|
|
|
|
Looking back: The MSU-Alabama game notebook |
|
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 |
By AARON SEIDLITZ
For the Bulldog Beat
The play started off as routine, and by the end of the drive it didn’t even contribute to a full seven points.
It wasn’t so much that this one play stood out that much in the grand, overall scheme of the game in relation to the scoreboard. But this one play also highlighted a stark difference in how the Mississippi State and Alabama teams differ right now.
Alabama’s wide Marquis Maze caught a short pass from quarterback Greg McElroy, but quickly he weaved his way through five State defenders.
42-yards later Alabama’s scoring drive was well under way. Even though the Crimson Tide managed only a field goal to go up 17-0, it was apparent their playmakers were doing what they were advertised as capable of.
“Give credit to Alabama, they made some big plays, and I think that was the difference in the game. They completed passes of 48, 42, 45 and a 70-yard touchdown run by (running back) Mark Ingram – we hold him to 79 yards if you take away that touchdown run,” MSU head coach Dan Mullen said.
The usual names were there all night for Nick Saban’s squad. Ingram, despite getting injured in the first half, finished the game with 149 yards rushing on 19 carries. He also caught one pass for another nine yards.
When he wasn’t rushing it, freshman Trent Richardson was, and by the end of the night he had gained 47 yards.
As has been the case this season, plenty of Mississippi State attention was paid to wide receiver Julio Jones. That helped limit the sophomore’s numbers on the day to three catches for 18 yards – until he caught one more pass for 48 yards and a touchdown.
The deep threat was really only thrown once, as Alabama differed to try and go underneath with Jones early against MSU, and even that wasn’t done all that often.
Then on his big strike play, Jones was left all alone deep down the center of the field after a play fake.
When Jones wasn’t making plays, however, the Crimson Tide utilized Maze. Listed at just 5-foot-10 and just shy of 180 pounds, Maze showed just how quick and shifty he can be – as described in the play above. Finding creases against the Bulldogs defense, Maze caught four passes for 55 yards.
“I thought our defense really played hard, but they’re guys came up and made a couple big plays,” Mullen said. “You know, I think our guys, we had a couple opportunities to make a couple big plays, but we didn’t come down with them.
“That was the big difference in the game.”
Overall, the Crimson Tide offense didn’t provide fireworks Saturday, but it did provide consistency.
There were very few negative plays, no turnovers and a consistency in just frustrating MSU defenders.
“It was just a matter of us trying to keep going, keep going,” Bulldogs linebacker Jamar Chaney said. “Then you see what happened; one time you’re not in your gap, one time you do something wrong, he’s out of the gate.”
Momentum killer
It’s become a weekly item throughout the Southeastern Conference. Saturday night’s game included one debatable officiating decision.
Twice this season, as Mullen has pointed out in the past, there have been calls he has disagreed with. When he did so he was reprimanded a few weeks back.
Each time the effectiveness of the instant replay system was brought into the discussion by the Bulldogs head coach. After this game he may have one more argument to make.
With State trailing 17-0 in the third quarter, and at the time possessed little, if any, offensive momentum. Then on an Alabama kickoff, Chad Bumphis took it back 88 yards for what appeared to be a touchdown.
However, the officials ruled him out at the Alabama 38-yard line, and five plays later Derek DePasquale missed his second field goal attempt of the season.
Replay on the video board proved the call at least questionable, but no review was conducted. After the replay, MSU coaches ran out on the field in protest, but still nothing was done.
Again, the momentum seemed to escape the Bulldogs’ grasp, and, once again, a call had something to do with it.
“It happens really fast,” Mullen said. “I watched it right there, I was right in front of it, and, you know what, that’s one of the things that the official was right there. He came up to me and said, ‘He hit the white.’”
Further along in the coach’s response, he brought up that he had watched the review on the video board. Then he stopped short of describing what happened, and said the SEC officials “do a real good job, in the speed of what happens in the SEC.”
Back to two quarterbacks
With MSU quarterback Tyson Lee struggling on-and-off against Alabama, backup Chris Relf made the most impact in a game as the second quarterback since the third week of the season against Vanderbilt.
Relf had rushed the ball eight times against Florida three weeks ago, but he had not thrown a pass since Sept. 26 against LSU when he threw one and completed it.
Against Alabama on Saturday Relf rushed the ball six times for nine yards. He also threw the ball three times.
He dusted off his arm to throw a couple pretty deep passes, but each attempt was deflected away from the intended receiver.
Still, in a game where Lee had issues against a tough defense, Relf was turned to a little more frequently by Mullen.
|
|
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 24 November 2009 )
|
|
|
|
