TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama linebacker Trey DePriest is suspended for the season opener against West Virginia.
Coach Nick Saban said Wednesday night that DePriest will serve a one-game suspension for a “minor NCAA infraction.” He’ll return for the second-ranked Crimson Tide against Florida Atlantic.
Saban did not elaborate. Reuben Foster and Reggie Ragland will start the West Virginia game in Atlanta at inside linebacker.
He says both those players got extra practice repetitions during preseason camp with DePriest missing a number of practices with a knee injury.
Saban says that gave the Tide an opportunity to prepare other players to relay the defensive signals on the field. He says DePriest’s suspension was “not something that we anticipated.”
DePriest is a preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick who had 65 tackles last season.
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