TUSCALOOSA — Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced that two linebackers will not be with the team at the outset of spring.

“Prince Hall is not going to be participating in spring practice for violation of team rules and policies,” he said. “Brandon Fanney will not participate today because of violation of team rules and policies — and I don’t know when he will return. Prince Hall is suspended indefinitely.”

Both players, who would be seniors this fall, have been in trouble in the past. Hall was suspended last spring and missed the first two games of the season.

Fanney started every game last season and was third on the team with 66 tackles.

NCAA question
Saban was asked about the school’s appearance Feb. 20 before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and if he thought sanctions would be upcoming.

“Well, as I understand it, on this topic we have one spokesman and that’s (university president) Dr. Witt,” the coach said. “And I think the university has done a fantastic job in investigating this.

“It was something that we uncovered ourselves and turned ourselves in on and I think, for a lot of reasons, it’s good to have one spokesman. And I’m very supportive of what we’ve done here. And I don’t think I should comment about it further because I don’t have any speculation on it.”

The coach continued, “You know what we did in (the) football (program) with the guys that it affected. We suspended them four games, which we were told at the time that’s the penalty that football should endure. We lost all four of those games and it was pretty painful. So we feel like our part of it we’ve suffered through a long time ago.”

Actually, Alabama defeated Tennessee without Antoine Caldwell, Marlon Davis, Glen Coffee, Chris Rogers and Marquis Johnson. Alabama then lost its last four games of the 2007 regular season, although the players were allowed to play against Auburn.

Good health
Saban said Alabama had only two players being held out of contact at the start of spring practice — Earl Alexander (right shoulder) and Roy Upchurch (neck), both of whom are recovering from offseason surgery.

Kareem Jackson participated in Friday’s practice wearing a cast on his surgically repaired left wrist.