When Alabama has the ball on Saturday, one of the most important matchups will be the interior of the Crimson Tide's offensive line against star Tennessee DT Xavier Gilliam.
The Penn State transfer is a game-wrecker in the middle, already producing five sacks on the season. He's one of the best defensive players in the country, capable of single-handedly wrecking a game plan and changing the outcome of a game.
Unfortunately, Alabama may have to go into that matchup without its starting center, throwing a monkey wrench into the game plan for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
Racin Delgatty, a transfer from Cal Poly who started the first six games for the Crimson Tide, was officially listed as questionable on Wednesday night via Alabama's first availability report of the week. Delgatty was injured on the Tide's final offensive snap against Georgia.
If Delgatty is unable to play, sophomore guard Mal Waldrep is expected to step in and start in his place.
Mal Waldrep could be the ultimate X-Factor for Alabama at Tennessee
Waldrep has seen plenty of snaps this season on the interior of the Crimson Tide's offensive line. He has been the first interior lineman off the bench this year, earning significant playing time. He stepped in and started in Week 2 at Kentucky when Michael Carroll missed the game with an injury, and he has frequently subbed in for Will Sanders at LG.
This would be his first start at center, however, and what a time for that. Neyland Stadium is one of the loudest and most difficult environments in college football. With a QB making just his seventh career start, and with a potential new starter at center to boot, communication between those two will be critical to the Crimson Tide's offensive success. It only takes one mistake in a QB-Center exchange to flip the outcome of a game.
Along with having to worry about snapping the ball, silent counts, signals, etc., Waldrep will also have to worry about contending with Gilliam, who frequently lines up over the center. I would expect Alabama to give him some help wherever they can, but it's going to be a challenging assignment for Waldrep regardless of how you slice it.
If Delgatty is unable to go, then all eyes will be on Waldrep. He'll be the ultimate X-Factor for the Crimson Tide, and his performance will have a lot to say about the final outcome of this game, for better or worse.
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