Crimson clutch by Edwin Stanton

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013 |

THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS

COVER STORY

Crimson

CLUTCH

Senior receiver Kevin Norwood has a knack for coming up with some of Alabama’s biggest catches By Aaron Suttles Sports Writer It was cold, and his hands ached a bit. On the sideline he stood, Auburn completing an improbable comeback in front of him, when an injury pressed him into action. By his own admission, he wasn’t ready for that type of moment, to be called upon to help his team when it mattered most. It showed. Kevin Norwood dropped what surely would have been a first down as time ticked away Nov. 26, 2010. It was a crossing route that cleared the middle of the field for a wide-open throw by his classmate, AJ McCarron, who also entered the game late because of an injury to a starter. The throw was accurate, but Norwood took his eyes off the ball, looking to race up the field to secure a first down. The third-down pass hit the turf, McCarron’s fourthdown throw went begging and Auburn won, 2827. Norwood still blames himself. He hadn’t prepared himself to play. He hadn’t practiced hard that week. He wallowed because he was a sparingly used redshirt freshman. When his time came, he failed. Failed to prepare, failed to execute and failed his teammates. The moment hardened Norwood. A year later, Norwood was again called upon in the University of Alabama’s biggest game, the national championship tilt against LSU, when Marquis Maze came up lame on a punt return. This time, Norwood responded with arguably his best performance: four catches for 78 yards, including a fan-favorite leaping grab over an outstretched Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu. Norwood often uses that story to motivate young players frustrated with redshirting or lack of playing time. “Whenever your times comes, you have to make the best of it,” Norwood said. “I didn’t prepare myself to get ready to go in the game in case someone went down. I felt like I let my team down. I let myself down. The next year, I prepared myself hard. I was ready. I basically helped the team win a national championship. I was very, very proud of that moment.” He built on that moment to become Mr. Big Catch. Norwood’s never filled up a stat sheet or wowed weekly on the highlight shows. All he does is make the big catch when called upon. Every time. Of his 72 career catches, 58 (81 percent) have been for first downs. “I dream about making plays,” he said. That he’s done. Most remember his breakout game against LSU in the Superdome, but it was his clutch catches against the Tigers in Tiger Stadium the next year that cemented his Mr. Big Catch legacy. His three consecutive grabs in the final minutes against LSU in 2012 spearheaded the drive for a come-frombehind win. Since that time, he’s only added to the reputation by hauling in more big receptions. There might not be a prettier play for the Crimson Tide all season than when McCarron lofted a back-shoulder throw to Norwood at the near pylon against Texas A&M, Norwood jumping and twisting across the goal line for a 22-yard score. And there may be no better individual effort this season than when Norwood dove to the ground to haul in a 34-yard pass on a busted play against Tennessee during a career-best (six catches, 112 yards) day. He came in with the 2009 class, along with McCarron, Kenny Bell, Anthony Steen and others, a group that enters senior day with a 59-5 win-loss mark. It was a star-studded class, another No. 1-ranked group for Alabama that included future high NFL Draft picks James Carpenter, D.J. Fluker, Dre Kirkpatrick, Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson and Chance Warmack.

Norwood didn’t bring the same cache, but he’s left his mark on the UA program just the same. He bonded immediately with Lacy and Bell. “We’re the three amigos,” Norwood said. There’s also an undeniable attachment with McCarron. The connection is obvious. It’s seen when they clown each other with celebrity look-alikes (Rasheed Wallace for Norwood, Robin Thicke for McCarron) or in the look of genuine relief on McCarron’s face last Saturday night upon realizing Norwood wasn’t seriously hurt after his third-quarter touchdown catch. It began in 2009 when both were on the scout team along with Lacy and Bell. Rumor has it they created quite the headache for the Crimson Tide’s stingy defense. “Ask Coach Saban, we were killing the ’09 defense on scout team,” McCarron said. Nick Saban agreed. “I do remember it that way,” he said. The friendship allowed for an easy comfort level for both, which led to chemistry on the field as well. “I know where he’s going to be at all times,” McCarron said. “And then he does a really good job of going up and getting the ball. He’s not really scared to go up and get the ball across the middle, either. It allows us as an offense to have him as a weapon either outside or down the middle.” He’s been a model student-athlete at UA and remains a source of pride back home in D’Iberville, Miss., especially to his young cousins. They look up to him, and he’s determined to set a good example for them to follow. But as he recently found out, he has fans who’ve never met him. Braxton Voss is a 7-year-old from Priceville, a huge Alabama fan battling leukemia. Through a friend, Norwood heard about Voss and committed to wearing an orange bracelet for him during games. He first wore it against Tennessee, Norwood’s best game in the crimson and white. “Braxton was a fan of mine, and he wanted me to wear this bracelet,” Norwood said. “Me and my girlfriend sent him a card, and he’s just loving it. I have the picture on my phone. I feel like I’m kind of creating a relationship with him.” They met for the first time Monday. Norwood’s become a man at Alabama. The same kid who cried his eyes out on the phone with his mom, Sandra Norwood, after being dropped off at the dorms as a freshman, will stand with her in the middle of Bryant-Denny Stadium today near the completion of his five-year adventure. He’ll leave Alabama with more than a jewelry box full of rings. He already holds his diploma. “My journey here has been magnificent,” Nor wood said. “I’m just so thankful for all the things that have happened in my life and all the things that are going to happen. I just couldn’t be more grateful. It’s just amazing.”

Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.

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