Alabama film study: A last look at the Nightmare at Jordan-Hare before Georgia showdown
The Nightmare at Jordan-Hare. The Milthrow. 4th and a Milly. Gravedigger. Whatever one’s preferred name is, Alabama ’s unbelievable 27-24 win at Auburn is still reverberating a few days removed from the iconic Iron Bowl play.
For Alabama’s team, it’s time to look ahead to a more pressing matter — the SEC championship game against No. 1 ranked Georgia with major College Football Playoff implications. Before we do that here, it’s time for the final Alabama film study of the regular season. The 4th & 31 was the play of the game but the play that set the final sequence in motion, and where we’ll start is the muffed punt recovery by Jihaad Campbell ; and the substitution that made it possible.
“I just had a feeling that they were going to muff it because they put another No. 0 out there,” safety Malachi Moore said. “I was thinking that it’s his first one so hopefully something goes our way, and it did.”
Auburn ’s regular return man is No. 0 Keionte Scott , a defensive back that fielded three punts on Saturday. But the final punt was fielded by the other No. 0 — Koy Moore , a wide receiver. Credit punter James Burnip for putting strong hangtime on the ball, which put Moore off-balance just enough that he fell while catching the ball, muffing it. That drop allowed Campbell to recover the ball while running nearly full-tilt. It would’ve been a touchdown if not for the rule that players can’t advance a muffed punt.
Following Auburn's Iron Bowl loss to Alabama, Hugh Freeze was unaware that it was Koy Moore who muffed the critical punt and not regular returner Keionte Scott. pic.twitter.com/PD6kpbOp17— The Next Round November 26, 2023
An in-depth look at the wild, final sequence
Campbell’s recovery set off a roller coaster of plays that varied from excellent to awful, culminating in the game-winning score. On first down Milroe scrambled for an 11-yard gain and first down. On the next play Jase McClellan was tackled for a one-yard loss and injured his foot in the process — he’s day-to-day after leaving the game in a boot and crutches. Then on 2nd & 11, Milroe was sacked for a nine-yard loss after Jaeden Roberts was beaten inside.
On third down at the 20-yard line, Auburn defensive end Jalen McLeod (No. 35) rushes to the inside of Kadyn Proctor but loses his footing. Ironically that slip collapsed the interior of Alabama’s pocket with Proctor, Tyler Booker and Seth McLaughlin all affected. Meanwhile linebacker Eugene Asante (No. 9) — blitzing from the other side — breaks free on the exterior of the line. This is a good job by Milroe of feeling the pressure, stepping up in the pocket and then breaking out the opposite way, a move that also eliminated the QB spy (No. 6) from the play, gaining back 19 yards and finishing with a physical hit to the defender.
The next play, the 4th-and-1 conversion, is the latest variation in the tush push package. Alabama’s used it for QB sneaks, sweep plays ( Jam Miller on 3rd down against LSU ) and now as a toss play to Roydell Williams . The MVPs of this play are tight ends CJ Dippre and Robbbie Ouzts who take out three defenders to clear the way.
The original plan was to try and draw Auburn offsides with this play as a safeguard. Auburn didn’t jump initially, so Milroe looked to the sideline, got the call and ran the play. Saban said postgame it was a good time to use the toss due to Auburn stacking on the line anticipating an inside run.
“It was a really good design and good situational football,” Saban said.
But a one-yard loss by Williams, followed by a mistimed snap set Alabama back 19 yards. Milroe was looking away and wasn’t ready for the snap, but it’s possible that Auburn could’ve been flagged before the play. It looks like Auburn safety Zion Puckett (No. 10, top right) could be clapping before the snap, which would be a defensive delay of game penalty for the use of disconcerting signals — because Milroe was using a clap on offense as a cadence for the snap.
Nick Saban was asked about it on Sunday’s SEC championship teleconference.
“First of all the defense is not allowed to clap if that’s what (the offense) is using as a cadence,” Saban said. “So if what you say actually occurred, and I did see the film, then I’m not criticizing officiating, but I’m saying that’s supposed to be a penalty.”
An illegal forward pass by Milroe set the stage for the “Gravedigger” 4th-and-31 play. Focusing on the pass itself first, Milroe was stationary in the pocket due to a barely-present Auburn rush, and so was able to survey all options. He found a one-on-one matchup with Bond and threw it across field — a much longer in distance than the 31 he’s credited for — on a rope for the score.
Bond does a great job on his end of the play — positioning his body well away from the sideline in order to get two feet in-bounds and separating from his defender to catch the ball.
In what ways did Auburn’s offense hurt Alabama’s defense?
Auburn’s offense had success running the football against Alabama’s defense in a way most teams haven’t — against Power 5 teams, the most rushing yards Alabama has allowed to a running back was the 74 yards picked up by Kentucky ’s Ramon Johnson, and 73 of those came on one play. Chattanooga’s Gino Appleberry held the mark for most yards gained by any running back against the Tide with 104.
In stark contrast, Auburn had two running backs over 80 yards: Jarquez Hunter (93) and Damari Alston (85), with quarterback Payton Thorne adding an additional 57 yards on the ground. Two types of designed runs gave Alabama’s defense trouble: double-pulling blockers and misdirection motion runs.
The first big run, by Jarquez Hunter, set up Auburn’s first touchdown. Two pulling blockers, one lineman and one tight end, seal off Deontae Lawson and Dallas Turner to set up an open field play between Hunter and Jaylen Key . Hunter wins the matchup and runs for 42 yards. But look at Turner’s hustle to get back into the play and eventually chase Hunter down.
This three-play touchdown drive late in the second quarter is a further illustration. On first down, Auburn comes back to the same double-pull look with Alston for an eight-yard gain.
On second down, Auburn sends a wide receiver in motion — moving Jaylen Key to the right — then Alston runs through the gap he vacated. Campbell and Lawson are drawn towards the motion side due to the threat of a QB run and the right side of the line is sealed off, opening a hole. Key recovers in time to make the tackle but is flagged for a facemask in the process.
On the scoring play, Auburn faked a run up the middle and handed it off on an end-around. Most of Alabama’s defense got caught flatfooted and Auburn took a 14-10 lead.
With perimeter runs established in the first half, Auburn implemented QB runs up the middle in the second half — 56 of Thorne’s 57 rushing yards came in the third and fourth quarters. On this play the defense plays Alston to the right, leaving a huge hole up the middle for Thorne.
Thorne’s passing numbers look pedestrian at first glance — 5 of 16 for 91 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions — but three of those five throws accounted for 79 yards, and completion one was impactful. Auburn found success through the air via pick/rub routes by its wide receivers.
Thorne’s first big completion, on a 3rd-and-8 in the second quarter, featured a three-on-three matchup with Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore and Caleb Downs . The receiver furthest to the inside runs a slant and takes Downs with him, while the middle receiver runs upfield taking Moore with him —simultaneously blocking McKinstry who was playing off of his man. The outermost receiver cuts in behind the pick and picks up 15 yards.
Auburn took a 21-20 lead in the third quarter from a similar concept. Receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson motions to the left — drawing Moore — then McKinstry’s receiver runs a rub route to create separation for Johnson. He’s left wide open as Moore doesn’t follow him, and there’s no help defense over the top.
It wasn’t an overall great day for the defense, but the Tide did stand strong in one of the game’s biggest (though doomed to be overshadowed by the Hail Mary) moments in the game. Early in the fourth quarter, a 22-yard run by Thorne set up a first-and-goal from Alabama’s eight-yard line. On third-and-goal Auburn went back to the same formation from its second touchdown, but this time ran up the middle. Alabama stuffed the run and forced a field goal to keep the deficit at 24-20. Had the line not held, Alabama would have needed a two-point conversion to tie the game following Bond’s touchdown.
One big noticeable improvement on offense
Alabama’s first score on Saturday was a two-yard touchdown run by Roydell Williams. It was a nice finish to a good opening drive, and it also represented a significant improvement in one area of the team — red zone offense.
The offense only scored 13 touchdowns in its first 23 red zone trips to start the season. Williams’ touchdown marked the 18th-straight red zone possession that resulted in a touchdown. Today, Alabama ranks 10th nationally in red zone offense (42 scores on 45 attempts, 32 touchdowns).
(Top photo of Isaiah Bond : Michael Chang / )
