Alabama running back suffers significant injury, per report
Published:
Alabama running back AK Dear is expected to miss an “extended period of time” due to an ankle injury suffered in fall camp, according to a report.
That’s per On3’s Charlie Potter and Pete Nakos, who shared that news on Friday afternoon. The report says Dear’s timeline for a return is “roughly” 6 weeks.
That timeline would mean Dear would likely miss the first month of the 2026 regular season. Alabama is set to face East Carolina, Kentucky, Florida State and South Carolina during the month of September.
Crucially, Alabama will host Georgia in a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship Game on Oct. 10.
When healthy, Dear is expected to be part of Alabama’s running back committee this season along with Kevin Riley, Daniel Hill and EJ Crowell. The Crimson Tide are hoping to increase their rushing production in 2026 after a forgetful 2025 campaign in that regard.
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Last season, Dear served mostly as a reserve but racked up 140 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 carries. He was a true freshman in 2025, but flashed potential in a limited number of opportunities.
Alabama will kick off the 2026 season against East Carolina on Sept. 5.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
