Without speedy Prothro, Alabama may be in trouble

	With 17 catches, Tyrone Prothro was Alabama's leading receiver before he suffered a horrific injury against Florida. Bob Rosato/SI

There is no substitute for speed. I was in Tuscaloosa earlier this month when Alabama wide receiver Tyrone Prothro broke his leg while trying to make a reception against Florida. From my seat in the press box -- all the way across Bryant-Denny Stadium -- I could tell from the way he landed that something wasn't right. As Prothro left the field on the back of a cart, I also knew that the Crimson Tide would have a hard time replacing him.

Prothro stands just 5-foot-8, but the dynamic and explosive wideout was 'Bama's version of Reggie Bush, returning kicks and playing multiple positions on offense. He even lined up under center against the Gators, with quarterback Brodie Croyle split wide to the right. I remember the audible murmur in the press box when that formation was spotted, and the sense of disappointment I felt when Prothro handed the ball off to running back Ken Darby for a small gain. In the interview room after the game, I asked Alabama offensive coordinator Dave Rader what he had wanted to do there, and he gave a small smile before explaining, "Sometimes, you just want to see what people will do."

The question now is: What will the Crimson Tide do without Prothro? I thought his absence would hurt, but that they would be O.K. -- they still have one of the country's best playmakers in Croyle, as well as a championship defense. But after watching them eke out a 13-10 victory over Ole Miss game last Saturday, I'm not so sure. 'Bama's offense didn't look very dangerous, at all. One of the big reasons seemed to be that the Tide's receivers were having a hard time separating themselves from the Ole Miss defensive backs -- a problem that was exacerbated when wideout D.J. Hall went down with an injury of his own.

If it hadn't been for some gritty running by Darby and some clutch throws by Croyle on the final drive, the Tide might have lost. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments Rader and head coach Mike Shula make this weekend against Tennessee, but I'm not sure there's anything they can do to replace a guy who runs a 4.3 40-yard dash.

The loss of Prothro turns Alabama from a great team into a very good one. I still think the Crimson Tide will contend for the SEC championship. Both Tennessee and LSU have to travel to Tuscaloosa, after all. The toughest remaining road game for 'Bama is at Auburn next month. A spot in the national championship game -- always a long shot, I think -- would seem to be out of the question, which is too bad.

Another team that will be playing without speed this weekend is Penn State. The mere presence of freshman wide receiver Derrick Williams had opened up the Nittany Lions offense. Now that Williams is out for the season with a broken arm, maybe Joe Paterno and his staff will give more offensive playing time to freshman cornerback -- and fellow speedster -- Justin King.