Alabama Loses Two Key Starters Ahead of Season Opener Against Florida State
As the countdown to Alabama’s highly anticipated 2025 season opener ticks closer, the Crimson Tide have been dealt a tough setback. Two of the team’s key starters including a captain and a player who served as one of the program’s representatives at SEC Media Days will be absent when the Tide take the field against Florida State on Saturday, August 30.
According to multiple reports, starting defensive lineman Tim Keenan III will miss the Week 1 clash after sustaining a high ankle sprain during Tuesday’s practice. Keenan, a fifth-year senior and vocal leader in the locker room, was scheduled to undergo tightrope surgery the following day. The procedure, which has been used by several college and NFL athletes to accelerate recovery, typically sidelines players for several weeks. That means Keenan could miss not just the opener, but potentially multiple games as Alabama navigates the first month of its schedule.
This news is especially significant given Keenan’s role on and off the field. Named one of Alabama’s team captains for the 2025 season, the veteran defensive tackle has long been seen as the anchor of the Crimson Tide’s defensive front. His presence is felt not only through his ability to clog running lanes and apply pressure in the trenches, but also through his leadership. During SEC Media Days in Atlanta this past July, Keenan proudly spoke about his love for the program, saying: “I’m so Roll Tide. I’m so Alabama.” His absence will undoubtedly be felt both in the locker room and on the gridiron.
Adding to Alabama’s early-season adversity is the loss of starting running back Jam Miller, who is also set to miss Saturday’s opener. Miller reportedly suffered an upper-body injury during a team scrimmage a little over a week ago. While details remain limited, the setback sidelines a player who was expected to play a central role in the Crimson Tide’s offensive attack this fall. Alabama has a talented stable of running backs, but Miller’s mix of experience, explosiveness, and reliability made him a key part of offensive coordinator’s game plan heading into Tallahassee.
At this point, Alabama has not provided a definitive timetable for the return of either Keenan or Miller. Both injuries will be closely monitored, and updates will be eagerly awaited by Tide fans hoping to see two of their team’s veterans back in action as soon as possible.
The timing of these injuries could not be tougher, as Alabama faces a major test right out of the gate against Florida State. The Seminoles, looking to make their own College Football Playoff push in 2025, present a formidable challenge. Playing in Tallahassee only adds to the difficulty of the matchup. With kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Tide will need to rely on depth and resilience to overcome these early hurdles.
For Alabama fans, the news of losing both a defensive leader and an offensive weapon is a bitter pill to swallow just days before the season begins. However, if there’s one thing Nick Saban-built programs and now Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama are known for, it’s developing depth across the roster. Younger players and backups will now be called upon to step into larger roles on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
The Tide’s season is just beginning, but already adversity has struck. How Alabama responds could set the tone not just for Saturday’s showdown in Tallahassee, but for the entire 2025 campaign.