When other schools lose a valuable football player to injury, it goes into the tank.
Alabama football, on the other hand, seems to always locate the next player in line. After watching Jaylen Waddle suffer a season-ending ankle injury, Crimson Tide fans will be hurt for a while. People are continuing to send him well wishes and hope he makes a strong recovery.
In the meantime, Alabama must have athletes who are ready to emerge and pick up the slack on offense.
Slade Bolden, a sophomore, impacted the game versus Tennessee with 94 yards receiving on six catches.
He brings a lot of playmaking abilities to the table and although he is not Waddle, the former three-star knows the playbook and is ready to give everything he has to help the team win. Behind him, the Tide has a trio of true freshmen — Javon Baker, Traeshon Holden and Thaiu Jones-Bell — that it wants to see grow. Nick Saban mentioned Baker as someone that can ‘certainly’ help the offense moving forward. According to Jordan Battle, a sophomore safety, he said Baker may have the best hands on the team.
Battle also went as far as to compare the freshman to former Tide standout, Amari Cooper.
If Baker is anything close to what Cooper was, college football will be on serious alert.
On Monday, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine discussed Waddle’s injury via In My Own Words and the players that must step up to cushion the blow.
Will we see another stroke of Saban’s recruiting genius? Answers should surface on Saturday versus Mississippi State.
Be sure to catch the show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on YouTube for TDA at 6:00 p.m. CT.
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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.
