DEEP THREAT
Waddle return could make Tide's offense more potent
Shield your eyes, Ohio State fans.
Alabama’s second-ranked scoring offense might be getting even better, a scary yet possible development.
Dynamic wide receiver Jaylen Waddle returned to practice on Tuesday, and on Wednesday his teammates raved about how well he looked. Waddle, who most considered the sport’s most dangerous downfield threat before he fractured his right ankle Oct. 24, caught 25 passes for 557 yards and four touchdowns in four games prior to the injury.
“It would be really cool,” quarterback Mac Jones said over Zoom during the first of two media days for Monday’s national championship game in Miami Gardens, Fla., against Ohio State. “Jaylen has worked really hard to get back on the field and I know he wants nothing more than to play. ... But it’s his choice, and I feel like in watching him [practice], he looks really good out there. So we’ll see what happens.”
Whether the 5-foot-10 Waddle is active Monday night remains uncertain. Coach Nick Saban told ESPN on Tuesday that Waddle wants to play, but it depends how he looks in practices leading up to the game and what team doctors say.
Alabama didn’t miss a beat without Waddle in large part due to Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith’s emergence. Still, adding Waddle into the mix would make the Crimson Tide’s offense, which is already averaging 48.2 points per game and is fifth in passing yards (349.3), even more potent. He’s a likely top-10 draft pick, a game-changing speed merchant.
“I think everyone knows what he brings and when he’s on the field to the defense, how they look at that, how dynamic our offense is,” fellow Alabama receiver John Metchie III said.
The fact this is even a possibility makes preparing for this game even trickier for Ohio State. The Buckeyes already had to account for three of the top five Heisman Trophy vote-getters in Smith, Jones and running back Najee Harris. Now, Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs said, you have to add Waddle into that mix even if he is merely a decoy. Cornerback Marcus Williamson described it as “extensive, preparing for these guys.”
“He’s a great player, and you’re going to have to account for him on the field,” Coombs said of Waddle. “There’s no question about that. ... My hat’s off to him. If he’s been able to recover and rehab and all those kinds of things, I think those stories are great for college football.”
For Alabama, Waddle’s return is an exciting prospect. The Crimson Tide torched two top-12 defenses when Waddle was healthy, putting up 52 points on Texas A&M and 41 on Georgia. And now it faces an Ohio State defense ranked 116th against the pass, a unit allowing 281.1 yards per game. If Waddle is anything like his pre-injury self, it would mean the Buckeyes will have to pick their poison, and may not be able to offer as much help to whoever is tasked with guarding Smith.
“They just have so many really, really gifted players and receivers on offense,” Coombs said. “That’s another one.”
There could be a lot of risk involved. Waddle is a highly regarded prospect and obviously doesn’t want to hurt his draft stock. Reinjuring the ankle would be devastating. Then again, he’s really pushed hard in his rehab and could make an impact on the sport’s biggest stage. Waddle has never won a national championship, losing to Clemson in the title game his freshman year.
“We’ll see where it goes from here,” Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. “Clearly we’ve got about [five days] or so until the game, so probably a better question for Coach Saban, but yes, he was back at practice [Tuesday].”