CFP CHAMPIONSHIP: Will he or won't he? Bama's Waddle on everybody's mind

Jaylen Waddle last played against Tennessee when he was injured on the opening kickoff. Reports are he could see action on Monday’s national championship game. (Unv. Alabama Media Relations)

By TIM GAYLE

It’s been 74 days since Jaylen Waddle suffered a high ankle sprain and fracture to his right ankle in Knoxville. 

Since then, top-ranked Alabama has won all seven games, DeVonta Smith has won the Heisman Trophy and the Crimson Tide offense has been on a record-setting pace.

Yet, when Waddle returned to practice for the first time on Tuesday, it became the biggest story leading up to Alabama’s matchup with Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Gardens on Monday.

Will he play or not? 

“No comment,” was Smith’s reply when asked for a prediction. 

And if Waddle’s return actually leads to playing time on Monday night, just how effective will he be?

“He actually looked really good, but I don’t know if I can answer that question properly because you’ve got to ask Coach (Nick) Saban and the training staff,” said quarterback Mac Jones. “But he’s worked really hard in his rehab and we’ll see what happens.”

Even as a decoy, Waddle would give Ohio State defenders and coaches pause simply because of his big-play ability. Since going out on the opening kickoff of the Tennessee game on Oct. 24, Waddle’s place in the lineup has been taken by Slade Bolton, an effective receiver who has 254 yards on 21 receptions in place of Waddle but clearly isn’t the same explosive threat.   

“I think you absolutely have to prepare like he’s going to play,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs said, “and I would promise you that he’s an extraordinary athlete. He played five games and you watch the tape and he’s a special player. My hat’s off to him. If he’s been able to recover and rehab and all those kind of things, I think those stories are great for college football. But he’s a great player, and you’re going to have to account for him on the field. There’s no question about that.”

Waddle was averaging 22.3 yards per reception at the time of his injury and if he never played another snap at Alabama, his career average of 19.1 yards on 103 receptions is second only to Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome. His return to the lineup would give Jones a trio of options that include Smith and John Metchie.

“It would be really cool,” Jones admitted. “Jaylen has worked really hard to get back on the field and I know he wants nothing more than to play, but I think they're just going to make that decision downstairs (in the training room). But it’s his choice and I feel like, in watching him, he looks really good out there. So we’ll see what happens.”

Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, asked on Wednesday about Waddle, said “we’ll see where it goes from here,” adding that Waddle’s status is “probably a better question for Coach Saban, but yes, he was back at practice (on Tuesday).”

If first impressions are worth anything, Smith and Metchie agreed with Jones that Waddle’s return on Tuesday went better than expected.

“It’s amazing just to see him recover,” Smith said. “I’m glad that he's recovering well and that everything is just going as planned. I think he’s getting back into it. Of course, he’s going to take some time just for him to get back comfortable with everything, but he looks good to me.”

“Waddle has looked good,” Metchie agreed. “As to him coming back, I think everyone knows what he brings and what that brings when he’s on the field to the defense, how they look at that, how dynamic our offense is. So I feel like everyone kind of knows what he brings to the table.”