Report: Multiple Alabama players suspended for first half of season opener against Duke
Multiple Crimson Tide players won’t see the field right away when No. 2 Alabama kicks off the 2019 season on Saturday afternoon.
Running backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson have been suspended for the first half of Alabama’s game against Duke for missing a team function, according to Alabama.com’s Joseph Goodman. It’s not clear what function Harris and Robinson actually missed.
Alabama RBs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson will be suspended for the first half of the season opener against Duke for missing a team function, according to a source.
— Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) August 27, 2019
Harris ran for 783 yards and four touchdowns last season in his sophomore campaign, and Robinson ran for 272 yards and two touchdowns. The pair were expected to be Alabama’s top two backs this season.
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In their absence, freshman running back Kielan Robinson is expected to start instead. Robinson, a four-star Rivals.com prospect out of Washington, D.C., chose Alabama over offers from Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Michigan State, among others.
According to Rivals.com, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and linebacker Terrell Lewis were also suspended for the first half of Saturday’s game after missing a team function. Smith recorded 693 yards and six touchdowns on 42 receptions last season for the Crimson Tide. Lewis missed all of last season with an ACL injury.
Alabama will take on Duke at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide were listed as a 34-point favorite as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Westgate.
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