Alabama down to four healthy wide receivers for ReliaQuest Bowl

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – With the opening of the winter transfer window, Alabama will be without multiple players in the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup with Michigan. The position most impacted by departures was wide receiver, which saw four players choose to enter the portal.

Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed on Wednesday that Alabama will have four scholarship receivers available for the final game of the season played on December 31.

“In practice, there’s more guys that can be involved,” DeBoer said. “We just gotta keep bringing more guys along with understanding the offense on a level to where they can step on the football field and help us if needed.”

Alabama saw four receivers transfer during this 20-day portal window, including Kendrick Law, Kobe Prentice, Emmanuel Henderson and Caleb Odom. As of Thursday morning, Prentice and Odom have found new homes, committing to Baylor and Ole Miss, respectively.

That left the Tide with eight scholarship wideouts on the current roster. However, there are four players at the position who are dealing with injuries. Jalen Hale has missed the entire season due to a significant knee injury he suffered in the spring, while Cole Adams was ruled out for the year after sustaining a lower-extremity injury in Alabama’s win over Missouri.

A couple of true freshmen, Amari Jefferson and Bubba Hampton, are also not healthy.

Because of injuries, Alabama is left with four wide receivers for its bowl prep. That includes its top two receivers, Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard, and two backups, Jaren Hamilton and Rico Scott. The latter duo has played in three games apiece in the 2024 season.

There is the possibility of freshman defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe getting a look on offense, as well, but UA offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan was asked how he plans to manage snaps at a position that has been impacted by both the transfer portal and multiple injuries.

“We’ll utilize all the roster, all the positions,” Sheridan said. “We have plenty of good players that will be available to play in the game. What that looks like, how we kind of deploy the personnel, we certainly wouldn’t want to let our opponent know what that looks like. But we’ll have plenty of good players that will play in the game, and we’ll maximize the guys that we do have.”

Williams and Bernard have dominated the receiver reps in games all season long. They each have 45 or more receptions, while no other player on Alabama’s roster has reached 20.

However, these bowl practices allow Hamilton and Scott to see more snaps. Hamilton, a redshirt freshman, has played in five combined games the last two years and has yet to catch a pass. A true freshman, Scott has seen action in three games this fall, maintaining his redshirt. But Scott has four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown so far in his rookie year.

Set to see his most involved outing to date, his coaches spoke highly of the freshman.

“I think Rico is a really exciting, young player,” Sheridan said. “I know he’s excited for the opportunity, and we’re excited for him. We have a lot of trust and belief in him. 

“He’s a player that, even throughout his time here in scrimmages and opportunities where he’s gotten out there, he’s done a real nice job. He’s made plays. He’s executed at a high level. He’s dependable. 

“Even in the games that he’s gotten into, he’s done a nice job. So he’s a tough, smart, dependable, young football player that I think is really excited about the opportunity.”

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