The plays that tested Nick Saban's patience in Alabama's win over Ole Miss

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – There were a lot of memorable plays in Alabama’s 24-10 win over the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday. But one sequence in the third quarter left many confused.

Crimson Tide running back Roydell Williams gained five yards on 2nd and 5 at the Ole Miss 16 but appeared to be short of the line to gain. That prompted the Alabama offense to hurry up to the line, Jalen Milroe to take the snap from under center and run a quarterback sneak to pick up the first down. Only the down and distance weren’t 3rd and Inches but 1st and 10.

The officiating crew was slow to move the chains, which essentially led to Alabama wasting a down. The Tide’s other tailback, Jase McClellan, ran for four yards on 2nd 9, Milroe gained one yard on 3rd and 5 and then the field goal team trotted out, leaving many scratching their heads as to why Will Reichard was coming out for a 23-yard try with another down to use.

After the game, Nick Saban was asked if he was given an explanation by the officials.

“I got hot about that one,” Saban said. 

That was evident from the press box, as Saban was clearly unhappy with the chain gang. 

He continued, “Most of the time, the guy that marks the ball will signal first down. He came and marked the ball, and when they put their hand down, it’s like it’s short. So we assumed that it was short. Called a quarterback sneak, which cost us a down, and we tried to do it fast before they could line up. Well, then all of a sudden, like right when we were snapping the ball, they’re moving the chains. 

“I mean, the chains didn’t move until we were snapping the ball. Now, the referee says, ‘I signaled first down.’ I said, ‘Well, why didn’t the guy spotting the ball signal first down?’ 

“When stuff like that happens, the football gods aren’t with you because it’s just a miscommunication. And we did not think in the press box that the guy made a first down. Most of the time, right away, it’s a first down, and then the guys marking the ball didn’t signal first down. It was bad on our part. If we weren’t trying to go fast, we would have been able to recover the situation, and that cost us, really. We ended up kicking a field goal.”

Speaking of making Saban unhappy, another touchdown was wiped off the board because of a penalty. Early in the third quarter, after hauling in a 54-yard pass from Milroe – the longest play of the game – wide receiver Jermaine Burton was flagged for holding a 21-yard touchdown run by McClellan. Rather than a touchdown, Alabama was backed up to the 20 and could not cross the goal line again on that series, settling for a Reichard field goal.

It marked the fifth touchdown called back due to a flag in the first four games of the year.

It wasn’t a penalty, but Saban was also not pleased with a snap snafu. It came one play after Ja’Corey Brooks blocked an Ole Miss punt and Alabama took over at the Rebels’ 1-yard line. Milroe couldn’t handle a poor snap from center Seth McLaughlin, and rather than have 1st and Goal at the opposing team’s 1, the Tide lost 13 yards and then eight more on the next two plays before Reichard was asked to kick a 40-yard field goal, which he made.

Asked about patience, primarily with quarterbacks, Saban thought back to these plays.

“It takes a lot of patience on my part when you score five touchdowns and have them called back,” Saban said. “So that takes patience, too. It takes patience when you’re 1st and 1 at the 1 and you don’t score a touchdown. That takes patience. 

“So I’ve got a lot of things testing my patience.”

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