At the midway point in the third quarter, Nick Saban decided to make a change at cornerback as senior Josh Jobe was taken out of the game in favor of freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Jobe was primarily assigned Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks who was having his way with the Crimson Tide secondary.
Following the game, Saban gave his evaluation of what he was able to see from the talented freshman.
“I think that Kool-Aid did ok,” Saban said following the games. “A lot of times, when they’re on the other side, it’s hard for me to see exactly how they’re doing. But I thought he did a pretty good job. Je’s gotten better all season. He’s more confident. He knows what to do. He’s a bright guy. He prepares well. And we have a lot of confidence in him playing, and I thought he did a pretty good job.”
McKinstry finished the game with two tackles, but the Alabama defense continued to struggle to defend the Razorbacks.
Arkansas totaled 468 yards on Pete Golding’s unit with 358 yards coming through the air. But what Saban was most concerned about following the game was the third-down defense from Alabama as it was not up to par from weeks prior.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber only content!*
Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
