Alabama Football: Injury to RB Jalston Fowler Opens Door for T.J. Yeldon

LSU's four horsemen made all of the headlines this summer, but Alabama entered the 2012 season with four talented and diverse running backs as well.

Eddie Lacy, Dee Hart, T.J. Yeldon and Jalston Fowler all were expected to comprise the Crimson Tide's running back committee. That committee lost a member on Tuesday, when it was announced that Fowler will miss the rest of the season after injuring his knee in Alabama's 35-0 win over Western Kentucky, according to AL.com.

The 6'1", 242-pound bruiser had 11 carries for 85 yards this season and figured to factor prominently into Alabama's game plan on short-yardage and goal-line situations, in addition to his work as an H-back and fullback.

In his absence, the door opens up even further for freshman sensation T.J. Yeldon. 

Yeldon wowed the nation with his 11-carry, 111-yard, one-touchdown performance on opening night versus Michigan. With Fowler gone, Yeldon will get more meaningful carries—and expect that to start this weekend on national television on CBS when the Crimson Tide take on Arkansas.

Can he handle it?

Sure he can.

Yeldon has the reputation of an ultra-athletic running back that has lightning-quick moves, but the 6'2", 216-pounder has plenty of power and, along with Lacy, can absolutely pick up the slack as the bruising back in the 'Bama stable.

Yeldon has some competition from various other players for SEC Freshmen of the Year honors, but the door is now that much more open in terms of some extra carries for the Daphne, Ala., native.

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