COVID-19 couldn’t stop Nick Saban, and the nation’s previously No. 1 rated defense did little to slow down Mac Jones and company. It was a busy week for Alabama as it passed its biggest test of the season with a 41-24 victory over Georgia.
Now that we’ve had enough time to process the victory, let’s break down what went right and what went wrong. Welcome back to Monday Morning quarterback where we revisit key sequences, evaluate players and analyze trends in Alabama’s performance.
GOOD: The Mac/Smitty connection
Following every practice, DeVonta Smith catches 100 balls from the JUGS machine. The past two games it has felt like the receiver has hauled in just as many passes from Mac Jones.
Smith pulled in a school-record 13 receptions against Ole Miss before recording double-digit catches again over the weekend, leading the Tide with 11 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Jones targeted Smith 13 times against Georgia and 14 times against the Rebels, making the two 24 of 27 for 331 yards and three touchdowns over the last two games.
“That’s just us in practice, just getting chemistry down, and Mac just really just believing in me," Smith said. "I always tell Mac, ‘Believe in me and I believe in you, and I won’t never let you down.'”
So far, the senior receiver has lived up to that promise. Smith hasn’t dropped a pass over 47 targets, the best drop rate among all college receivers. Quarterbacks are also posting a 129.0 NFL passer rating on balls thrown his way this season.
“I just trust Smitty a lot," Jones said. "Just banked reps that we’ve had over the past four years and when a guy looks at you in the eye and says, ‘Throw the ball to me, I don’t care if I’m triple-covered, throw it to me.' It’s hard to turn that down. He’s a (Michael) Jordan-level competitor, so if you can get him the ball, he’ll make the play.”
BAD: Missed tackles
The year is 2020: Alabama has yet to miss a kick but has whiffed on a whopping 47 tackles through four games. This season has seemed like something out of a science-fiction movie, and the Tide’s defense hasn’t been getting the best reviews.
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