College football is in a different culture.
The NCAA transfer portal has allowed athletes to control their futures. If a school is not allowing an athlete to play immediately, it can transfer to another program and be eligible to play. We want to see everyone have success, but the portal has provided athletes with an easy way out. People are no longer being trained or developed to handle adversity.
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When something does not go in the way of a player, it quickly chooses to transfer. Regardless of how the sport has evolved, one can appreciate the story of Mac Jones. In a social media-driven culture, he was not a four or five-star prospect. Jones played at a high school (The Bolles School) known for winning championships; however, he was not highly recruited. He won different competitions, but he was not seen as someone who could change the dynamics of a school. Jones could have gone to the University of Kentucky and been a starter, but something drew him to Nick Saban and the University of Alabama.
8/20/20 MFB Practice Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (10)Photo by Robert Sutton
He wanted to be developed; he did not want an easy route. During an exclusive interview with yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine, Jones said he did not want to be ‘given the keys’ to Alabama’s offense.
“You gotta earn the keys to the offense.”
Mac Jones (@MacJones_10) didn’t want anything given to him, which is why he chose Alabama. He sat down with Touchdown Alabama’s Stephen Smith and discussed his journey from a 3-Star to champion.
Full video: https://t.co/uhkfyxSw0c pic.twitter.com/992k6cHYqi
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) April 27, 2021
“When Coach Saban called and I went to Alabama, I could not deny what he was telling me,” Jones said. “It was how he did things, and that was how I envisioned my process going. I was going to come in, and he said ‘no one is going to develop you better as a player, as a student, and as a person. Everything is set up for you to be successful, but at the same time you have to put in the work.’ I just looked at it like this is a crazy opportunity that I can’t turn down. I might not play right away, but I am going to grind and it was better that way. I really did not want it any other way. You have to earn the keys to the offense.”
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Jones earned the keys by learning from Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa.
Mac Jones, Jalen Hurts, and Tua Tagovailoa from Alabama’s 2017 season celebrating a victory over Tennessee/ Photo comes via Twitter
As a freshman and sophomore, he studied the leadership skills of both players. Jones stayed in the film, trained with Scott Cochran to bulk up his body, and made others better in running the scout-team offense. According to Jones, what helped him the most at Alabama was blocking out the external noise upon him arriving on campus.
“I did not have a presence coming in, but I just worked hard,” he said.
“I remember Coach Cochran telling me the stars don’t matter anymore. You can be a five-star or a zero star, but it is about what you do every day. You earn your respect, and I definitely earned my respect. I had a lot of growing to do. People looked at me and saw that I was not a five-star because of my size, but if you look at my before and after pictures, it is proof that you can add weight. I gained 50 pounds between then and now, but that was when I was a three-star and I still have the same mindset.”
Mac Jones before and after photo at Alabama/Photo comes from Josh Hampton, a strength and conditioning coach at Alabama
Jones grew in confidence with the scout team, and his think-outside-the-box attitude led to him showing what he could do as a redshirt sophomore. He filled in admirably for an injured Tua Tagovailoa in a few games during the 2019 season, including a start versus Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Despite tossing two interceptions, he turned in 335 passing yards and four touchdowns.
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Jones gave Alabama a chance to win the contest at Jordan-Hare Stadium, regardless of a 45-48 loss.
Nov 30, 2019; Auburn, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones (10) looks to pass during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Photo by John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
He would lead the Tide to a 35-16 victory over Michigan (Citrus Bowl) and then took the team on a journey to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2020. His mentality to battle allowed him to fend off a talented freshman in Bryce Young and be the starting quarterback. Jones was at his finest against elite competition, and he was especially dominant in the CFP.
People counted him out, but he wanted the pressure. He thrived in it. Silencing critics became his mission.
via: Mark J. Rebilas USA Today Sports
A former three-star delivered Nick Saban to his second perfect season at Alabama.
A former three-star became a Heisman finalist, set single-season school records, and won national awards. A former three-star was voted a permanent team captain by his peers, and a former three-star turned in one of the greatest seasons ever by a Crimson Tide quarterback. Jones is projected to be taken early in the first round of the NFL Draft, which starts on Thursday night.
His drive to be the best started from childhood, and it took different coaches to mold him.
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He will forever be defined by Alabama fans as someone who shattered expectations and mapped out his own plan.
Jones earned everything from Saban, and he is set to be a great player in the National Football League.
The full interview with Jones will be in the print edition of TDA Magazine. To get the new magazine, be sure to subscribe to here. The magazine, which features a jubilant Nick Saban on the cover, will be shipping soon.
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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.
