Zeke Knight, record-breaker?

Here's a note to file away for next season ...

I hate to post this and jinx the man, but this is just too cool to wait until the fall. Wedowee's own Zeke Knight, who just finished his junior season at Alabama, is on pace to set the Crimson Tide career record for games played.

Knight has played in 41 games in his Alabama career, 11 away from the record of 52 set by former Tide fullback Tarrant Lynch from 1990-94. If Knight plays in all 12 regular-season games in 2008, he'll break Lynch's record by one (fittingly, he'd do so against Auburn in the final home game of his career). If the Crimson Tide makes a bowl game and/or plays in the SEC championship game, Knight could extend his own record.

Of course, to break the record, Knight will have to stay healthy. Ironically, it was a medical situation that put him in position to surpass Lynch's mark in the first place.

After playing in all 12 Alabama games in both 2004 and 2005, Knight played in just four in 2006 before being sidelined by a medical condition that was eventually diagnosed as a heart murmur. He received a medical redshirt from the NCAA, and was thus a junior for the second straight year in 2007.

Knight played in all 13 games this season, finishing sixth on the team in tackles with 60, and second in tackles for loss with 11.5. He also added three sacks, two interceptions and five quarterback hurries in his first season at linebacker.