TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama guard Lester Cotton has either appeared limited or taken reps with the second-team offensive line this week during the media viewing periods of practice.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban spoke about the senior following Day 3 of the No. 1 team’s preparation for the Tennessee Volunteers, but he provided very little in terms of an update.

“What kind of update? He played in the last game,” Saban said Wednesday. “He’s competing for a job just like everybody else around here. He twisted his ankle a little bit, he probably wasn’t 100 percent the last game. But he has every opportunity to go out there and do things the way he needs to do them so he can go out and play. There’s competition at every position.

“Some players think that I don’t like them. I like performance. That’s what I like.”

Cotton suffered a sprained ankle last week in practice but was able to start at left guard in the game against Missouri. Later in the contest, however, Cotton was replaced by Deonte Brown.

A local product (Central High), Cotton has started 31 games at either left or right guard in his career. But recently, whether because of injury or performance, he has practiced with the twos.

Brown, a redshirt sophomore, is listed at 6-foot-4, 344 pounds and is in better playing shape.

“He’s gotten his weight down a lot,” junior left tackle Jonah Williams said earlier this season. “I’m really proud of him about that. He’s a guy with elite body quickness. Even when he was way heavier than he should be, he was still moving quick out there. Now that he’s at a better weight, he’s playing with elite power and quickness. That’s a good thing. Like the rest of us, he’s got work to do, but I think he’s got a good mindset and he has been performing really well.”

As for other injuries, Saban said he has nothing new to report and “everybody seems to be OK.”

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (knee) has practiced all week, and the current plan is to play him at Tennessee this weekend. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) is the only Alabama player that has been limited in all open periods of practice for the Third Saturday in October.

“Smitty’s the only guy that I would say would be questionable for this game,” Saban said. “He hadn’t been able to practice to this point. … He hasn’t been able to practice. So, I haven’t seen him do anything. Walk around with me, talk to me.”

The Alabama-Tennessee game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT (CBS) on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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