Alabama redshirt sophomore receiver Michael Bowman is suspended from the team and is not expected to make the trip to New Orleans for the BCS championship game on Jan. 9.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban held a news conference Monday night that coincided with the start of on-campus preparation for LSU, and he poked fun at Alabama beat writers for not noticing that Bowman and freshman receiver Ronald Carswell were not practicing.
"They've been suspended for a long time," Saban said.
Bowman, a former Ridgeland High School standout, played in the season opener against Kent State but has not played since. Carswell hasn't played at all.
Alabama associate athletic director Doug Walker did not elaborate on Bowman's status when contacted Tuesday.
"He's suspended," Walker said. "That's all Coach has said, and that's all that we are allowed to say."
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Bowman was rated by Rivals.com and Scout.com as a top-20 receiver nationally in the 2009 signing class after making 37 catches for 1,075 yards and 14 touchdowns during his senior season with the Panthers. He played in four games as an Alabama freshman in '09, making a 7-yard reception against North Texas, and redshirted last season.