BONE: My early signing period prediction
Heisman watch: Mac Jones & DeVonta Smith among favorites
Here we go again.
On the surface, it sounded like a compliment. Chances are, Dan Mullen meant it that way. However, when asked to describe Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, the Florida head coach used that pesky word that doesn’t seem to sit well with the Crimson Tide — “managing.”
“He’s a guy that has had a great year, very similar to Kyle (Trask),” Mullen said of Jones. “He does a great job managing their offense, distributing the ball to all the different playmakers, getting them in the right place at the right time, taking what the defense gives him.”
Jones has been fighting a game-manager label this season, despite leading the nation in passer efficiency rating (203.9) and yards per attempt (11.7).
Before this year’s Iron Bowl, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix made a similar statement to Mullen’s, stating that Jones “does a great job managing the game, getting the ball to his players around him.” That quote wasn’t taken well by Alabama players, who passed it around the locker room. Senior receiver DeVonta Smith said he even sent it to Jones after hearing about it.
The Alabama quarterback responded by completing 18 of 26 passes for 302 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-13 victory over the Tigers.
“It was just funny just seeing that,” Smith said following the Iron Bowl. “But I mean, at the end of the day, people are gonna talk, they’re gonna do what they want. At the end of the day, we’re just gonna show up, execute the game plan and do what we’ve gotta do.”
Smith wasn’t the only one who commented on the perceived disrespect. The Monday after the game, Alabama’s graphics team joined in on the fun, coming out with a poster of Jones with Nix’s silhouette in the background and the caption "Manager Material."
Like Mullen, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked about his team’s opposing quarterback this week. Unlike the Florida coach, he was able to steer clear of any hint of controversy, stating Trask “does a fantastic job.”
“I think he does a really good job of getting the ball in the right place, relative to reading the defense and knowing the offense like he does,” Saban said. “He’s very accurate with the ball. And I think those two things are probably the most important things. He makes a lot of good decisions that get the ball in the hands of the playmakers, and they’ve certainly made their share of explosive plays this year, that’s for sure.”
Trask has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for a nation’s best 3,717 yards and 40 touchdown passes while throwing just five interceptions. Meanwhile, Jones ranks second in the nation with a 76.4 completion percentage while passing for 3,321 yards and 27 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Jones enters Saturday’s SEC Championship Game as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at 1-2 odds, while Florida quarterback Kyle Trask has the next best odds at 5-2, according to the FanDuel Sportsbook. Smith is also a contender with 15-2 odds.
Many believe the award will be determined Saturday when Alabama (10-0) and Florida (8-2) meet inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7 p.m. CT for the SEC Championship Game.
While it’s unknown how Mullen’s quote will be taken by the Tide, recent history suggests that Jones and Alabama players might manage to spin it into extra motivation.
