Ryan Day attributes Alabama's snapping problems to cadence issues
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day believes Alabama’s snapping problems last season might have had more to do with Jalen Milroe than Seth McLaughlin. During an interview with reporters Tuesday, Day spoke positively of McLaughlin, stating the graduate center has not had any issues since transferring to the Buckeyes in January.
“Seth’s snaps have been great. I know that was a little bit of a concern,” Day said in a video posted by Eleven Warriors. “I think that had a lot to do with maybe the cadence or whatever. But so far, he’s been doing great.”
While starting at center for all 14 of Alabama’s games last season, McLaughlin was plagued with several low and mistimed snaps, often delivering the ball before Milroe was ready for it. Those struggles extended into Alabama's Rose Bowl loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff, as McLaughlin had an early snap in the third quarter before delivering the ball low to Milroe on the final play of the game.
“With anything, it takes preparation,” Milroe said following the Rose Bowl when asked about exchange issues between him and McLaughlin. “Whether it’s pass protection, whether it’s the running game, the passing game, you know, the quarterback and the center have to have a great relationship. And that is something that we try to build throughout the whole season. So, you know, there’s a multitude of things that me and Seth talk about. And in that regard, you know, that’s something we do talk about.”
After transferring to Ohio State, McLaughlin spoke out on the issue, stating that while the bad snaps did get into his head, he was not struggling from a mental standpoint.
“It was a matter of it just happened,” McLaughlin said at the time. “I can’t really explain what was going on and what went into it, but that’s really in the past and I’m looking on moving forward.”
When asked earlier this month, first-year Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic said he has not watched film on the Tide’s snapping issues from last season. However, he is familiar with them.
"Obviously everybody heard about it," Kapilovic said. "We train those guys, we teach them the techniques and we grade them everyday. Every snap is charted. It’s something we take serious offseason, in season. They’re snapping year-round. It’s important."
Along with paying extra attention to snapping during practice, Kapilovic said he generally tries to develop 8-10 offensive linemen with snapping abilities in his unit.
"Half those guys may never snap their whole career here, but you can never have enough of those guys," Kapilovic said. "And then for their future, that’s the first question NFL scouts ask me: Can he snap? So it’s good for everybody, right?"
Alabama opened up its spring camp earlier this week with redshirt junior James Brockermeyer at center. The Tide also added Washington transfer Parker Brailsford, who served as the starting center on the Huskies’ Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line last season.
"We’re rotating guys,” Kapilovic when asked about Alabama’s center competition earlier this month. “Nothing is better for your team than competition. When you’ve got another guy behind you who is pushing you and can win that job, that raises the level of play for both those guys. I think it’s critical.”