Alabama notebook: Tide long snapper Scott Meyer played for friend, LSU player who died
TUSCALOOSA – Alabama long-snapper Scott Meyer played Saturday’s 41-23 win over Colorado State for a fallen friend.
On his right arm, the redshirt freshman donned a wristband remembering Max Gruver — the 18-year-old LSU freshman who died Thursday morning following an alleged hazing incident in Baton Rouge. Gruver was a pledge of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Gruver and Meyer attended the same high school — Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Roswell, Georgia. Gruver, according to multiple reports, dreamed of being a sports writer with his work published in newspapers
A former walk-on, Meyer has started Alabama’s first three games at long-snapper.
More:Alabama Report Card vs. Colorado State - Big plays put away Rams
Tight end Forristall hurt
Tight end Miller Forrsitall was injured following his 12-yard reception that extended the Tide’s 88-yard, third-quarter scoring drive.
Forristall lay motionless near the sideline for a minute before being helped off the field and into the Alabama medical tent, bearing little weight on his lower body.
More:Alabama puts away Colorado State but Rams put up 23 on Tide
Linebacker Evans dresses
Two weeks after suffering a pulled groin in Alabama’s 24-7, season-opening win against Florida State, inside linebacker Rashaan Evans dressed out and was a limited participant in pregame warmups.
The last player to cycle through the linebackers’ warmup line, Evans performed all individual drills, but stood to the side during contact drills. Evans wore a black, non-contact jersey during all open portions of practice this week.
Evans did not play, removing his shoulder pads just before kickoff and draping a towel over his head.
Moses, Jennings absent
Neither freshman Dylan Moses nor Anfernee Jennings dressed out for the game, leaving the already depleted Crimson Tide linebacking corps down an extra member.
Jennings’ absence was expected — he sprained his ankle two weeks ago against Florida State and only returned to practice in a limited role on Wednesday.
Moses’ status remains vague. Alabama coach Nick Saban revealed last Monday the true freshman was injured, but did not specify what ailed him.
Moses was absent during each open viewing period this week. He wore a jersey and sweatpants on the Crimson Tide sidelines with no noticeable impediment.
JK Scott prescient
Alabama’s first long field goal presented itself.
And, like he predicted Monday, punter JK Scott was called upon. Scott, who said Monday the Crimson Tide had not yet worked on long field goals, misfired on a 52-yarder in the second quarter — the longest Crimson Tide attempt this season.
Senior place-kicker Andy Pappanastos did convert a career-long 46-yarder with 5:13 remaining in the first half to put Alabama up 17-0.
Lester Cotton starts
Right guard Lester Cotton, who shuffled in and out of first-team repetitions this week in practice, started a third consecutive game Saturday following an undisclosed injury earlier this week.
Cotton donned a black, non-contact jersey on Monday but returned to normal participation Tuesday and Wednesday. He did not take first-team repetitions during team drills on those days, though, shifting Matt Womack to right guard and freshman Jedrick Wills, Jr. to right tackle.
The reigning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, Womack started a third consecutive game at right tackle Saturday.
Ridley eclipses 2,000
Calvin Ridley’s 92-yard first quarter put him in elite company.
The Alabama junior eclipsed 2,000 career yards, becoming just the fifth Crimson Tide receiver to reach the threshold. Ridley joins Ozzie Newsome, Julio Jones, DJ Hall and Amari Cooper in the rarified air.
Cooper is the program’s all-time leading receiver with 3,463 yards.
QUICK HITS:
Alabama’s team captains were Da’Ron Payne, Ross Pierschbacher and Jalen Hurts ... The Crimson Tide has now scored a touchdown in 216 consecutive games, extending the program record ... Ridley has now caught a pass in all 33 games of his Crimson Tide career. His 33-game streak is the third-longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. ... Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller, both of whom are out for the season with injuries suffered against Florida State, were on the sideline in sweatpants.
