For once, DeVonta Smith wasn’t the go-to guy for Alabama.
Arkansas did its best to shut down the big-play receiver, dropping back eight players in a zone defense in an attempt to limit the Crimson Tide’s vertical passing game.
If the goal was solely to keep the ball out of Smith’s hands, the Razorbacks would have succeeded. However, Arkansas was also hoping to find a way to slow down Alabama’s red-hot offense. Despite a somewhat slow start from the Tide, that didn’t happen during Saturday’s 52-3 beatdown.
“They played us like we thought,” Saban said. “I thought Mac did a really good job of taking what they gave us. They dropped eight guys a whole bunch… Both corners rolled up three-deep, you know, tried to keep everything in front. We thought that they’d play us that way. They played that way most of the year, and they’re pretty effective doing it.”
Arkansas might have prevented Mac Jones’ deadly deep ball. Although, the Hogs were instead sliced and diced by the Alabama quarterback on a series of checkdowns and short passes.
Jones got off to a rocky start leading the offense to a field goal on its first possession before failing to find Brian Robinson Jr. on a fourth-and-four during Alabama’s second drive. From there, he adjusted to Arkansas’ defensive setup, completing 20 of his next 22 passes while marching the Tide down the field for five straight touchdown drives.
Jones ended his day with a modest 208 yards and no touchdowns on 24 of 29 passing. While the performance won’t necessarily help his Heisman Trophy campaign, it did draw praise from his head coach following the game.
“I thought Mac did a really good job of taking what the defense gave,” Saban said. “He hit the check-downs a lot. You’ve got to catch it and run with it sometimes when you play against a team like that.”
Smith finished with just 22 yards on three receptions. With the star receiver covered, Jones went to tight end Miller Forristall, who reeled in a career-high six receptions for 52 yards. Jones was also able to find receivers John Metchie III and Slade Bolden on a few short and intermediate routes. Metchie finished with a game-high 72 yards on five receptions, while Bolden had 43 yards on four catches.
“I think that’s what you have to have,” Saban said. “Johnathan Metchie has to be a force out there. Jahleel Billingsley has to be a force. Slade has to be able to make plays. We can’t be one-dimensional in the passing game. We’ve never really been that way here.
“Smitty has just had a phenomenal year. But I think we have a lot of confidence in a lot of other players that are very capable, and we have to read it out and take what the defense gives and when those guys get opportunities, they have to make plays. And they’ve done that for the most part.”
Alabama’s defense got Moody after Harris went down
Alabama was without its leading tackler for the majority of the game as starting Will linebacker Christian Harris injured his shoulder while making a tackle on the first play from scrimmage.
