There is a good chance that this is the first time that you have heard Kneeland Hibbett’s name, but that is probably a good thing. The Alabama Crimson Tide long snapper has been sensational this year, and the only time his name would probably come up during a game is for a mistake, which fortunately has not happened yet.
For obvious reasons, the offense and defense get most of the credit for Alabama’s success, but the special teams unit has been a well-oiled machine all year long. As we get later into the season and the margins start to shrink, every small detail matters, and having a reliable special teams unit makes all of the difference in the world.
Hibbett has been one less thing for DeBoer and the staff to worry about and he is finally receiving the credit he deserves as he was named as a semi-finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award which goes to the nation’s top long snapper. The Award was first unveiled in 2019 with Notre Dame’s John Shannon winning the inaugural award.
The Crimson Tide do have one winner in program history as Thomas Fletcher brought home the award in 2020 during Alabama’s national title run. So, Hibbett’s could become the program’s second winner.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama long snapper Kneeland Hibbett a semifinalist for Patrick Mannelly Award
