[Tuck4Bama]

TUSCALOOSA - Nick Walker has a whole new set of shirts in his closet.

The old ones befitting a 285-pound man are long gone.
Everything else, he made work.

The pants may be a little big, but he holds them up with a belt.
And now that the belt is too big?

"Just stick you an extra hole in there," said Walker, the University of Alabama tight end.

For Walker, life is good. If it seems like he has things figured out, it's because he apparently has.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound junior is more than 40 pounds lighter than last December. He has a new place on the depth chart, too. And he heads into Saturday's game at Vanderbilt in prime position to prove to fellow Brundidge native and Commodores quarterback Chris Nickson that he can contribute in a fashion similar to his best friend.

"I consider myself a weapon," Walker said.

So does coach Nick Saban, who has been clear about how important a dual-threat tight end is to the offense. Saban recently moved Walker past last year's starter, Travis McCall, in the rotation.

Tight end tightens belt, grip on starting job- al.com

[Stoney]

Sounds as if Saban is making a lean mean football machine.