How Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams Leaned on Each Other Coming Back from ACL Injuries
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A torn ACL is something no athlete wants to experience and is one of the most unfortunate side of sports, but two Crimson Tide running backs suffered that injury last season.
Five games in, Jase McClellan tore his ACL against Ole Miss after getting off to a hot start. Roydell Williams stepped in behind Brian Robinson to replace the reps lost by McClellan before going down with the same injury against New Mexico State.
Speaking to the media Thursday for the first time since his injury, McClellan said he and Williams were able to grow together through the recovery process.
"We leaned on each other, talked to each other, talking about how we felt each day, how we were going to get better," McClellan said. "Sometimes we would work out together."
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said both guys have been progressing well throughout the offseason, and that McClellan is no longer experiencing any limitations at practice or scrimmages.
"Made some really good runs in the last scrimmage," Saban said about McClellan. "Made a lot of people miss, good receiver, can play with power. So he’s done really well."
Before the injury, McClellan was splitting time with Brian Robinson at running back, and was one of Bryce Young's favorite targets out of the backfield. He had a receiving touchdown in three straight games, and had 10 catches for 97 yards and three touchdowns through the air, and 191 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Spending the majority of last season watching from the sidelines, McClellan was able to better see how both the offense and defense worked. He learned how to process the game in a new way.
Players can be tentative when coming back from this type of knee injury, but not so for McClellan. The junior running back was just ready to get back on the field. He felt like himself again once the pads came back on.
"When we started fall camp, getting back into pads, just feeling my movement, seeing that I can still balance and run the same I felt like I was back," McClellan said. "Recently after scrimmage two, just seeing myself pretty good, I felt great."
The Crimson Tide should have a more balanced rushing attack this season as McClellan is part of a running back stable that goes five deep with himself, Williams, Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs, Trey Sanders and freshman Jamarion Miller. The group will have the opportunity to shine when Alabama kicks off against Utah State in just over a week against Utah State on Sept. 3.
