The Crimson Tide were able to pick up their fourth win of the season against Southern Miss on Saturday with a 49-7 victory. Touchdown Alabama Magazine’s staff breaks down the biggest plays for the Tide from Saturday.
Trevon Diggs – Interception – 1st Quarter
Breakdown: Alabama senior defensive back, Trevon Diggs, intercepted a Jack Abrahams’ pass in the first quarter for his second interception of the season
Importance: Diggs is one of the draft-eligible Alabama players, who have to show pro scouts what he can do every game as he missed most of last season with an injury. During this play, Diggs showed his wide receiver background by basically running the wide receivers’ route and finishing the play by catching the interception over his shoulder. This play is one NFL scouts love to see.
Henry Ruggs – Receiving Touchdown – 1st Quarter
Breakdown: Henry Ruggs pulled off a 74-yard touchdown reception thanks to his explosive speed.
Importance: Ruggs has been on a tear of late. The last two weeks Henry Ruggs has caught 10 passes for 270-yards with three touchdowns as he owned the first quarter of the game again. With Ruggs getting more and more touches in the offense it just adds a whole different dimension to it. All it takes is a simple eight-yard slant and Ruggs can take it the distance with his all-world speed, which was put on display yet again in this play.
Anfernee Jennings – Sack – 1st Quarter
Breakdown: Anfernee Jennings made an early sack on Southern Miss’ quarterback.
Importance: On one of Southern Miss’ more successful drives outside linebacker, Anfernee Jennings, was able to record his third sack of the season during the first quarter of the game. Southern Miss quarterback Jack Abraham got the ball to the Alabama 34 as the team was threatening to grab an early score in the game. But it was the senior who broke through with a huge sack as well as forcing Abraham to get called for intentional grounding forcing the team to elect to punt instead of a field goal attempt. This play shows a flash of what a good edge rusher Jennings can be.
Najee Harris – Receiving Touchdown – 2nd Quarter
Breakdown: Najee Harris caught a pass from Taulia Tagovailoa on a flat route to catch his second receiving touchdown of the season.
Importance: Harris is looking to boost his NFL draft stock and cathing the ball out of the backfield is one part of his game, he has not really shown. The NFL wants complete backs, who know how to run routes. Harris was able to get out of the backfield and ran straight to the flat to put himself in position to catch the pass from Tagovailoa, showing he has improved his route running after catching a pass on a wheel in the previous week against South Carolina.
Jerry Jeudy – Touchdown Reception – 2nd Quarter
Breakdown: Jerry Jeudy’s caught a 17-yard TD reception from Tua Tagovailoa.
Importance: Jeudy was able to set up the DB on a stem route and get wide open as he maneuvers to the corner of the end zone. His route running prowess has NFL scouts drooling as he constantly finds ways to manipulate defenders, making them go where he wants them to go.
Shane Lee – Sack – Second Quarter
Breakdown: Shane Lee sacked USM quarterback for the first sack of his career.
Importance: Shane Lee has to grow up fast at the linebacker position and is showing he can do a multitude of thing. Pete Golding has not drawn up plays to blitz his young linebackers often with them having to learn som much of the Tide’s defense. When they do get a chance it is important they show what they can do and when they make sacks and create pressure, it establishes more trust in them.
Jordan Battle – FR – 3rd Quarter
Breakdown: Jordan Battle recovered a fumble forced by Phidarian Mathis.
Importance: Battle was in the right place at the right time and it continues to show his growth at the safety position. Nick Saban is training him to take over at free safety, upon Xavier McKinney leaving.
Brian Robinson – Rushing Touchdown – 3rd Quarter
Breakdown: Brian Robinson ran in a rushing touchdown from six yards out.
Importance: It is no secret that Alabama’s run game has taken some time to really get going this season and after a big game from Najee Harris, for junior running back Brian Robinson to offer a different kind of option in the backfield will prove very useful. On this scoring, it showed just how Robinson will be able to make an impact on the offense. As he pushed through defenders into the end zone for his second touchdown of the season the junior is gaining more and more confidence as the season progresses.
Taulia Tagovailoa – Pass Completion – 4th Quarter
Breakdown: Taulia Tagovailoa completed a pass to Slade Bolden for the first completion of his career.
Importance: This throw by Tagovailoa was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination and it wobbled to Slade Bolden. It could have easily been an interception, but the way Taulia moved around the pocket to get away from pressure an kept his eyes downfield is the biggest takeaway from this play as Tagoviloa’s ability to keep eyes downfield while moving around the pocket is one of the things that really stood out about him during his high school career.
Christian Barmore – TFL – 4th Quarter
Breakdown: Christian Barmore exploded into Southern Miss to make a tackle in the backfield.
Importance: Barmore big TFL The significance of this play is Barmore needs more reps in the DL rotation. The former four-star is built like Quinnen Williams; however, his playing style resembles former Tide standout, A’Shawn Robinson. Barmore plays angry and he is what the defensive front needs.
