Alabama football saw a Crimson Tide wide receiver, who had only caught one pass prior, step up and pull in a clutch touchdown reception against LSU.
While leading 17-13, Ryan Coleman-Williams flipped the field in Alabama’s direction with an explosive punt return in the fourth quarter. The return put the Tide in position to take a deep shot to its 6-foot-4 freshman wide receiver, Cederian Morgan, and the Alabama native made it count by taking the football into the end zone.
The touchdown reception gave Morgan his second reception of the season and his second touchdown reception. He pulled in the first catch of his career against Florida State earlier this season, and he also took that reception in for six.
With two touchdowns and two receptions next to his name this season, some Tide fans are wondering why Morgan is not more involved with the Alabama offense.
It appears it may not be for a severe lack of snaps. The Alabama wide receiver has seen playing time at wide receiver in each of the Tide’s games this season. He was only limited once, and that was when he was dealing with a hamstring injury against Tennessee.
“Cederian was nursing a hamstring and missed a couple of days of practice,” Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. “It was a little tougher to get him out there, he was going crazy trying to get himself ready, he’s a tough kid. We had that thing wrapped and we were just a little hesitant on how much he’ll be able to do.”
There have been moments when different wide receivers stepped up for Alabama this season. Ryan Coleman-Williams, Rico Scott and Lotzeir Brooks have all had their fair share of big moments as the Tide’s top receiving targets.
Alabama will likely lean on the previously mentioned three Alabama wide receivers throughout the rest of the season, but Morgan could potentially add a different element out wide for the Tide, particularly in the red area, where he made his two catches with his 6-foot-4 frame, athleticism and reliable hands that so many have spoken highly of.
“We call him the Gulf of Mexico,” Coleman-Williams said while discussing Morgan during the spring. “You throw it in there, he’s gonna catch it.”
It will be interesting to see if more targets go Morgan’s way in the red zone over the next several weeks.
