Parker Brailsford's Status "Up in the Air"

Alabama has run through a gauntlet of a schedule this season, with the Crimson Tide facing four straight ranked opponents, a road trip to South Carolina, a rivalry game against the LSU Tigers, and suffered its second loss of the season to the Oklahoma Sooners, where the Crimson Tide turned the ball over three times in the two-point loss to Oklahoma.

Get our free mobile app

Alabama has been battered and bruised all season long, starting with senior running back Jam Miller and senior defensive tackle Tim Keenan III in the preseason, and carrying over to Miller again, suffering a concussion during Alabama's 27-24 win over Missouri. Alabama's linebacker room took a hit as well, losing Jah-Marien Latham for the season after suffering a neck injury during practice ahead of the Georgia game, and Qua Russaw broke his foot during Alabama's 24-21 win over the Bulldogs.

On Wednesday, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer added to the list, saying that starting center Parker Brailsford is 'up in the air' regarding his status against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

"He's a little bit up in the air with where he's at for this week, just from Saturday," DeBoer said during his SEC teleconference.

Earlier this week, Brailsford was photographed in a walking boot by AL.com, prompting the question about Brailsford's status. The next update we see about Brailsford will likely be Saturday afternoon as Alabama warms up for Eastern Illinois. Alabama doesn't have to release an availability report before Eastern Illinois, as it is not an SEC game.

If Brailsford is a no-go for Saturday, Alabama could turn to Joseph Ionata, a redshirt freshman who is listed as the Crimson Tide's backup, based on the most recent depth chart.

"I think Joe is very similar to many of our guys on the roster who continue to work," DeBoer said about Ionata on the SEC teleconference. "You see the regulars out on the football field each and every Saturday, but there's definitely guys behind the scenes that are just grinding away -- in the weight room, on the field, owning the day and the opportunity they get to go compete.

"He's one of them. He's understanding the game better, from a football IQ - the center position is very important. He's in a spot where you put him out there and you feel good about what's gonna happen when he's snapping the football."

If it's not Ionata in place of Brailsford, it will likely be redshirt senior Geno VanDeMark, who has experience playing all three positions on the interior of the offensive line.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.