McCall quietly does job for Alabama

To gauge Alabama tight end Travis McCall’s value to the Crimson Tide, don’t check the receiving statistics.

The senior from Prattville has caught just six passes for 43 yards this season.

No, if you’re into stats, check the Crimson Tide’s rushing yardage. Alabama averages 198 yards per game. Glen Coffee has just under 1,100 yards on the ground. Freshman Mark Ingram is over 600 yards. Roy Upchurch had more than 300 yards in a part-time role before an injury.

That is where McCall deserves credit. It’s clear his teammates think so.

“Travis is probably the most underrated guy on our offense because of he way he blocks,” senior quarterback John Parker Wilson said. “He blocks like an offensive lineman. He can get out and catch and do everything. Travis is a huge part of our offense.”

McCall and other tight end Nick Walker are nearly interchangeable on the field. But Walker is more of a receiving threat, with 25 catches for 256 yards.

Often, one lines up as a traditional tight end and the other lines up as an “H” back, playing the role of a fullback leading the ball carrier into the line. This is where McCall excels.

Walker said watching McCall in practice and on tape has helped his game. The senior from Brundidge said McCall has always been a devastating — and eager — blocker.

“He just dominates. He came in like that. There’s just something about him,” Walker said. “He can get a man moved out of the way. He keeps that back flat and he’s got real good leverage. I mean, like 10 yards, like duck walking ... I try to steal a couple techniques of his. He can get a guy moved out the way if he’s in front of him.”

McCall’s physical style and work ethic earned rare praise from Alabama coach Nick Saban earlier this season.

“First of all, he’s a great person. He works hard every day; he’s one of the hardest-working players on the team. I’ve never heard the guy complain ever since I’ve been here,” Saban said.

“He knows what it takes — he comes from a winning program ... The guy sets a great example every day, and he does well every day. He doesn’t make many errors in a game, plays physical, plays tough, plays hard, very good blocker and usually catches the ball effectively when it’s thrown to him. For his role and what he does, he probably does as good a job as anybody on our team.”

McCall is quiet by nature, but in interviews he is particularly guarded.

“Making a good block for me is just like scoring a touchdown,” he said. “I don’t even have to catch the ball. If I do that’s a plus, but I like blocking — or catching, either one, it really doesn’t matter.”

What speaks volumes are results. When he goes in motion behind left tackle Andre Smith and left guard Mike Johnson, then leads Coffee or Ingram into the line, it’s difficult to stop them at the line of scrimmage.

“I just know I’ve got to get it done, we’ve got to get it done,” McCall said when asked about that formation. “Mike and Andre, they do a good job of clearing the way and I just fill in.”

Wilson said there’s more to it.

“When he lines up on the left side of the line, we’ve got a lot of weight over there,” the quarterback said. “And they’re really good at blocking.”

The tight end tandem of McCall and Walker have been effective for most of the season.

“Well, him and Nick can play both positions,” Wilson said. “We use a lot of two-tights, so I don’t see how anybody can get a feel for what we’re doing because they switch and they’re interchangeable ...

“They are experienced guys and they know their role in the offense. They don’t mind blocking. It is great when you have unselfish people in a position like that.”

They don’t sound alike. The affable Walker does most of the talking for Alabama’s tight end position. McCall just goes to work.

“Yeah, he’s a quiet guy,” Wilson said. “He has his moments when you can’t shut him up ... Off the field, when we’re just chilling, he likes to joke a lot. He is a prankster. He is actually funny.”

But on the field, he’s all business. McCall is focused on winning every play.

“I try to go out and dominate whoever I play every chance I get,” he said. “I feel like if I can push them back a little bit, you feel like you’re winning a little bit. That’s how I look at it.”