The performance versus Auburn was not enough for him to shed the ‘game manager’ label.
When his teammates showed him the message from Bo Nix, Mac Jones responded with five touchdowns and 302 passing yards in a 42-13 dominant victory in the 85th Iron Bowl.
He thought it would be the last he would hear of that term, but it reared its head again in Dan Mullen’s presser at the SEC Championship Coaches Teleconference. Mullen, who is coming off a 34-37 loss to Louisiana State University at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, is the head coach of the Florida Gators. Alabama and Florida have battled numerous times for the conference crown — including four times in the Nick Saban era.
The Crimson Tide was victorious over the Gators in 2009, 2015 and 2016, while wins in ’09 and ’15 propelled it to capturing a national championship in both seasons.
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This year, Mac Jones is operating the best offense in college football. He has the Tide averaging 49.5 points and 537.8 yards offensively per game, both which rank in the top-five nationally for scoring and total offense.
He paced Alabama to nine straight contests with at least 40 points (two 60-point games) and led the team to a 10-0 season in an unprecedented COVID year.
Individually, Jones is in the top-5 of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) among quarterbacks in every major category.
Mac Jones’ stats among top QB’s for 2020
-76.4 completion rating (217-of-284), second in NCAA
-3,321 passing yards, fourth in NCAA
-27 touchdown passes, tied for fourth in NCAA
-11.7 yards per pass attempt, first in NCAA
-203.9 passer rating, first in NCAA
-96 total quarterback rating, first in NCAA
-94.3 raw quarterback rating, first in NCAA
Other important numbers for Jones
-Seven of 10 games with a 75% completion rating
-Eight of 10 games with a QBR of at least 95
-Six of 10 games with at least 300 passing yards (three 400-yard games)
-Five of 10 games with at least four touchdown passes
Even with the success he is having, which includes him as a semifinalists for national awards, Mullen sees Jones as having a resemblance to his quarterback. The Gators head coach compared Jones to Kyle Trask, despite Jones having better numbers in different areas.
“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 can manage the game, but he also can make every throw and be highly explosive.
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No one has given him the credit, but he looks to take it. Jones and Trask have eight common opponents — Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and LSU — and while their stats are similar, Trask lost to the Aggies and had a poor outing in a loss to LSU.
He had three turnovers, including a pick-six, in a 34-37 loss for the Gators at home. Jones, on the other hand, shredded an LSU team for four scores and 385 yards in a 55-17 win for the Tide.
Trask has more yards (3,717) and touchdowns (40), but those are the lone two areas he leads in.
This becomes another personal situation for the redshirt junior. Expect for Jones to have a huge showing.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
