HOOVER, Ala. -- O.J. Howard was bold at SEC media days. His blue, "Mad Men" appropriate suit reflected the confidence brewing inside the 6-foot-6, 242-pound stallion of an athlete.
For the better part of Howard's three years at Alabama, the physically-menacing tight end had only shown flashes of that same confidence. A sizzling hot prospect coming out of high school, Howard's Alabama career has been nothing short of lukewarm.
Well, that was until Howard's scintillating, five-catch, 208-yard, two-touchdown performance in Alabama's 45-40 win over Clemson in last season's national championship. For one night, all the hype, style and glamour expected from Howard was rolled into one historic performance.