Alabama Football Film Room: Shyheim Carter in the national championship

One thing I did not initially notice during the national championship was Shyheim Carter (#5) replacing Tony Brown in the second half. After Brown gave up the 80 yard touchdown to Mecole Hardman, Carter came in the next time Alabama needed six defensive backs on the field.

While I only counted three snaps for him (may have missed one or two), that’s still three valuable snaps in the most important game of the year.

3rd and 6: Alabama’s in their dime package. Minkah Fitzpatrick (#29) is lined up on the slot receiver, and Carter is on the tight end, Isaac Nauta. Nauta chips the rusher before flaring out into the flat, and Carter reacts quickly and smothers him. He wasn’t involved in the play at all - Jake Fromm hit Riley Ridley on an out route for the first - but he did his job well.

3rd and 6: Carter comes back in as Bama goes back to the dime. He’s on the slot receiver - Nauta again - on the right. Carter knows he has help from Mack Wilson (#30) to the middle and is shaded to the outside. Nauta runs seven yards and breaks in. He has a step on Carter; but with Wilson there, there’s no shot at the ball going his way. Levi Wallace makes a good play and breaks up the pass to the outside receiver, forcing a fourth down.

3rd and 6: Carter is down near the bottom of the screen with Levi Wallace for the two receivers stacked there. Mecole Hardman comes inside, so he’s Carter’s responsibility. The two make contact with each other after Hardman’s break; and Hardman gets separation. It doesn’t matter, though, since Terrell Lewis is in the process of sacking Jake Fromm.