🏈 Alabama TE O.J. Howard identifies early-season issue, says it's been fixed and now he's...

[BAMANEWSBOT]

There were no major problems for Alabama's passing attack early in the season. It was humming right along as Blake Sims moved into the starting quarterback job.

Yet the common question from fans centered on the player who wasn't involved in the big numbers. Tight end O.J. Howard was poised for a breakout season with a heavy dose of preseason attention. The sophomore caught just 14 passes a year ago and all indications pointed to a bigger 2014.

Through three games, he'd yet to catch a pass with only a few balls thrown his way. Now after 12 contests, his 226 receiving yards on 13 catches ranks third on the team.

"We had a problem earlier in the season but now we're on the same page, we're clicking," Howard said. "It's good."

The problem early in the year was simple.

"Probably just not me going to get the ball out of the air," Howard said. "But now I've been doing a pretty good job of it, of going up and getting it and attacking the ball."

Howard's caught passes in seven of the last nine games including a big 20-yarder Saturday against Auburn. He caught it high in his jump falling backward one play before Amari Cooper's first-quarter touchdown.

The turning point came after one of the biggest moments in Alabama's season. Driving for the winning touchdown at Ole Miss, Rebel Senquez Golson out-jumped Howard for an interception in the end zone to end the Tide's perfect season.

Howard said he never saw Golson. It wasn't until later when he saw a picture of the play when realized exactly how it happened.

"That was a pretty bad moment for us," Howard said. "I was like it can't happen again. I think I learned from it."

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[BamaFan334]

Yep, seeing a much smaller defensive back come out of nowhere and take the ball away from OJ was a pretty bad moment. I think learning to use his frame was his biggest problem. He is so big and fast that if he knew that no one in the country could cover him. He's also had some bad drops this year. I think next year is going to be his year to shine. He'll have the blocking schemes down, he can work on his routes and using his body to shield defenders away, and he can create a relationship with a quarterback that's not such a media story like the Sims/Coker one.

 

[JoshB]

The biggest problem is he is still pretty lousy as a blocker, he will NEVER live up to his potential until he improves there because he will not see the field near as much as he should.

 

[TerryP]

The biggest problem is he is still pretty lousy as a blocker, he will NEVER live up to his potential until he improves there because he will not see the field near as much as he should.

That's one of the things our offense has been so transparent with. If he's lined up, he's on a passing route. It's the same on third down with Yeldon in...it's a passing play.

 

[Bamabww]

The biggest problem is he is still pretty lousy as a blocker, he will NEVER live up to his potential until he improves there because he will not see the field near as much as he should.

Agree @Birdman37, when I saw the title of this thread I thought he had realized his blocking technique was his problem but no, he still doesn't get it.

 

[alabama mike]

Maybe with Volger back this week OJ has realized he has to put forth a little more effort to stay on the field.