Alabama Football: Da’Shawn Hand of Fate is TBD for LSU
Alabama football’s been without Da’Shawn Hand since the Ole Miss game. If the Crimson Tide want to be ready for, possibly, Georgia, they will need him fit.
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The college football playoff rankings came out, putting the Georgia Bulldogs ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Both teams are undefeated and have tenacious defenses that look to put a stranglehold on any opposition’s offense. The problem is that Alabama football is missing a big Hand for that grip to withstand possible meeting with Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Da’Shawn Hand has been out with a knee injury since September 30th, when Alabama played Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide may have taken a decided victory that day, winning 66-3, but they lost a major part of their defensive line.
Michael Casagrande of AL.com reported head coach Nick Saban stating:
"“I don’t think we’ll be able to know whether [Hand will] be able to play or not until pregame […] He’s been medically cleared but still any time a player is coming off an injury, I think that player’s got to have confidence that he can go out there and do his job well. I usually talk to the player about that. We’ll make a decision in the pregame about his status in the game.”"
Alabama football may be able to defeat LSU this Saturday without Hand, as junior Isaiah Buggs has done well to pick up the slack; however, having Hand in real-game situations would get him ready for the SEC title bout. It has been a while since Hand has faced game-speed opposition, regardless of how hard Alabama football practices. If he misses LSU, Hand would only have three more games to get ready. Those games would be against Mississippi State, Mercer, and Auburn. Likely, only the Auburn game would give Hand enough practice against solid talent for him to prepare for Georgia.
The above visual gives one the sense that Hand is much needed for the Alabama defense to assert their full authority. The Crimson Tide finally have Rashaan Evans back from a groin injury, and much of the rest of the team is coming back healthy. However, Hand could be the Hand of Fate against Georgia, if he plays to his full potential. He will only be able to do that if he is completely healthy.
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Hand has only played in four games, yet he had 11 total tackles, four were solo which includes a sack. The six-foot-four, 288-pound frame gives Alabama’s defense a large body to block balls through passing lanes, while smashing the edge during a pass rush or running play. When Hand comes back, it will also allow defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt more options to use the athletic Buggs around the field in various packages that will send shivers down opposing quarterbacks’ spines.
When that happens, Hand just may be the hand that tips the scales against Georgia, or any opposition, and turn the tide into Alabama’s favor.