Kendall Sheffield Is Still No-showing Practice at Alabama

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Kendall Sheffield was a highly touted five-star recruit out of Missouri City, Texas when he elected to join the Alabama Crimson Tide. He figured to be a key contributor on defense this season, becoming the presumptive favorite to land the third cornerback role behind Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Earlier in training camp, head coach Nick Saban said about Sheffield, “I think we just keep trying to work reps, reps, reps, so that he can play his position with a little more naturally instinctive reactions,” Saban said. “He certainly has a lot of ability and we’re certainly trying to bring it out of him in every way we can. Right now it’s a work in progress and he is making progress. We certainly would like to be able to enhance that with a little better coaching on our part.”

It’s obvious the team was gearing him up to actually see the field in 2016. Great news for Sheffield, right!?

Yeah! Well, that is….if he actually shows back up to practice.

For three straight practices, Sheffield has been MIA – nowhere to be found. It sounds like Saban has no real explanation as to what’s going on. He’s just ghosted. Straight ghosted.

“We’re happy to have him back,” Saban said. “He’s a fine young man. He’s worked hard and he’s made a lot of improvement here. We enjoy having him as part of the team if that’s what he chooses and we will continue to work with him in a positive way.”

With classes starting Wednesday, Saban said there wasn’t a cut-off time for his return.

“We want what’s best for the people on our team,” Saban said. “If there’s something that we can do to help resolve this from their family’s standpoint, we’re certainly available to do that. There’s no pressure from our standpoint.”

From their family’s standpoint? What does that mean? That immediately stood out when reading his comments. How did no one follow up on that?

A simple, “well – was there some sort of concern from the family?” or “has the family expressed that there is some sort of issue to resolve?” would sufficed. Where’s the follow up investigative journalism? Sure, you’d risk vampire Saban biting your head off and drinking your blood as if your body was a giant bottle. Come on – there has to be someone willing to take that on for the sake of getting to the truth.

That’s just a reflection of the fear Saban has instilled in the media. Media that seems to be pointing towards the recent transfer of Maurice Smith as a potential correlating incident. I’m not so sure of that just yet – we literally know nothing. At this point, that’s just speculation at the very least and a major reach at most.

But, hey – if you’re in to that stuff, venture down the rabbit hole that is Reddit. Twitter reports are suggesting he’s already left the team. Rumors are swirling that he’s left to go back to Texas, that he’s disgruntled because of his position on the depth chart, that there’s been a family emergency, or even that defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has run him out of Tuscaloosa.

Regardless of what happens, I hate to see such a talented kid juggling things during a critical time in his life. I hope he returns to Alabama and plays lights out through 2016, but more importantly, as Saban has expressed as well, you just want what’s best for the player.

Saban’s said there’s no deadline for Sheffield to rejoin the team, but he does have until August 24 before his schedule is finalized at Alabama. The Tide kicks off their season on September 3rd in Arlington, TX against the might Trojans of USC.

Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley,@PFSpot@WrestlingNewsCo

Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork

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