Two TEs make one for Tide

By Robert Rousseau  |   Thursday, August 07, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Alabama Crimson Tide
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Alabama's Nick Saban is like every other college football head coach on the planet: He wants a do-everything tight end. Of course, getting that kind of player isn’t easy.

Right now Alabama simply doesn’t have its own Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez. That said, the Tide does possess a pair of tight ends worthy of note. In fact, the two seemingly combine to make quite a well-rounded player.

One’s primarily a blocker, while the other is mostly a receiver.

Last season, Travis McCall caught just six passes for 45 yards and no scores. But McCall, a senior, gets most of his accolades for being an excellent blocker. At 6-foot-2 and 261 pounds, the former three-star prospect has the size to do the job. But he also has tenacity, which is perhaps even more important.

Meanwhile, Nick Walker -- the receiver -- pulled in 23 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns last season. The senior pass catcher is both athletic and has good hands. Moreover, he can sometimes create mismatches for defensive backs and linebackers.

Walker has played significant time since his freshman season.

Both tight ends have been impressing for Alabama in the preseason. While they won't exactly make anyone think of Gates or Gonzalez, they do combine to make an effective tandem.
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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or ...
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