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The Tuscaloosa News
Alabama football starting lineman playing through 'pain on a daily basis'
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama football starting lineman playing through 'pain on a daily basis'
Alabama football right guard Jaeden Roberts shared playing time with backup Geno VanDeMark in the Crimson Tide 's loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday, and according to UA offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, the second-year starter is putting a high degree of toughness on display in even being available.
"J-Rob is one of my favorite people in the word, and he's going through a lot. He's in pain on a daily basis," Kapilovic said Wednesday. "You don't have to be a doctor to see that when you're watching him move around. He's playing through some things that I don't know that most people would."
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One solution: a little mid-game rest, hence VanDeMark's playing time. The transfer from Michigan State played 27 snaps against the Commodores , 22 on offense and five on special teams, per Pro Football Focus.
"We've got to give (Roberts) a series here and there to kind of let him get his body feeling better, take a breath, and go. So he's good with it. We work together, 'how are you feeling, what do we need to do here?,'" Kapilovic said. "Geno has filled in for him and done a good job. That's been helpful as well. ... There are a few things (with Roberts). He's dealing with a few things. He's living in the training room doing everything he can do. He's not going to look for a place to hide. I've got to do a good job as a coach to protect him sometimes and know what's best for him and the team."
Roberts, a fourth-year junior, has started every game this season and played 241 snaps. He was chosen as one of the Outland Trophy Players of the Week following Alabama 's road win at Wisconsin .
The Crimson Tide will play host to South Carolina on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ABC).
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Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football lineman playing through 'pain on a daily basis'
