TUSCALOOSA, Ala.| His patience earned him a start against Kent State and with the ball in his hands, wide receiver Cameron Sims had a career day for Alabama. Sims was one of two receivers that played in the absence of ArDarius Stewart (knee) and he delivered a solid effort, catching four passes for 54 yards.
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His hands, route running and balance along the sidelines (31-yard catch) helped set up a one-yard rushing touchdown from true freshman Joshua Jacobs. Sims’ outing set a new career-high for him in receptions and receiving yards, surpassing his three catches for 33 yards mark against Western Carolina in 2014.
He ended that year with seven catches for 62 yards and a score. Despite sustaining a knee injury in 2015 and a shoulder injury this season, Sims’ output on Saturday is a huge confidence boost for him moving forward.
“Cam Sims did a nice job and he’s healthy,” Saban said. “He’s got an opportunity now with some guys out, and we’ve always had a lot of confidence in Cam. He’s a big guy with great hands and great range as a ball catcher.”
During player interviews, Sims talked about how important it was for Alabama to start fast.
“Everything started with the offensive line and the quarterback and I just went and did my job,” he said. “We practice every day and if you can overcome hard practices, you can do well in a game.”
Sims was targeted six times, with four catches on throws from Hurts.
“I always tell him (Jalen Hurts) to just throw it and I’ll go get it,” Sims said.
With Stewart still listed as “questionable,” the chances of seeing Sims start next week against Kentucky are high. Saban said Stewart will get some work in starting Monday, but Sims proved in a dominant 48-0 win that he can be a dependable option in the passing game.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
