TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - A superstitious fan would say the Alabama offense is held together by a piece of rope as thin as string.

Quarterback Brodie Croyle wears it around his left wrist like a bracelet.

He used to wear a rubber band for good luck. Neither the band nor the luck held up.

It broke twice in pregame warmups, once in high school and once at the University of Alabama, he said. In each of the games that followed, Croyle suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Croyle was speaking at an elementary-school graduation when a young fan offered her assistance.

"She gave me this little piece of rope," Croyle said with a smile while pulling up his sleeve to show reporters his one superstition.

The rope is still intact. So are Croyle's knees and shoulders. So is the Alabama offense.

No one has ever doubted Croyle's ability, just his durability. He had serious injuries as a high school senior in Rainbow City, Ala., and twice at Alabama.

That's why Alabama fans can't help but gasp when Croyle scrambles out of the pass pocket as he did last Saturday against Ole Miss. In the face of two oncoming defenders, he didn't slide; he leaped into them.

As treacherous as the leap might have looked to fans, it drew the approval of Alabama offensive coordinator Dave Rader.

"I told him I thought that was really smart," Rader said. "Those two guys were closing in on him. If he had slid, they were going to put their helmets on him. If he had stood up, they were going to hit him hard. He jumped right between them and let them hit each other."

Croyle landed safely and later rallied the Tide for a game-winning field goal. The quarterback and the unbeaten record remain intact.

Nonetheless, all is not well with the Alabama offense. Star wide receiver Tyrone Prothro has been hospitalized for two weeks after a season-ending leg injury. Prothro is recovering from an infection that developed after surgery to repair a broken leg.

Also, wide receiver D.J. Hall is trying to recover from a back injury that knocked him out of the Ole Miss game in the first half. He ran pass routes in Sunday's practice, and Alabama is hopeful he can play against UT on Saturday.

The Tide might overcome attrition at wide receiver and win a game of this magnitude. But you can't expect it to win without Croyle.

Backup quarterback John Parker Wilson was arrested and charged with DUI early Sunday morning. Junior Marc Guillon, who has been bothered by chronic lower-back problems, then replaced Wilson as Croyle's backup.

Alabama coaches are encouraged by how well Guillon has thrown the ball lately. That doesn't make him an adequate stand-in for Croyle.

A 4-9 Alabama team lost to UT in five overtimes two years ago with Croyle at quarterback.

A 6-6 Alabama team lost to UT by four points last year without Croyle. Defense and a running game weren't quite enough.

"We've got to be able to throw and catch," Rader emphasized. "We didn't catch the ball in pregame warm-ups (against Ole Miss), and we had more drops than we have all season."

The Tide has another strong defense and a hard-running tailback in Ken Darby. But a healthy Croyle is the main reason it's a three-point favorite over the Vols.

He has completed 60 percent of his passes, thrown for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions, and played his best in Alabama's biggest game, a 31-3 victory over Florida.

"He's playing at a very high level," Rader said. "It comes from preparation and talent."

And a little luck.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com