Jalston Fowler: Alabama RB Will Likely Miss 2012 Season Following Knee Surgery

Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jalston Fowler will most likely miss the rest of the 2012 college football season after suffering a knee injury on this past weekend that will require surgery. 

This according to the Tuscaloosa News' Cecil Hurt via Twitter on Monday:

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Alabama RB Jalston Fowler will have knee surgery, probably out for year per Nick Saban

— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) September 10, 2012"

A massive, 6'1", 245-pound running back-fullback hybrid, junior Jalston Fowler is at the moment the Crimson Tide's second-leading rusher this season.

Fowler was averaging 7.7 yards per carry before going down in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 35-0 win over Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa.

Here's what Alabama head coach Nick Saban had to say about Fowler following the news that he will likely miss the rest of 2012 (via The Birmingham News' Don Kausler Jr.):

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Jalston's been a great player in the program—a really good special teams guy, a great backup player for us. A really good attitude guy. Lots of character. Really good competitor. I know he feels badly. We feel badly, too, for him that he can't be a part and be able to contribute to our team this year.

"

Although Alabama fans have to feel bad for Fowler, who helped the Tide win a BCS national championship last season, they can be confident knowing that Nick Saban's squad has the depth to be able to survive such a loss.

Freshman leading-rusher T.J. Yeldon and junior Eddie Lacy are more than capable of carrying the load in the Alabama backfield. Lacy was the Tide's second-leading rusher last season, and Yeldon is averaging 8.0 yards per carry through the two games in 2012. 

Considering that Alabama's bid to repeat as champion will rely on its defense more than anything else, this injury is nothing more than a minor setback for Nick Saban's and the Crimson Tide's BCS title hopes this fall. 

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