Three practices into fall camp, Alabama football safety Keon Sabb was "in a good mood, flying around." And after how his 2024 season ended, it's all he could really ask for.
Sabb, whose first season with the Crimson Tide ended with a leg injury in Alabama 's loss to Tennessee , is back on the practice field working out ahead of the official start of his redshirt junior season.
"I'm feeling really good," Sabb said. "Jeff Allen and coach (David) Ballou did a great job getting me ready for the season. And I think I'm really close. I'm really getting there."
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said Sabb is "ahead of really every marker that we had in the offseason for him."
"We weren't sure if he would be able to go to the level that he's going right now at the beginning of fall camp," Wommack said. "But he is, and he's here. I don't think I can put a number on it, but I mean he's out there playing with our guys. He's comfortable enough to be able to do that."
Sabb said his leg injury happened a week or two before the Tennessee game, but "nothing too big." In the loss to the Volunteers, he hobbled off the field helped by trainers and had his left leg wrapped on the sideline. He later returned in the second half and played 30 snaps overall.
"I just wanted to be there for my teammates," Sabb said.
DeBoer later confirmed Sabb had surgery to repair his ailment and said in November the safety would be "back and ready to roll for next year."
It's something Sabb wanted to do, especially since the safety didn't end his first season at Alabama with a national championship ring.
As Sabb flies around in a good mood on the practice field, that's the reason he came back, ultimately.
"I didn't accomplish what I wanted to as a team," Sabb said.
Alabama opens the 2025 season against Florida State Aug. 30.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Keon Sabb ahead of schedule for Alabama football 2025 season after injury
