Does Alabama have more tricks up its sleeve for Kadyn Proctor?

Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor (74) runs against the Georgia Bulldogs in the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Alabama is still buzzing about Kadyn Proctor’s foray into the receiving game against Georgia over the weekend. As for the starting left tackle himself, he’s not satisfied when it comes to adding elements to his game. 

“He told me today, he was like, ‘All right, I can catch the ball, let’s see if I can throw the ball,” Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said of Proctor. “I was like, ‘No, you stick to catching, and I’ll stick to throwing.’” 

Simpson might not be ready to welcome Proctor into the quarterback room, but starting tight end Josh Cuevas jokingly extended an invitation to his unit moving forward. 

“Shoot,” Cuevas said. “I wouldn’t mind another big body in there.”

In all seriousness, Proctor isn’t about to give up his day job anytime soon. In fact, the 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle’s transition to part-time playmaker didn’t come as effortlessly as he made it seem this past Saturday. 

“We ran it in camp against our defense, and we had told him, ‘Hey, wipe off your hands, we’re coming to you’ because it’s hot and sweaty,’” Simpson said. “He was like, ‘All right, all right.’ Sure enough, in one of the scrimmages, we do it, we throw it to him, hit him in his chest and he drops him.

“We were campaigning like, ‘Hey, get on the JUGS [machine] just in case. He’s been great ever since.” 

Following Tuesday’s practice, Simpson laughed when starting center Parker Brailford interrupted his media session to ask if he was worried about Proctor dropping the ball against Georgia. 

“No comment,” Simpson said with a smile.

Cuevas, on the other hand, had full confidence in Proctor’s debut as a jumbo receiver.  

“Once I stepped on the sideline, I immediately turned around,” said Cuevas, who came off the field for the play. “I was like, ‘Yep, this is going to get thrown. This is going to happen right now.’ As soon as Ty threw it out there, my jaw just dropped. Everyone had confidence in KP to catch it, so it was just a matter of how many yards he was going to get. Once he just kept bowling through all the defenders, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going to get into the end zone.’”

There’s no telling if Proctor will get another opportunity to display his playmaking ability moving forward. That being said, it’s a safe bet Alabama’s other linemen won’t be stepping into skill roles. 

“No, no, no,” Simpson said. “They’ve been on the pads. The blocking sled. They’ve been doing a great job.”

So what’s the next trick in Alabama’s playbook? 

“Maybe two quarterbacks,” Simpson said with a grin. “We’ll see. Keep you on your toes.” 

Perhaps we’ll see some more unique formations this weekend when No. 10 Alabama (3-1, 1-0 SEC) hosts No. 16 Vanderbilt (5-0, 1-0) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.