Nick Saban praises Will Reichard for being 'tremendous asset' for Alabama

Countless NFL Draft picks have come through Tuscaloosa since Nick Saban took over. All-Americans were produced on a yearly basis too, proving Alabama had the best talent in the country. There was just one position Saban could not figure out — kicker. Special team disasters have been at the forefront of a few memorable losses, some fans do not want to think about.

Then, Will Reichard showed up in Tuscaloosa and has been absolute nails for Alabama. He has hit more clutch kicks in stressful moments than anyone else in the Saban era. For the first time ever, there was a reliable placekicker for the head coach.

Saban recently talked about Reichard, having nothing but high praise for the Hoover native. He has done more for Alabama than just putting the goal through the uprights. Reichard has been on kickoff duty and kept teams from taking back any returns.

“He’s fantastic,” Saban said. “To have really good specialists on your team is a tremendous asset. People that you can depend on in the clutch. People don’t even realize — they talk about field goals and extra points — but kickoff and kickoff placement and putting the ball in the right place so you’re coverage patterns are most effective. And Will does all of that stuff extremely well. He’s very accurate, has a strong leg.” 

Reichard is in his fifth college season, missing just 15 kicks throughout his time. Two of them have been extra points, with the remaining 13 being field goal attempts. He was perfect throughout the 2020 national championship season and can say the same thus far in 2023.

There is more to Reichard than just the football field, though. Saban does not believe there is a person more dedicated, saying Reichard wants to excel at everything he does — on and off the field.

“What a great person,” Saban said. “You couldn’t find someone who is a better guy and more committed to trying to be the best he can be in everything that he does. The kind of person he is, kind of student he is.”

As Alabama progresses through the year, Reichard is likely going to be needed. His clutch kick against Tennessee is forgotten from last season due to Alabama eventually winning out. He also hit the game-winning kick against Texas in Austin with seconds remaining.

Saban has a true weapon on his hands.