Breaking down the final play - the UGA safety wasn't the only lapse

[dayhiker]

Not related to the score, but a still photographer ran out onto the end zone once the TD was scored and Irv kind of laid him out (accidentally) en route to celebrate with Devonte.

I rewound that several times.

 

[BamaMoon]

There's another breakdown here:
How the sack on first down led to the winning play

This image (see #4 for Bama) with a huge cushion between him and all the defenders. If DeVonta is covered, Jeudy is going to get almost everything Alabama needs.

Basically he could have thrown it to anybody but Calvin Ridley. Irv Smith is behind the double coverage and a throw over the top with some touch and he might score too if he dodges a tackle from the safety sliding over.

If he hits Juedy it's probably a first down.

If he hits Harris it's a 15 yard gain, at least.

Just goes to show you that when you have arm talent and a good route tree what's available.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

How often did we get beat deep trying to keep them from getting a first down when Kirby was here?


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3rd and Kirby was a real thing. This time it was 2nd and Kirby.

 

[DawgByte]

Your secondary was your weak link...we just couldn't attack until TT came in.

Agree. Had Saban elected to keep Hurts in the game for the second half, Georgia wins its first Natty since 1980. Simple as that. Thus, it makes Saban's decision that much more remarkable.

 

[Go Bama]

Agree. Had Saban elected to keep Hurts in the game for the second half, Georgia wins its first Natty since 1980. Simple as that. Thus, it makes Saban's decision that much more remarkable.

A very large percentage of Bama fans knew we were beaten if Saban didn’t make the QB change. It has been called a remarkable decision by a lot of people, but truthfully he was only doing what he had to do.

 

[techster79]

The pass to Ridley for a TD could have been picked and he almost was picked in the EZ if the UGA player didn't jump out of bounds. Things went about as well as they could have aside from missing Ridley on the long pass. The game looked lost for me after Tua's pick and I turned the TV off and laid in bed. I pulled up the ESPN app out of curiousity and saw UGA got picked on the very next play. After that I couldn't tune out again.

 

[uaintn]

It is not fair for that safety to be taking all the blame on this play.

Let's put it generously and say D. Smith's ability to avoid any misdirection at the LOS put the safety in a very awkward position. This photo is great. The safety has responsibility on D. Smith. Jeudy is coming across the field without coverage, whom he may or may not have seen, but give him the benefit of the doubt. (I have no idea what his cover guy was thinking). Plus, the safety knows that no one is covering Harris in the middle of the field and safeties and DBs trying tackle him in space after he has a good head of steam is not going to go well for UGA -- and Tagovailoa is looking right at him. Can he just run away from that?

Added to all that, he has watched no telling how many hours of film that show with this much open space the Alabama qb is very likely to split defenders running and cover a lot of ground (see last year's last offensive play, for example). Hurts wasn't in there, but it's not like I think he processed that in the 1-2 seconds he had before he was utterly lost. Now, it did look like he took one step towards the LOS, maybe trying to indicate he was spying Tagovailoa or trying to induce a hurried throw to Harris. Either way, when someone runs like Smith, that kind of time is poison -- he either headed for the sideline immediately, hoped we dropped the pass, or, well, what happened. Frankly, I'm not sure he gets there in time from where he started unless he immediately heads towards the goal line at the snap (which the corner was apparently expecting him to do).

No going back and altering the past, but even if he ignores the QB entirely, flips, and takes off after Smith on schedule, this play is still going to be at least a decent gain unless the pass is batted down or dropped. If the safety was in position, my guess is we throw to Harris who might or might not get stopped short of the first down. Then the safety is criticized for leaving the middle of the field open. Jeudy would also be a correct read and probably for 1st down distance and perhaps a home run, with his speed. Smith, Jr. is a possible at the point the ball is thrown but it would have been a tougher catch -- hard to tell from the angle but if he catches he is probably close to the first down.

No doubt Tagovailoa made the best play off the best read. However, that safety was in a serious, serious bind from about one second after the snap and it was not all his fault.

 

[GA_Tide]

I watched Tua on this play really closely yesterday. He did something I've never seen another QB at any level do.

He looks off the safety by keeping his head to the right. Then with his head still to the right, he makes a short hop to adjust feet and body to throw to the left. But his head never moves. He is still staring right. Then finally when the rest of his body is set, turns his head and starts his throwing motion at the same time. That is why the release came so quick. It is crazy. That safety never had a chance.

 

[Titans&Tide]

Not related to the score, but a still photographer ran out onto the end zone once the TD was scored and Irv kind of laid him out (accidentally) en route to celebrate with Devonte.

That photographer is a friend of mine. We've had a good laugh at his expense (once we determined that he was OK). His wife is giving him endless crap about it!

 

[runtheoption22]

That photographer is a friend of mine. We've had a good laugh at his expense (once we determined that he was OK). His wife is giving him endless crap about it!

hey, he was the first one out there!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

There's another breakdown here:
How the sack on first down led to the winning play

This image (see #4 for Bama) with a huge cushion between him and all the defenders. If DeVonta is covered, Jeudy is going to get almost everything Alabama needs.

Good analysis...

 

[LA4Bama]

I watched Tua on this play really closely yesterday. He did something I've never seen another QB at any level do.

He looks off the safety by keeping his head to the right. Then with his head still to the right, he makes a short hop to adjust feet and body to throw to the left. But his head never moves. He is still staring right. Then finally when the rest of his body is set, turns his head and starts his throwing motion at the same time. That is why the release came so quick. It is crazy. That safety never had a chance.

Nice observation about the body position.


I noticed a few months ago Tua doesn't have to look be on target. We saw a great example on the spin and sling it touchdown earlier this year. In less dramatic ways he did it other times too. He has an instinctive feel for where the ball needs to go. It can lead to not seeing a defender sometimes, but in general it's an amazing attribute. Like an NBA point guard no look passing

 

[Moro Creek]

If Smith had been covered, Tua would have hit JJ or Harris and either would have scored. Any way you look, game was over with that play. RTR

 

[Crimson Duck]

Also, watch Tua in the pre-snap read. He is focused right. He never looks (or points his head) in Sanders' direction.

 

[pigsinspace]

Jalen's overreliance on Ridley probably helped a little bit. Shut down Ridley, and the passing game is nothing. Harris and Jeudy would not be factors. They should have tightened up their coverage when Tua started hitting everyone else.

 

[gman4tide]

There's another breakdown here:
How the sack on first down led to the winning play

This image (see #4 for Bama) with a huge cushion between him and all the defenders. If DeVonta is covered, Jeudy is going to get almost everything Alabama needs.

I'm just thankful no Olinemen were downfield! :wink:

 

[Ole Man Dan]

4 verts (Seattle in Bama/Pats lingo) is a flat out beater for Cover 2 Sink. We knew they'd likely go split safety there so we wanted to put a lot of pressure on their safeties to stay at home and not break until the ball got in the air. Heck, we may have just been hoping to sniff for a touchdown then use all that vertical action to toss it underneath and let Dame make a play in space. We got the "throw for the touchdown" execution from UGA though. Soft off the snap from the corners, no redirection toward the middle of the field. Safety opposite Ridley's side got turned into stone by looking into the quarterback's eyes.

We haven't gotten that kind of execution in pass game since the last two years of McCarron but UGA also kinda blew it. The key is having a QB who can cash it in when the other guys blow it.

I rewatched that play a dozen times. Georgia did it to themselves.
Tua executed perfectly with the look offs...
Even when the ball was in the air... I still didn't expect it to work.
Smith ran his route to perfection... I still didn't believe...
Tua delivered the ball just where it needed to be... TD. WOW.
Georgia got caught with their pants down...
Georgia must have done all their practices with Jalen in mind. Ridley
was covered...

 

[rolltide_21]

I think Damien, as good as he is in the open field, or Jeudy would’ve scored too. The D is set up with bad angles on both of them too. There’s no way they’re catching Jeudy when he turns it up field.


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[CRMSNtide]

The throw itself is just so impressive, 45 yards in the air, placed perfectly with velocity.
And with such a quick release, it’s like Georgia didn’t know what hit them until it was over.

 

[cbi1972]

The throw itself is just so impressive, 45 yards in the air, placed perfectly with velocity.
And with such a quick release, it’s like Georgia didn’t know what hit them until it was over.

Like Mickey vs Gorgeous George