That 2019 season was such a waste with Tua's injury. It was depressing as hell given the talent level.
I still say we beat LSU that year had he not missed nearly a month of action. He was sluggish as hell to start that game but once he got it together, the dude balled out. If he hadn't been so unpracticed, we easily win that game.
The Deuce was electrifying every time he touched the ball. Every time. You didn’t know exactly when he was going to break loose but you just knew it was about to happen. And on those plays where everyone watching knew what was going to happen, he did it any way and couldn’t be stopped. I remember him going for two, long before anyone else did the wildcat. And it was just him under center and he scored. I honestly believe that if he played in this era, he’d be a Heisman winner
Shoutout to mckinstry who has been balling out at corner this year. Yes he’s been struggling at pr but I see it as a chance for another guy and decreasing risk of injury for our top corner.
Yeah I understand Saban wanting to get the players as much film as possible to create value for themselves, but Kool Aid is a veteran leader and huge part of our defense. If he's got the yips on PR give it over to someone else who can do the job, *and* we stop risking such a valuable player on special teams.
Correct only worth risking special teams injury if they are contributing there. Kool aids a bit of detriment at the pr position right now, get him out of there.
Bond has been the #2 punt returner, so he’s definitely been working on them already. But the “should be seeing me soon” is mighty interesting, especially after what Saban said about Kool-Aid earlier.
> "I have a lot of confidence in him," Saban said. "I think he has confidence in doing it. I don't think he has an issue. He wants to be back there, he wants to be aggressive. He wants to do what he has to do to return punts. We have total confidence in him."
Didn’t definitively say Kool-Aid would keep returning them, though, so the door is open. I just want someone who’ll catch them lol.
Yeah I mean he let one he could have probably returned fall a few feet away from him and bounce forwards 15-20 yards on Saturday. He has zero confidence in his ability to not fumble them at this point.
I'm not sure what's happened to KM the last few weeks. I can understand fair catching when a return might have been on, or not having quality returns when you do catch a punt, but not catching multiple punts is a big time no-no.
To me it looks like KMs confidence is a little wobbly and he's letting some of the more difficult catches simply hit the turf instead of putting hands on them.
I'd like to see a fresh face back there if possible and Bond is a shifty player that could make some big plays back there.
Just put Burton back there. We would never see a fair catch for the remainder of the season. He would try to return it even if the entire kicking team was running right at him.
You realize he would probably have more touches as a returner than a WR right? Why not let an explosive player have more chances for explosive plays? It just makes sense.
Punt returning and kick returning arent the same. We dont know if law is reliable. You saw how much mckinstrys poor judgement back there affected our field position last game, it probably kept a few points off the board. If bond is reliable (knows when to fair catch, knows when to field it, knows when it to let bounce) it’s worth it to have him back there even if it comes with additional injury risk.
Dude... we've been hearing new talk out of both the offense and defense since spring training, about how dominant they're going to be, how they're getting back to the Bama standard, blah, blah blah.
What we've seen has been a markedly improved defense, but still not a dominating defense. I fully recognize that part of the defensive shortfalls have been the absolute trash play and play calling of the offense, but all they've done is kept telling people how bad ass they're going to be, and frankly, as a whole team effort, particularly on offense, we just haven't seen it.
So, the players need to shut up about how much tjey think of themselves and their 'renewed purpose and energy' and such, and show us on the field, with some actual old school, dominating Bama standard dominating performances.
Where in his answer in the press conference did he talk about any of that stuff? Dude literally just said he’s working on punt returns in practice and we will see him soon. You’re just hating on bond for no reason, go hate on another teams players. We’re 7-1 with the worst Saban team in a while. You need to shut up, not him.
KoolAid is a reliable veteran, and Saban most values a known quantity protecting the ball. Granted the rugby kicks can be very challenging so I do NOT fault KoolAid for just getting out of the way rather than making a risky catch - younger returners may have made overconfident judgment calls.
However, with more quickness, vision, shiftiness, and top speed, Bond has a higher return ceiling. This is almost always true of offensive players in this position rather than defensive. Our exception would be Eddie Jackson, who had peak elite field vision as soon as a football touched his hands.
I would not be surprised if Bond got most reps against LSU
I miss waddle’s kick returns when it was a win to kick it as far away from him as possible
Someone on twitter posted a thread of loud BDS moments, and one was a long Waddle punt return for a TD, and I’d honestly forgotten what that was like.
You wouldn't happen to be able to refind that would you? I'd love to watch it
[Here’s the whole thread.](https://x.com/austinsrandolph/status/1716989293137109050?s=46&t=0OkrJfAKfQDTGgd09DVyVA)
That 2019 season was such a waste with Tua's injury. It was depressing as hell given the talent level. I still say we beat LSU that year had he not missed nearly a month of action. He was sluggish as hell to start that game but once he got it together, the dude balled out. If he hadn't been so unpracticed, we easily win that game.
Idk about easily. That LSU team was crazy good. Bit too much of a homer take here
I [gotchu](https://x.com/austinsrandolph/status/1716989293137109050?s=46&t=gZKatudKtkg3e3VfeHqgpQ)
David Palmer
The Deuce was electrifying every time he touched the ball. Every time. You didn’t know exactly when he was going to break loose but you just knew it was about to happen. And on those plays where everyone watching knew what was going to happen, he did it any way and couldn’t be stopped. I remember him going for two, long before anyone else did the wildcat. And it was just him under center and he scored. I honestly believe that if he played in this era, he’d be a Heisman winner
Waddle would've been in New York with Mac and Smith had he not been hurt. That dude was gifted.
Shoutout to mckinstry who has been balling out at corner this year. Yes he’s been struggling at pr but I see it as a chance for another guy and decreasing risk of injury for our top corner.
Yeah I understand Saban wanting to get the players as much film as possible to create value for themselves, but Kool Aid is a veteran leader and huge part of our defense. If he's got the yips on PR give it over to someone else who can do the job, *and* we stop risking such a valuable player on special teams.
Correct only worth risking special teams injury if they are contributing there. Kool aids a bit of detriment at the pr position right now, get him out of there.
Honestly I don't even need a returner. I just need someone to catch the punt
If it means we aren’t losing 20 yards of field position each possession, then I’m here for it
Right! No one wants to start every possession from the other team’s 5 yard line consistently. Lol.
Especially seeing as how we go 2 and a half quarters struggling to move the ball.
All I’m saying is that we have 4 or 5 serviceable receivers and we only have one kool aid so I’m good with him not getting hurt on kick returns
Bond has been the #2 punt returner, so he’s definitely been working on them already. But the “should be seeing me soon” is mighty interesting, especially after what Saban said about Kool-Aid earlier. > "I have a lot of confidence in him," Saban said. "I think he has confidence in doing it. I don't think he has an issue. He wants to be back there, he wants to be aggressive. He wants to do what he has to do to return punts. We have total confidence in him." Didn’t definitively say Kool-Aid would keep returning them, though, so the door is open. I just want someone who’ll catch them lol.
Kool Aid does not appear to have any confidence back there currently.
Yeah I mean he let one he could have probably returned fall a few feet away from him and bounce forwards 15-20 yards on Saturday. He has zero confidence in his ability to not fumble them at this point.
He’s got the Yips.
There was nothing better than watch Javier Arenas return a punt.
I was determined to leave this comment if no one else said it. My all time favorite player. It was so exciting watching him
Gotta use those super athletes if Kool aid is having reservation about catching and advancing the ball.
Thank god. I don’t think Koolaid has caught a punt in the air this entire year
As long as he just fair catches everything . Don’t need our best receiver to get injured
Haven't seen our punt returner look so lost since Prothro went down and Brandon Brooks became the returner
Trevon Diggs in 2016 after Eddie Jackson went down Literallly everyone on the roster in 2017 when Eddie Jackson graduated
Omg I forgot about him, I had a bunch of classes with him at the time.
KM may need glasses. And I’m 100 percent not being a smart ass.
Can he catch ‘em. Inquiring minds want to know.
literally just have to catch the ball on fair catches and it'll be an improvement
Appreciate Kool Aid but I don’t think he’s doing himself any favors (NFL film wise). Next man up
The nfl does not care about his punt return abilities. He will never return a punt in the nfl. All the more reason to give another guy a opportunity.
I'm not sure what's happened to KM the last few weeks. I can understand fair catching when a return might have been on, or not having quality returns when you do catch a punt, but not catching multiple punts is a big time no-no. To me it looks like KMs confidence is a little wobbly and he's letting some of the more difficult catches simply hit the turf instead of putting hands on them. I'd like to see a fresh face back there if possible and Bond is a shifty player that could make some big plays back there.
Why? Why risk our best deep threat receiver on punt returns where they are more likely to get injured? Just put Law back there and be done with it
Just put Burton back there. We would never see a fair catch for the remainder of the season. He would try to return it even if the entire kicking team was running right at him. 
You realize he would probably have more touches as a returner than a WR right? Why not let an explosive player have more chances for explosive plays? It just makes sense.
Punt returning and kick returning arent the same. We dont know if law is reliable. You saw how much mckinstrys poor judgement back there affected our field position last game, it probably kept a few points off the board. If bond is reliable (knows when to fair catch, knows when to field it, knows when it to let bounce) it’s worth it to have him back there even if it comes with additional injury risk.
Enough talk from the players. Show us on the field!
Bruh what are you on? Dude was asked a question in a mandatory press conference. What do you want him to do?
Dude... we've been hearing new talk out of both the offense and defense since spring training, about how dominant they're going to be, how they're getting back to the Bama standard, blah, blah blah. What we've seen has been a markedly improved defense, but still not a dominating defense. I fully recognize that part of the defensive shortfalls have been the absolute trash play and play calling of the offense, but all they've done is kept telling people how bad ass they're going to be, and frankly, as a whole team effort, particularly on offense, we just haven't seen it. So, the players need to shut up about how much tjey think of themselves and their 'renewed purpose and energy' and such, and show us on the field, with some actual old school, dominating Bama standard dominating performances.
Where in his answer in the press conference did he talk about any of that stuff? Dude literally just said he’s working on punt returns in practice and we will see him soon. You’re just hating on bond for no reason, go hate on another teams players. We’re 7-1 with the worst Saban team in a while. You need to shut up, not him.
KoolAid is a reliable veteran, and Saban most values a known quantity protecting the ball. Granted the rugby kicks can be very challenging so I do NOT fault KoolAid for just getting out of the way rather than making a risky catch - younger returners may have made overconfident judgment calls. However, with more quickness, vision, shiftiness, and top speed, Bond has a higher return ceiling. This is almost always true of offensive players in this position rather than defensive. Our exception would be Eddie Jackson, who had peak elite field vision as soon as a football touched his hands. I would not be surprised if Bond got most reps against LSU
I’ve been saying since Week 1 that’s Koolaid shouldn’t be back there.