seem worried, because this isn’t the first time they’ve had to deal with injuries like this. It’s a kind of déjà vu situation for them. 

Alabama’s past haunts Kalen DeBoer

Injuries are a nightmare for any team, and Alabama’s had their fair share of bad luck over the years. Well, way back in 2019, Nick Saban lost his star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at a crucial moment in mid-season. He was having a great season, but then, got his hip dislocated during a game against Mississippi. That ended his season and ruined Alabama’s chances of winning the championship. The following year, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had a similar run of bad luck. He broke his ankle right at the start of the game against Tennessee and was out for the rest of the season.

Even this season, more than a couple of players were seen missing from their last scrimmage. When enquired, Kalen DeBoer simply put it as a ‘precautionary method’ to safeguard his valuable players. To put an end to rumors he also said, “Jaeden and Jam would be ready to go. Jeremiah would not expect him,” giving a brief injury update right before the match.

However, Kadyn Proctor’s injury came out of the syllabus. Now, there’s hope that he won’t face the same fate as his predecessors though, and bounces back for the Week 2 game.