TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The home crowd inside Bryant-Denny Stadium rang out with a cheer of “Ooooouzts” following Robbie Ouzts’ first touchdown of the season during Alabama’s 52-7 win over Mercer on Saturday. Ryan Williams let out a similar celebration when asked about the senior tight end following the game.
“It was just exciting for somebody that worked so hard and has been working so hard for the past four to five years to be able to get in the endzone,” Williams said. “He was so excited he forgot what his touchdown celebration was supposed to be.”
Ouzts’s touchdown came early in the second quarter when he lined up in the backfield and found an opening up the seam before hauling in the pass from Jalen Milroe for a 44-yard score. Instead of an elaborate celebration, the H-back jogged to the back of the end zone in his usual humble manner.
“It was a little bit of a busted coverage,” Ouzts said. “I’ll take those all day. I don’t get a lot of touchdowns around here, so it was an awesome play.
The reception was Ouzts’ fifth catch of the year and only his 13th in his four-year Alabama career. The South Carolina native’s contributions aren't always highlighted in the box score, so his rare score was extra special for him and the rest of the team.
“For Robbie to haul one in, it was really exciting for our guys, exciting for him,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “...You just tell the love our team has for him, how much they appreciate the effort he brings each and every day, not just each and every week, but he's got a mindset, a toughness about him, you know, that just exudes what Alabama football is all about.”
The majority of Ouzts’ work has come in the form of run-blocking snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, he had taken 138 of his 206 snaps this season blocking for a ball carrier. Ouzts can take a lot of credit for being a stalwart blocker for Alabama’s fourth-best rushing offense in the SEC.
Beyond his blocking strength, Ouzts has been a Swiss army knife for Alabama this season, lining up in multiple positions. Before the Mercer game, he had played snaps out wide, in the backfield, in the slot, and inline while also contributing on special teams with kick return and punt coverage roles.
The Alabama journey may be almost over for Ouzts, but he says there’s more to it than scoring touchdowns. Ouzts spoke to the team as a senior the day before Alabama’s Week 12 game against the Bears and explicitly told the younger guys not to take their time with the program for granted.
“I was really just talking to the young guys, just saying to, you know, don't take this for granted,” Ouzts said. “The days are long, but the years are short; it just goes by that quick. So embrace the grind and get to know your teammates because, in the last few years, I've made some of the best friends; just don't take it for granted because you know this precious time we have in college goes quick.”
