TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The stat sheet doesn’t tell the full story. On paper, Kendrick Law is off to a slow start this season. The junior receiver has just one catch for a 22-yard touchdown, and that came during Alabama’s opener against Western Kentucky. Since then, you haven’t seen his name in the box score.

However, the Crimson Tide has felt his presence on the field. So have its opponents. Just ask Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler, who was put on his backside by a punishing block from Law last week.

While numbers don’t capture those moments, they haven’t gone unnoticed over the past three weeks.

“A lot of people get worried about a lot of different things,” Alabama wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard said. “What I recall about this sport is that it is a team sport. There are certain jobs and requirements that are a little bit more dirty, but we expect everybody to do those dirty jobs. … Kendrick Law does those things.

“He’s going to do the down-and-dirty work. He’s going to be that junkyard dog that you’re looking for and give us the opportunity to have success in a variety of ways.”

Law’s punishing block on Wohler helped spring quarterback Milroe free for a 12-yard gain. Plays like that have been a source of pride for Alabama’s receiving corps, as the unit has opened up several running lanes on the perimeter over the past few weeks. It isn’t just Law, either. Ryan Williams led Alabama with a 78.2 run-blocking grade against South Florida, while Germie Bernard posted a team-high 87.2 mark against Wisconsin.

Last week, Shephard praised Williams (6-foot, 175 pounds) for the position he gets himself into to pull off blocks despite his slight frame. This week, Shephard called Germie Bernard a “technician,” praising the 6-foot-1, 209-pound Washington transfer for his ability to get leverage on his defenders.

Those qualities are certainly appreciated. However, there’s nothing wrong with Law’s approach of simply decking his man to the turf.

“If you can knock somebody on their rear end, it doesn’t matter what your body position is at that point,” Shephard said. “If we can knock them on the ground, then we’re going to do everything we can to knock them on the ground.”

This offseason, Kalen DeBoer revealed that Law was clocked at 23.6 miles per hour during summer workouts and also recorded lifts of 400 pounds in the weight room. Eventually, Alabama would like to utilize that athleticism by getting the ball in the Law’s hands. But until then, the Tide is enjoying watching him wreak havoc on opposing defenders in other ways.

“He’s somebody who is important to our offense and we know that,” offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said. “He has an impact in the game with the football and without the ball. He’s important to us as the season progresses because we think he is an excellent football player. He’s good with the ball in his hands but what I think what is special about him in addition to that is he is exceptional without the ball which is really the making of a great football player.”