The next wave of stars includes linebacker Reuben Foster,

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- DeAndre Levy can finally return to practice with the Detroit Lions.The linebacker, who missed all but one half of one game with a hip injury last season, was taken off the non-football injury list on Tuesday morning after dealing with an undisclosed injury during the first three weeks of training camp.Levy told ESPN on Monday he wanted to get some action just to sharpen up before the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 11, which is the goal date in his head to play again.I would like to get some live reps so the first time out there, bullets arent just flying, Levy told ESPN on Monday. You know, we had a lot of defense, a lot of installation, and you want to get some natural reps. Its different seeing them on paper and seeing them on the tablet, so I would like to get some reps, like I said, but Im not stressing preseason ... the goal is September 11th.Levy said he believes hes close to returning. He was a surprise addition to the non-football injury list at the start of training camp and referred all questions about what was wrong with him to Lions coach Jim Caldwell.Caldwell has not elaborated on Levys injury.Levy has been spending most of Detroits training camp practices standing behind the linebackers and mimicking what they would be doing on certain plays during installation. Hes doing that for multiple reasons. The first is to make sure he understands his reads and what is supposed to happen when he gets back out there. The second is to teach the guys who are playing in his place right now.It hasnt been easy for him to sit out -- especially after he missed last season. He was the NFLs leader in solo tackles in 2014 with 117 and was tied for second in the league in interceptions in 2013 with six.But sitting out last season gave him perspective on how he has to approach injuries and his body.Just being patient, man, Levy said. Thats the biggest thing I kind of took away from it, is just being patient. Im not beating myself up over missing games that dont count. My body, have to be more conscious of taking care of my body and letting it rest when it needs to rest and taking my time.Thats kind of what happened last year. I felt my foot was on the gas every time. You know, Id come back from something and my foots back on the gas. So I gotta just, going into Year 8, youve got to be a little more conscious of that, I think.That said, Levy admits it has been hard to watch, especially because he hasnt played with pads on in so long. Oh my God, its killing me. It kills me, man, it kills me, Levy said. But its necessary. I try to have a long-term perspective on it all.The perspective is rest now so he is healthy later.For the Lions, Levys absence has left them thin at linebacker. Josh Bynes, who started the preseason opener in Levys place, also sat out practice Monday.Detroit is also without Jon Bostic, who had foot surgery Monday. ESPN Insiders Josina Anderson reported that he injured a fifth metatarsal before he was carted off during practices with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, last week.Caldwell was was unclear on when Bostic might return.Well see how long it takes [Bostic] to heal, Caldwell said. He told me hes a quick healer. Well see.A source told Anderson on Tuesday that Bostic is expected to be out between 6-12 weeks depending on how he responds to rehab. Cheap MLB Jerseys From China . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Cheap MLB Jerseys Nike 2020 . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Clearance MLB Jerseys . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. A few plays are often the difference between a truly successful season at Alabama and one that leaves the Crimson Tide feeling unfulfilled. The finest line separates a championship team and one that comes up just short.By thinking beyond the slimmest margins that separate winning and losing, Alabama coach Nick Saban has built one of the greatest dynasties in college football history.I talk a lot about trying to be a dominant player, not winning the game, Saban told The Associated Press. I talk a lot about being a champion, not winning a championship. And theres a little bit of difference in that. Were trying to create a process here that helps a guy be all he can be. Were not trying to create a process that wins a game.Though there has been an awful lot of that going on in Tuscaloosa since Saban got to town in 2007. And there is no reason to think it will stop this season.The defending national champion Crimson Tide is the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25 for the third time under Saban and the fifth time in the history of the program.The Tide received 33 of 61 first-place votes from the media panel and 1,469 points in the poll released Sunday. No. 2 Clemson, which lost the College Football Playoff championship game to Alabama in January, received 16 first-place votes and 1,443 points.Oklahoma is No. 3 in the preseason poll and received four first-place votes. No. 4 Florida State had five first-place votes. No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Michigan all received one first-place vote.Alabama has won an unprecedented four national championships in the last seven seasons, but none has come when the Tide started No. 1 (2010 and 2013). Thats one of a couple of trends Alabama will be trying to buck this season. The last preseason No. 1 to win the national championship was Southern California in 2004.Still, Alabama is the safest bet in college football. Since 2008, only once has a season reached Thanksgiving without Alabama in contention for a national title. In three seasons (2008, 2013, 2014) during which Alabbama has not played for the national championship under Saban, the Tide lost a close game to a team that did.ddddddddddddNone of that history matters to Saban, who is only two national championships away from matching Bear Bryants record six during his 25 years as coach at Alabama. Saban does recognize that staying on top is more difficult than getting there.It all goes back to competitive character, attitude, how people buy in. How you fight human nature. Its basically human condition to get satisfied with success, said the 64-year-old Saban, who is 105-18 at Alabama. Theres a lot of books written on how to be successful. Theres not a lot of books written on how to stay successful.Having an army of four- and five-star recruits is a good place to start.The deepest and most dominant front seven in college football last season had three players (linemen AShawn Robinson and Jarran Reed and linebacker Reggie Ragland) taken in the second round of the NFL draft. The next wave of stars includes linebacker Reuben Foster, edge pass rusher Tim Williams and defensive end Jonathan Allen. Talent is never in question in Tuscaloosa. Replacing the leadership Robinson, Reed and Ragland brought to the team will be more difficult.I cant say that I know that they will step in those roles, Saban said. I dont think your true competitive character ever gets revealed until you get in the heat of the battle, and how you respond to things when it doesnt go your way.Alabama will be breaking in a new starting quarterback this season. But why worry about that? Three of the Tides championships under Saban, including last seasons, have come with first-year starting quarterbacks.The Tide loses a Heisman Trophy-winning running back in Derrick Henry and has two former five-star recruits waiting to pick up the slack in Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough.The machine keeps humming.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '