Snap Counts and Observations: Game 8 vs. Auburn
Alabama lined up against Auburn for the 85th time on Saturday, extending its series lead over its in-state rival with a 42-13 win.
Below is a breakdown of snap counts for every player, first by offense and defense and then with additional observations by position:
Offense (53 snaps)
DeVonta Smith 53
Alex Leatherwood 53
Deonte Brown 53
Landon Dickerson 53
John Metchie III 51
Mac Jones 50
Emil Ekiyor Jr. 50
Evan Neal 50
Miller Forristall 35
Najee Harris 34
Javon Baker 21
Brian Robinson Jr. 16
Kendall Randolph 16
Carl Tucker 15
Jahleel Billingsley 13
Slade Bolden 10
Bryce Young 3
Jase McClellan 3
Chris Owens 3
Major Tennison 1
The Crimson Tide offense, as always, had three wide receivers on the field for the majority of its snaps. It was in Blue personnel for 30 of its 53 plays. It ran 22 plays out of Silver personnel (two tight ends), and it ran one play, a kneel-down at the end of the first half, with three tight ends.
Defense (80 snaps)
Patrick Surtain II 80
Josh Jobe 80
Jordan Battle 80
Dylan Moses 73
Christian Harris 71
Malachi Moore 66
Will Anderson 57
Daniel Wright 53
Christian Barmore 48
Chris Allen 48
Phidarian Mathis 38
Justin Eboigbe 37
D.J. Dale 36
Demarcco Hellams 27
Byron Young 25
Tim Smith 25
Brian Branch 17
Jaylen Moody 7
Joshua McMillon 7
LaBryan Ray 4
Ben Davis 1
The defense was in its standard nickel personnel (three linemen, one outside linebacker, two inside linebackers) on 47 of its 80 snaps, or just below 60%. It was in base personnel (four defensive backs) on 14 snaps. Seventeen of the remaining 19 snaps were in dime personnel (six defensive backs), most of which had two inside linebackers and three players on the line.
QUARTERBACKS
Mac Jones 50
Bryce Young 3
After two of his less spectacular outings of the season, Jones bounced back with a 5-touchdown game to tie the Iron Bowl record set by Tua Tagovailoa in 2018. (Tagovailoa also had a rushing touchdown in that game.) His third and fifth touchdowns of the afternoon, to tight end Jahleel Billingsley and wide receiver John Metchie, were especially impressive. On the Billingsley touchdown, Jones sidestepped an Auburn rusher and threw a well-placed ball with touch over a defender into Billingsley's arms. The Metchie touchdown was so accurate, the receiver said, that it just fell into his arms after he lost sight of it in the stadium lights.
RUNNING BACKS
Najee Harris 34
Brian Robinson Jr. 16
Jase McClellan 3
For the second straight week, Harris ripped off one of the longest runs of his career: Last week against Kentucky it was a career-long 42-yarder, and against Auburn it was a 39-yarder. His 17 rushing touchdowns rank first in the FBS. After one of his more meager outputs of the season against Kentucky, four of his 11 carries in the Iron Bowl went for 10 yards or more. Robinson, who had been banged up in the prior few games, seems to have returned to his typical range of 14-18 snaps per game.
WIDE RECEIVERS
DeVonta Smith 53
John Metchie III 51
Javon Baker 21
Slade Bolden 10
Smith played every offensive snap for the first time this season. He had five 100-yard games over the first 36 games of his career, but he has added five more over Alabama's most recent six games. He also has eight touchdowns in the last three games. Metchie had the second multi-touchdown game of his career, in addition to the Texas A&M game from earlier this year.
Baker played 20 snaps, the second-most of his freshman season, while Bolden had a reduced role due to an ankle injury.
The freshman was targeted just once and has yet to catch a pass this year, but has shown the willingness to block for his teammates on the perimeter:
TIGHT ENDS
Miller Forristall 35
Carl Tucker 15
Jahleel Billingsley 13
Kendall Randolph 13
Major Tennison 1
The tight end rotation began very evenly through the first half, but Forristall must have been feeling better in the second half, because he broke away from the rest and returned to his typical usage. Billingsley continues to become a bigger part of the passing game with his first career touchdown. It remains to be seen how that will be affected by Forristall's return to health, especially with the connection Jones and Forristall have forged over the last three seasons. Tucker made a few nice run blocks in his 15 snaps.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Left tackle: Alex Leatherwood 53
Left guard: Deonte Brown 53
Center: Landon Dickerson 53
Right guard: Emil Ekiyor Jr. 50, Kendall Randolph 3
Right tackle: Evan Neal 50, Chris Owens 3
At least 10 linemen saw the field over the previous three games, but only seven got time in the Iron Bowl. Auburn seemed to be focusing on stopping the run, which could have made the offensive line and the rushing attack seem less successful than usual.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Christian Barmore 48
Phidarian Mathis 38
Justin Eboigbe 37
D.J. Dale 36
Byron Young 25
Tim Smith 25
LaBryan Ray 4
Barmore's 48 snaps were the most by a D-lineman since the Georgia game nearly two months ago, but it still continues a promising trend of the team's top linemen not having to play as many snaps. Early in the season, the most-used linemen were playing 70 to 80% of the defensive plays; now, because of better depth, no one has to play more than 60%. Smith, the freshman nose tackle, played a career-high 25 snaps and again flashed his quick get-off and high motor. He, Mathis and Young have been the pleasant surprises of the defensive line this season, and Barmore seems to become more consistent and reliable every week.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Will Anderson 57
Chris Allen 48
Ben Davis 1
Pretty high numbers for both Anderson and Allen because Alabama lined up in base personnel, meaning both of them were on the field, on 14 snaps -- the second-most this season. When Allen briefly headed to the medical tent to be evaluated for a foot injury, Davis took his place. Anderson got his long-awaited first sack, but he also continued to get in the backfield quickly and rack up tackles for loss. Allen leads the team with 9 tackles for loss in eight games.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Dylan Moses 73
Christian Harris 71
Jaylen Moody 7
Joshua McMillon 7
Harris' potential is becoming more of a reality every week as he shows the various ways in which he can impact the game. He can rush off the edge and as a blitzer up the middle; there were multiple blitzes designed for him to get after the quarterback on third down. Moses is still having some issues with ball carriers slipping away from his tackles, but he looks more in control of his game now than he did at the beginning of the season.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Patrick Surtain II 80
Josh Jobe 80
Jordan Battle 80
Malachi Moore 66
Daniel Wright 53
Demarcco Hellams 27
Brian Branch 17
Surtain, Jobe and Battle played every snap. Moore played every snap except the 14 base snaps, recording his team-leading interception of the season. Branch played only the 17 dime snaps. Wright, the redshirt junior safety, was relieved by Hellams, the true sophomore, after 53 snaps.
Moore's impact as a true freshman has been well-documented. His three interceptions lead the team. His seven additional pass breakups also lead the team. He has four tackles for loss and scoop-and-score against Tennessee.
But he impacts the game in ways that don't show up on the stat sheet, too.
The inexperience of the secondary and communication issues were the most common explanations from coach Nick Saban and the players for the defense's early-season struggles. Those struggles haven't completely disappeared, but they are few and far between now. A few early plays in the Iron Bowl show each defensive back appearing to be comfortable with his own assignment and how he functions in the larger defensive scheme:
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