As the week opens, college football fans begin to close in on arguably the most exciting week of the season. After another year filled with upsets and heart break, the final week of the campaign consists of rivalry games born ages ago while some teams will have the added pressure of trying to keep their title hopes alive. This appears to be the case for the Alabama Crimson Tide as they enter the ever-close Iron Bowl against the Auburn Tigers.
The Tigers have struggled in recent weeks- especially on the offensive side of the football- and hope starting wide receiver D’haquillle “Duke” Williams is able to return. The team’s leading receiver has missed the last two games with a knee injury and is “hopeful” he will be able to play against the Crimson Tide. Williams initially sustained the injury on November 6 and has been a question mark since. His 609 receiving yards and five touchdown catches in just nine games don’t properly define Williams’ importance to the Tigers offense, having him against the Tide would provide a major boost to the struggling unit. Williams’ speed stretches opposing defenses and keeps them on their toes, opening up both the running and passing game for quarterback Nick Marshall and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.
“We are hoping he will be back this week,” Malzahn said. “I am not ready to make that call yet, but we are hopeful.”
Williams missed the team’s 34-7 loss to Georgia in which the Tigers were unable to find any offensive spark sputtering to the brutal defeat. This past weekend, however, Auburn took care off a much inferior opponent Samford giving Williams an extra week to recover. Williams will undoubtedly be ready for any games beyond this point, but if the Tigers hope to ruin the Crimson Tide season, they will need Williams in the lineup.
*Section Photo credit to Mike Zarrilli, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to USA Today Sports
