Alabama receiver status and return specialist Jaylen Waddle remains “in the air” for the National College Football Playoff Championship against Ohio State, said coach Nick Saban on Thursday.
Saban said Waddle trained this week, but it will probably be a match day decision.
“I have no crystal ball to know,” said Saban.
Waddle suffered a combination of ankle sprain and fracture against Tennessee in mid-October, and has not appeared in any games since.
Teammates John Metchie and DeVonta Smith said Waddle looks fine since returning to training this week, but neither could have predicted whether he would be ready to play against the Buckeyes on Monday (8 pm ET, ESPN).
Waddle is considered one of the most dynamic game creators in college football.
The Houston junior opened this season with at least 120 yards of reception in each of the first four games and led Alabama with 557 yards in just 25 receptions, with four touchdowns. He was also one of the best punt returners in the country; his 733 punt yards returns to an average of 19.3 yards over his three seasons ranks sixth in Alabama’s history.
Regardless of whether Waddle is available, Saban expressed optimism that Monday’s game will be played as scheduled.
Saban said that “there were some problems with COVID” that sparked discussions earlier this week about changing the game. The CFP announced last week 18 January as a possible makeup date for the national title game
College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock, Alabama officials and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told ESPN on Tuesday that they are committed to playing Monday. .
“Our school will start next week,” said Saban. “We would have 35,000 students coming back here [to South Florida for the game]. We played 12 games this year, so we have a lot of guys who have made it through the season, a lot of guys who are a little bit disadvantaged. Another week of practice would have been a lot more difficult for these guys, probably. “
He also cited the January 18 deadline for senior students to declare themselves for the NFL draft.
“So, all the time for the whole thing would have been difficult management,” said Saban. “But I would have put player safety on either team as the most important factor in this decision.”