Jaeden Roberts injury update: What happened to Alabama's offensive guard? 

Alabama's junior offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts has been one of coach Kalen DeBoer's most important players as he steps into the shoes vacated by retired coach Nick Saban. Roberts took over the starting guard spot last year against the Texas A&M Aggies and has not relinquished it since.

During Bama's crucial Week 11 night clash against the LSU Tigers in Death Valley, Roberts injured his left leg in the second quarter with the Tide leading 14-6. "Tide Illustrated" analyst Jack Knowlton revealed that the offensive lineman had been taken directly into the locker room.

"Jaeden Roberts was taken directly to the locker room by #Alabama staff members. He could not put any weight on his left leg. Geno VanDeMark has replaced Roberts," Knowlton tweeted.

Jaeden Roberts has been playing through the pain

After the Alabama Crimson Tide's shock loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 6 of college football action, Bama's offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic revealed during his weekly news conference that Jaeden Roberts had been playing through the pain this season.

"J-Rob is one of my favorite people in the world, and he's going through a lot. He's in pain on a daily basis," Kapilovic said. "You don't have to be a doctor to see that when you're watching him move around. He's playing through some things that I don't know that most people would."

Kapilovic further explained that Robert's condition meant that he split snaps with backup Geno VanDeMark to allow him to rest.

"We've got to give (Jaeden Roberts) a series here and there to kind of let him get his body feeling better, take a breath, and go," Kapilovic said. "So he's good with it. We work together, 'how are you feeling, what do we need to do here?'" Kapilovic said. "Geno has filled in for him and done a good job.

"That's been helpful as well. ... There are a few things (with Roberts). He's dealing with a few things. He's living in the training room doing everything he can do. He's not going to look for a place to hide. I've got to do a good job as a coach to protect him sometimes and know what's best for him and the team."

Jaeden Roberts has shown his dependability to both coach Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer over the past few months and Alabama fans will hope that his injury does not turn out to be serious as the college football season enters its homestretch.