There were some throws Mac Jones would like to have back, but by and large, his performance in Saturday's Iron Bowl loss at Auburn was admirable as Alabama's backup quarterback going into the lion's den against the best defense the Crimson Tide have faced this season.
Jones tallied 367 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns, giving Alabama a chance on the road.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith bashed Jones in the lead-up, saying it would be a farce if Alabama made the College Football Playoff without Tua Tagovailoa under center. And ex-teammate Alabama star Damien Harris, who now plays for the New England Patriots, isn't here for Jones slander.
Prior to the Iron Bowl, Harris tweeted "Just because you respect Alabama doesn’t mean you can disrespect Mac Jones. Y’all really acting outta line," referencing Smith's diatribe about the Crimson Tide's chances against Auburn with Jones at quarterback.
“I don’t want to see no scrubs in college football. I don’t want to see a bunch of no-names,” Smith said last week during First Take. “I’m openly confessing to my discrimination on national television, with all due respect, I don’t want to see no Mac Jones playing for a national championship.
“He’s no Tua. And considering the stature of Georgia, the stature Clemson … the fact that LSU, and oh by the way, LSU beat Alabama. We won’t want to hear (Auburn) might be the best team Alabama faces — you’ve already faced the best team and they beat you.”
Just because you respect Alabama doesn’t mean you can disrespect Mac Jones. Y’all really acting outta line lol https://t.co/PvdQQhHzSs
— Damien Harris (@DHx34) November 27, 2019
After throwing four touchdown passes against the Tigers in a losing cause, Jones received high praise from Nick Saban after the game.
“I thought Mac played really well. We had 550 yards of offense," Saban said. "The offensive line did a great job of blocking. We had great balance. We were able to run the ball effectively in the game. We threw it and made some big plays. We struggled in the red zone, and I think that it was the difference in the game.
"But I think the two pick-sixes for touchdowns, I mean, those are the kind of plays that you never want to happen, and I’m sure Mac wishes he had those back. But he was actually pressured pretty good on the one down on the goal line, so he had to get rid of the ball. But I thought overall, he did a really, really good job.”
Harris has been a strong supporter of Jones for quite some time.
"I think he gets lost in the Jalen and Tua hype, guys that have played this year," Harris told AL.com in a interview prior to last season's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl. "But I don't know if people understand he's going to be a big-time playmaker someday. He has a strong arm. He has a great mind for the game and I think he'll really be successful one day once he gets his opportunity."
Jones did not in Tuscaloosa with the same recruiting hype as Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa and has worked his way into Alabama's No. 2 spot during career. Jones was a 247Sports Composite three-star recruit in the class of 2017, while Hurts was a four-star passer and Tagovailoa a five-star.
"His mind for the game," Harris said is among Jones' best attributes. "He understands defenses really well. He sees things on the field before they happen. I think he has a strong arm. Like I said, people don't think about him or talk about him much as a player but I think one day he's going to surprise a lot of people.
"And I think he'll have a great career once it finally takes off."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijAFodHRwczovLzI0N3Nwb3J0cy5jb20vY29sbGVnZS9hbGFiYW1hL0FydGljbGUvQWxhYmFtYS1Dcmltc29uLVRpZGUtZm9vdGJhbGwtQXVidXJuLVRpZ2Vycy1NYWMtSm9uZXMtRGFtaWVuLUhhcnJpcy1TdGVwaGVuLUEtU21pdGgtMTM5NjQ2MzM0L9IBkAFodHRwczovLzI0N3Nwb3J0cy5jb20vY29sbGVnZS9hbGFiYW1hL0FydGljbGUvQWxhYmFtYS1Dcmltc29uLVRpZGUtZm9vdGJhbGwtQXVidXJuLVRpZ2Vycy1NYWMtSm9uZXMtRGFtaWVuLUhhcnJpcy1TdGVwaGVuLUEtU21pdGgtMTM5NjQ2MzM0L0FtcC8?oc=5
2019-12-02 11:14:29Z
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