Alabama is not ready to say he’s full go, but the freshman is making progress.
Will Reichard has not attempted a field goal since the Crimson Tide’s 49-7 win over Southern Mississippi at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He sustained a hip flexor upon attempting a kickoff and did not return to action. Nick Saban listed his highly-touted kicker as ‘questionable’ for the games that followed and though he’s improving, Reichard is listed as ‘day-to-day’ for now.
“He kicked some today,” Saban said of Reichard on Wednesday.
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“He punted some yesterday. So, we have to manage things based on the symptoms. It is kind of like Doc told me when I was coming off my hip surgery, he said it’s great to do the rehab and you work. You been taught all your life to push, push, push and when it hurts, you work through it, but he said for one time in your life when it hurts… you have to stop and that is how we got to handle this injury with him. If it hurts, we got to stop. We got to continue to make sure he is making progress and we do not have a setback. So far, we have been able to do that.”
Reichard, a three-star from Hoover, Ala., has made four of seven field goals and 21 of 22 extra point attempts in four games. Joseph Bulovas, a sophomore, replaced him against the Golden Eagles and started at place kicker versus Mississippi and Texas A&M. He made three of four field goals and 18 of 19 point after touchdown tries in four matchups.
Hopefully, the Tide will get Reichard back healthy soon.
For now, it looks like Bulovas will start his third game against Tennessee.
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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.
