Life threw Alabama football offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett a curveball on Saturday. During pregame warmups, the Crimson Tide’s starter on the left side, Kadyn Proctor, got hurt, causing him to spend the 63-0 blowout of Western Kentucky on the sideline with a sling on.
Pritchett had battled with Wilkin Formby for the starting job on the right side throughout camp. On Saturday, he was forced over to the left side.
“He has taken pretty much all his reps at the right tackle spot,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said after the game.
During camp, Alabama coaches mentioned that they’d likely have a player who could switch sides if need be. Evidently, that’s Pritchett.
He’d been on the left before anyway. He and Proctor competed for the starting spot there in 2023, and he’d been prepping to play there in spring, before Proctor returned from a brief dalliance with Iowa.
For Saturday’s effort, he earned strong reviews from his coach.
“I’ll watch the film, but obviously, there were a lot of good things that happened out there, and you don’t do that without great offensive line play,” DeBoer said. “I’m excited about the way he responded, getting thrown into that position and really just being steady.”
Alabama ran up 600 yards of total offense against the Hilltoppers. By the end of the game, even third-string quarterback Dylan Lonergan got to see some action.
Jalen Milroe finished with 200 passing yards and three touchdowns, along with another 79 yards and two scores on the ground.
“I’m proud of him,” Milroe said of Pritchett after the game. “I’mg proud of him because of the work he’s been doing in the offseason, the work he’s been doing this week. He prepped really well this week and it speaks volumes to how he played tonight. So, I’m proud of him for stepping up. I’m proud of him for continuing to try to go 1-0, try to get better.”
DeBoer said he was unsure of Proctor’s status moving forward. He said Alabama would reevaluate his health on Sunday.
UA faces South Florida Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
