Report: LSU WR Jack Bech back from injury against Alabama but might not return punts

The LSU offense should have at least one banged-up skill player available for tonight’s massive showdown with No. 6 Alabama. After battling injury, Jack Bech appears to be in line to play tonight against the Crimson Tide, offering quarterback Jayden Daniels one of his top targets at receiver.

But Bech might not be back to return punts tonight, duties he has handled for most of the season.

According to LSU beat writer Wilson Alexander of The Advocate, Bech did not warm up with the punt returners before the game. Instead, those duties went to Gregory Clayton and Javen Nicholas.

LSU’s punt returners have been a bit of a liability this season, and with Jack Bech coming off an injury it looks like the Tigers will pull him from that role this evening.

The sophomore had returned four punts this season for just three yards, but he’s had a costly miscue back there, as well. Bech muffed a punt in the team’s win over Florida at a key juncture.

He had taken over return duties after LSU’s special teams unit struggled in the season opener against Florida State, with Malik Nabers muffing two against the Seminoles.

At receiver, Bech has recorded 10 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown this season.

LSU and Alabama are scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN.

Alabama-LSU a significant SEC West matchup

Going into the month of November LSU is right in the thick of the SEC West title race, sporting a 4-1 conference mark that matches that of Alabama and Ole Miss. A win would put the Tigers firmly into the driver’s seat in the division, having already beaten the Rebels.

Coach Brian Kelly spoke on how big the Alabama game is this week.

“Well, I think every year it’s a big game,” said Kelly. “Certainly, there’s more implications now because both teams are vying for the SEC West title. At the end of the day, this is about restoring LSU’s football to the consistent level that Nick Saban has established at Alabama.

“Certainly, in 2019, we’re a national championship team. Since that time, we have not been to the standards. My job coming here was to create the consistency and the standards that are LSU football. We gotta go prove that. And it’s gonna take playing great football against an elite program and what coach (Nick) Saban has created at Alabama.”