By Chris Marler
Game week hasn’t slowed down the news cycle for a lot of teams around the SEC. We are at the halfway point for most teams in their prep for game week. Here’s a quick look around the SEC on some of the latest news you may have missed.
Alabama down three starters, possibly for the first month
Kalen DeBoer revealed on the Wednesday SEC Teleconference that Alabama will be down its third projected starter when they play Florida State this weekend. Running back Jam Miller suffered an injury to his collarbone a week ago, OL Jaeden Roberts has been absent for most of Fall Camp with an injury and now starting DL Tim Keenan will also be out.
Keenan is one of Alabama’s top defenders on a unit that was top ten nationally in scoring defense. He sustained a lower-body injury this week that will require tightrope surgery, a procedure similar to the one Tua Tagovailoa underwent in 2019.
Alabama has received a ton of preseason hype going into year two of the DeBoer era. Much of it comes from the talent they retained from last year, keeping players out of the portal and NFL Draft. None of the current injuries are considered season-ending.
Tennessee gives extension to Josh Heupel
One of the seemingly less appreciated coaches in the league got a little more security this week. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel received a one-year contract extension through the 2029 season. The extension did not include a raise, as Heupel will still make the $9 million per year.
However, the buyout clause was amended starting this year. If Tennessee were to fire him before Dec. 15 of this year, he would be paid the full amount of his remaining contract. That number drops to 75 percent if he’s fired before Dec. 15, 2027 and drops to 50 percent if he’s terminated before the final date of his contract which is Jan. 31, 2030.
This is the third contract extension he’s received in three years.
Missouri will split QB reps evenly in week one
Missouri’s starting quarterback situation has yet to be settled. The competition will continue into week one against Central Arkansas. Transfer quarterback Beau Pribula from Penn State will get the nod in the first half of Thursday’s game, while former four-star Sam Horn will play the second half.
Pribula was expected to be the starter. That assumption was strengthened after Horn, a two sport athlete and pitcher on the baseball team, was drafted by the Dodgers in the 17th round of MLB Draft.
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