Alabama tight end O.J. Howard may never have a finer collegiate performance than last week’s national championship game against Clemson.
It won’t be for a lack of trying.
The 6-foot-6, 242-pound junior from Prattiville, Ala., announced Monday afternoon via Twitter that he would be returning for his senior football season with the Crimson Tide. Howard had five catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns in the 45-40 win over the Tigers, earning offensive MVP honors.
CBS had rated Howard as the No. 3 tight end in the 2016 NFL draft and the No. 51 overall prospect, which means he was projected to get picked in the middle of the second round. His performance against Clemson set an Alabama bowl record, but Howard had gone all season without a touchdown until torching the Tigers.
“O.J., quite honestly, should have been more involved all year long,” Tide coach Nick Saban said in a news conference after the game. “Sometimes he was open and we didn’t get him the ball, but the last two games have been breakout games in terms of what he’s capable of.
“I would say it’s bad coaching on my part that he didn’t have the opportunity to do this all year long, because he’s a really good athlete who has improved as a player.”
Howard joins defensive end Jonathan Allen and outside linebackers Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson as Alabama players who certainly could have been drafted but elected to return to Tuscaloosa. Tailback Derrick Henry and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson announced last Friday that they were leaving early for the NFL, and inside linebacker Reuben Foster had not announced his intentions as of Monday evening.
The return of Howard will give offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin plenty of options in the passing game, with receivers Calvin Ridley and ArDarius Stewart returning and with Robert Foster back from a torn rotator cuff. Three starters return on the offensive line, including standout left tackle Cam Robinson.
If Foster returns, Alabama’s first defense under Jeremy Pruitt could be as dominant as its last defense under Kirby Smart.
Allen, Daron Payne and Da’Shawn Hand will give the Tide a formidable front, and there would be an abundance of linebackers with Foster, Williams, Anderson, Shaun Dion Hamilton and Rashaan Evans. Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick return at cornerback, with Eddie Jackson and Ronnie Harrison comprising the safety tandem.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.