If one was to poll the Alabama football fan base on which tight end it expects to have a monster season in the fall, the majority of votes would swing to Irv Smith, Jr. As he enters his third season from New Orleans (La.), Smith recorded 14 catches in 2017 for 124 receiving yards with three touchdowns.
The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder has a physic that resembles former Tide star O.J. Howard. While Hale Hentges is on preseason watch for the John Mackey Award and the duo of Kedrick James and Major Tennison continues to grow, there is one other player on the roster that anticipates the opportunity to produce upon his return from a season-ending injury.
Miller Forristall was one of the more talented three-star athletes to play for Nick Saban.
Upon his arrival to the University of Alabama from Georgia in 2016, Forristall’s impact was felt immediately in matchups against Arkansas and LSU. His 22-yard reception along the sideline versus the Tigers in Baton Rouge helped set up the lone touchdown of the game by either team.
Before assisting Alabama to a 10-0 win over LSU, Forristall brought in a 35-yard catch from Jalen Hurts against Arkansas on the road. Saban mentioned him being “O.J. Howard-like” prior to suffering an anterior crucial ligament injury last season and after being awarded a medical redshirt, Forristall looks to recapture the success he envisioned himself producing.
In a conversation with Josh Palet, former Tide walk-on quarterback in 2016, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine learned how valuable Forristall is.
“When we watched film with the offensive coaches after each game, one thing we noticed was how open he was on every play,” Palet said of Forristall. “He’s neither the biggest nor the fastest guy, but he finds ways to create separation.”
Now at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, the sophomore expects to stand out among the group and provide whomever starts at quarterback with a reliable target. With fall camp starting Friday, Alabama fans should have their eyes focused on No. 87 as Forristall makes his push.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
