Despite being charged with knowingly spreading a sexually transmitted disease, Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett will remain with the team, according to head coach Nick Saban.
REPORT: Alabama offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett has been arrested and charged with knowingly giving someone an STD.
Pritchett was a 5-star recruit. pic.twitter.com/MAyRYMZXUg
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 21, 2023
Head coach Nick Saban addressed the issue Wednesday during a meeting with reporters at Disneyland before the team's Rose Bowl matchup Monday against the Michigan Wolverines.
"We're handling his circumstance internally, and that's all I can really comment about," Saban said. "His status on the team has not been affected to this point."
The Tuscaloosa Police Department received a report on the matter Dec. 13. Pritchett was arrested seven days later, on Dec. 20, and charged with a Class C misdemeanor.
Pritchett, a former five-star recruit, is 19 years old and was released on a $500 bond. He was granted "youthful offender status," which means he can plead to get a lighter sentence and avoid a criminal conviction.
No statement was released formally by the university before Saban's comments to reporters Wednesday.
Pritchett had a run-in with the law in April, when he was ticketed for speeding following the first scrimmage of the spring and served community service.
A native of Midland, Georgia, Pritchett has been with Alabama for the past two seasons. He's played 108 total snaps, 44 of which were in pass-blocking and 64 were in run-blocking.
In his 44 pass-blocking snaps, Pritchett has allowed three sacks and four pressures.
The Crimson Tide are the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. Pritchett didn't appear in that game. They were selected for the playoffs over the Florida State Seminoles, who had gone undefeated and won the ACC Championship Game.
Even though Pritchett remains with the team, it will be intriguing to see whether he takes the field for the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff.
