Kalen DeBoer explains Noah Rogers’ limited playing time for Alabama
The Alabama coach cited other receivers’ progress and more formations using tight ends after Rogers returned from injury. He said the team wants to give Rogers more opportunities.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said on October 28 that other receivers’ progress and the team’s use of more tight ends have limited Noah Rogers’ playing time since the wide receiver returned from injury. Rogers has played 12 receiver snaps across five games, according to The Tuscaloosa News, leaving a transfer who arrived with two seasons of NC State experience in a small role in Alabama’s offense.
Why Noah Rogers has played 12 receiver snaps
Speaking on the SEC coaches teleconference, DeBoer said Rogers had done a good job coming along in practice. He pointed to teammates who had improved during the season, singling out Rico Scott for his play the previous weekend and his consistency as both a receiver and a blocker. DeBoer also said formations with more tight ends leave fewer snaps for wide receivers.
DeBoer said Alabama thinks highly of Rogers and wants to involve him more. But he described the choice as a playing-time tradeoff: giving Rogers more opportunities would mean taking another player off the field. He did not give a timetable or a target number of snaps for a larger role.
Rogers’ return from injury and Alabama production
Rogers was injured during Alabama’s A-Day scrimmage in mid-April and returned for the Week 4 win over South Carolina. BamaOnLine identified the injury as a knee injury and reported that his recovery was quicker than expected. The Tuscaloosa News described it more broadly as a lower-body injury. His return put him back on the field, but his appearances have remained brief: BamaOnLine counted two or fewer receiver snaps in four of his five games.
In his first Alabama season, Rogers has caught three passes for 55 yards. BamaOnLine reported that 36 of those yards came against South Carolina and that he had no catches in the following three games. Those figures show how little receiving production has followed his return, while DeBoer’s comments explain the competition for the limited receiver snaps Alabama has used.
Before transferring to Alabama, Rogers spent two seasons at NC State after moving there from Ohio State. He made 33 catches for 441 yards and two touchdowns for the Wolfpack in 2025, according to BamaOnLine. That previous production gives context to DeBoer’s interest in finding him more opportunities, even as the coach said the current lineup leaves another player’s place at stake.
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Sources and context
- Where has Noah Rogers been for Alabama football? Kalen DeBoer explainsThe Tuscaloosa News, republished by Yahoo Sports
- Why isn't Noah Rogers playing more? Kalen DeBoer respondsBamaOnLine (On3)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.