Jaime Valdez – USA TODAY Sports
As the Alabama Crimson Tide prepare to make another run at the College Football Playoff in 2015, they faced some major questions at a number of positions offensively, including wide receiver. Help is on the way for Nick Saban and the Tide, however, with the announcement that former Oregon State Beavers receiver Richard Mullaney will be joining the team in 2015 as a graduate transfer providing Alabama a much-needed boost to the passing game.
Over three seasons in Corvallis, Mullaney was a solid pass-catcher that provided consistent production in the passing game, catching 83 passes for 1,160 yards and five touchdowns. He had a breakout sophomore season in 2013 when he hauled in 52 receptions for 788 yards and three scores but struggled to follow up that effort in an injury shortened 2014 season. In six games before he was sidelined with an elbow injury, Mullaney caught 18 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown.
At Alabama, he joins a receiving corps that was gutted by departures this offseason. The team’s top three pass catchers from a year ago, including Belitnikoff Award winner Amari Cooper, are all gone. Sophomore Cam Sims was expected to shoulder a leadership position in the offense this season but he was lost for the year when he tore his ACL during spring practice.
That puts Mullaney squarely in the mix for playing time with inexperienced receivers like Chris Black (15 receptions, 188 yards in 2014), ArDarius Stewart (12 receptions, 149 yards), and Robert Foster (6 receptions, 44 yards) to contend with. Mullaney’s experience at Oregon State gives him an advantage as Alabama looks for a reliable pass catcher to buoy the team’s passing attack in 2015.
While the Alabama offense still has work to do before kicking off the 2015 season next fall, they will benefit greatly from the addition of Richard Mullaney to the receiving corps.
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