ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

It's no revelation that Alabama's offensive line has been the biggest reason the Crimson Tide rank first in the SEC and 18th nationally in rushing offense and have been able to control games this season.

The Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) head into their nonconference game with Arkansas State this weekend having trailed for just 1 minute, 15 seconds all season.

The unsung heroes in their dominance up front?

Senior tight ends Travis McCall and Nick Walker.

They've been in the game together probably 75 percent of the time and have been a huge part of Alabama's plan offensively.

The 260-pound McCall is like having a third tackle out there, but he can catch the ball well enough. The 248-pound Walker is second on the team with 23 catches for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

"They've played outstanding, and I think they complement each other very well," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "Travis is a really, really good blocker, but he's got good hands so you can't not worry about him as a receiver. Nick Walker is a good athlete and a good pass receiver, but a very adequate blocker."

The thing Saban likes most about his two tight ends is their versatility and being able to use them both at the same time.

"Travis has a lot of diversity as a player in terms of moving around and being a fullback," Saban said. "He's a bright, smart guy who can do a lot of things. Those two guys have contributed immensely to our offensive line.

"You can't run the ball like we do if you don't have tight ends who can block."

Alabama also just recently added a third tight end to the mix when true freshman Brad Smelley played for the first time against Ole Miss two games ago. Smelley, the younger brother of South Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley, is more of a receiving tight end and is also playing special teams.

There's also another tight end coming next season. Colin Peek, a transfer from Georgia Tech, was not cleared by the NCAA this season. But he's shown big-time pass-catching skills in practice, and the 247-pound junior should be a major factor in the Tide's offense next season.