Alabama football fans heard promising news Wednesday as coach Nick Saban gave hope that injured quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may play against No. 1 LSU next week.

Interestingly, Tagovailoa returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday.

Saban says Tagovailoa could be “a game-day decision” with a sprained right ankle but he took snaps and went through some work “on air” in Wednesday’s practice.

He didn’t go through team drills as the second-ranked Crimson Tide prepares for the Nov. 9 game against No. 1 LSU.

“This is going to be a day-by-day, game-day decision,” Saban said. “And there’s nothing really else that I can say about it. I can tell you that his mentality has been really good in terms of how he’s working, the things he’s doing and how he’s progressing and his attitude of trying to get back on the field and trying to progress.

“That’s always a good sign.”

Tagovailoa underwent a “tightrope” procedure on Oct. 20. The high ankle sprain is the same injury the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up suffered in the Southeastern Conference championship game last season, just to the other ankle.

He returned in time to play in the College Football Playoffs against Oklahoma, but this would be a quicker comeback.