TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Alabama Crimson Tide had three players sustain injuries Saturday that will impact at least the next few games, Alabama coach Nick Saban said Monday.
Running back Kenyan Drake suffered the worst injury during the Crimson Tide's 23-17 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. Saban said it'd be eight to 10 more weeks before the speedy junior "would be able to even think about playing football again."
"They sort of break the leg and your ankle is dislocated and you pin the two together," Saban said of the nature of the injury. "But that's not medical expertise. That will be a better question for the medical staff."
Starting linebacker Denzel Devall will miss the next three to four weeks after having surgery for a high ankle sprain and starting center Ryan Kelly will be out "a couple of weeks" with a sprained knee depending on how his rehab goes, according to Saban.
Drake, who had been used as both a running back and a wide receiver, was one of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin's most explosive weapons. He had 112 yards and four touchdowns rushing and 159 yards and two touchdowns receiving.
"Kenyan has a lot of production for us and has done a really good job all year long," Saban said. "I don't think there's any question about the fact that when you do lose a player like that it does have some impact.
"But I do think we have players that can do those things, and they're going to get the opportunity to do it and we're going to have to have some other people step up."
The No. 7 Crimson Tide face Arkansas and Texas A&M the next two weeks.
Alabama will lean more heavily on starting running back T.J. Yeldon and second-stringer Derrick Henry with Drake out. Redshirt freshman Tyren Jones and true sophomore Altee Tenpenny are likely to receive more snaps in his absence, as well.
With Kelly sidelined, Alabama will turn to redshirt freshman Bradley Bozeman, a former four-star prospect.
Dillon Lee will likely take on the role of outside linebacker for Devall.
"All these guys have been really good players for us," Saban said. "They've made a great contribution to our team in many different ways. But as always, when you lose players it creates opportunities for other players, and this is obviously a situation where we're going to need some other guys to step up big to take the roles of what these guys have been able to accomplish and do."