Alabama lost one of the most dynamic offensive players in the country early in the first half against Tennessee.
WR Jaylen Waddle suffered a broken ankle on the opening kick return in Saturday’s Tennessee game, it was reported by Aaron Suttles at halftime when Alabama held a 28-10 lead. It was a season-ending injury. He needed two people to help him to the locker room, and later left the stadium in an ambulance. Waddle was coming off of a 6-catch, 161-yard outing in Alabama’s 41-24 win over Georgia in Week 4.
Waddle returned the ball 15 yards before his ankle rolled under a Tennessee defender.
This is a huge loss for Alabama as Waddle was one of the best all-purpose players in the country, and ESPN’s Desmond Howard mentioned him as a Heisman Trophy contender.
Waddle owns three of the top-five longest scoring receptions in Alabama history, and is averaging 19.1 yards per catch for his career to rank second on at Alabama. He leads all Crimson Tide returners with a 19.3 yards per punt return average across his three seasons, nearly six yards better than second place on the career list. Waddle also totaled 606 all-purpose yards as a junior to rank second in the SEC and tie for sixth in the nation.
News: Jaylen Waddle suffered a broken ankle.
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) October 24, 2020
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
