Alabama football will be without Oklahoma State transfer tight end Josh Ford for the rest of the season due to injury, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb named the guys that are in a position to step up.
He highlighted Danny Lewis Jr., Kaleb Edwards and Jay Lindsey as guys that could have an expanded role in Ford’s absence.
“Danny Lewis, it starts with him because he’s your next pure end line Y or blocker,” Grubb said. “You know, Kaleb [Edwards] is obviously our guy as our starting Y, and I think I can’t say enough good about 81 and was not surprised he played as well as he did. I know he had the holding call that got called back, but he played well in the football game. I think he’s one of the five or six tight ends in the country that are 6-5, 260 pounds, true 50-50 player that can block and catch and doesn’t give any tells away when he’s on the field because he can do both. Think the world of Kaleb. Probably going to do more on his play, and like I said, Danny Lewis Jr. is a guy that will step up. Jay Lindsey will probably have more of an expanded role as well.”
Edwards scored a touchdown against LSU last Saturday and made a few key blocks in the run game, and he’s a guy that Grubb believes will take even more snaps because his talent and versatility causes his unpredictability to go through the room.
Jay Lindsey is a guy that’s lined up at fullback for the Crimson Tide at times this season, and he did it against LSU. He can line up in a handful of spots in the backfield or on the line and give Alabama a strong push up front. Danny Lewis Jr. is also a guy that can finish his blocks and get nasty in the running game.
Alabama football will face Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. CT.
