We noted earlier that Jacob Coker took to the field for the first time Friday as an Alabama football player.
Three of his new defensive teammates, however, didn’t join him.
At his summer camp kick-off press conference, head coach Nick Saban confirmed that three players -- defensive linemen Brandon Ivory and Jarran Reed and linebacker Tim Williams -- have been indefinitely suspended from the football program. The reason given, of course, was the standard violation of unspecified team rules.
Reed’ suspension, though, can be traced to a recent off-field incident. In mid-July, Reed was arrested and charged with drunk-driving after he was witnessed backing into another vehicle.
A short time later it was reported that Reed and running back Kenyan Drake, arrested last month as well on an obstruction charge, had been suspended; Drake practiced Friday, which means he’s served his suspension to Saban’s satisfaction.
The most notable of the announced suspensions was Ivory’s. Last season, the now-fifth-year senior started 12 games for the Tide and will be expected to fill a similar role when he returns.
As for when that might be, al.com wrote that Saban said, alluding to all three, that they “can work themselves back onto the team but did not provide a timetable.”