re: Tua taken to hospital in ambulance

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Tua Tagovailoa will miss at least one week with a twisted ankle.

That’s what Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced after the Crimson Tide defeated rival Tennessee, 35-13, on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tagovailoa suffered the injury in the second quarter and did not return after visiting the medical tent and locker room.

“Tua will probably be out for a week,” Saban said. “I don’t know the extent. He’s got a twisted ankle. But I think he’s probably not going to be able to play for this next game. I know he’s going to get another MRI and all that in the morning, and they’ll decide exactly what to do from there.”

Tagovailoa rejoined his teammates in the locker room after the game, and according to outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, the junior quarterback said he will be ready to go for the LSU game.

“He said, ‘I’ll be back for LSU,’” Lewis said. “I know how Tua is. It’s something he’s been through before, so I don’t doubt the fact that he’s a competitor. He’s going to get right back, and he’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t the same ankle Tagovailoa injured last year in the SEC title game against Georgia.

Tagovailoa was 11-of-12 for 155 yards and threw an interception before the ankle injury and was replaced behind center by Mac Jones, who finished the rivalry game 6-of-11 for 72 yards.

“Mac did some good things, and we think Mac is capable,” Saban said. “So, we have a lot of confidence in Mac. I think the players have confidence in Mac.”

Alabama will next host to Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 26, before its second of two bye weeks.

UPDATE ON WILL REICHARD

Freshman placekicker Will Reichard also left the game with an injury and did not return.

The starting punter Saturday, Reichard played for the first time since suffering a hip flexor injury in the Southern Miss game. But he was only able to punt once before reaggravating his hip.

“Will Reichard may have reinjured (his hip),” Saban said. “He said this thing never hurt him at all when punting. He was a little skeptical about kicking, even though he has kicked some and he kicked in pregame, punted in pregame fine. He might’ve reinjured himself. We don’t the extent of that injury, either.”

Reichard was replaced by walk-on Ty Perine, who averaged 46.5 yards per punt.

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