Alabama Football Film Room: DeVonta Smith smokes the Tigers

Alright, I promised a more fun film room; so, of course, DeVonta Smith, a Louisiana native, torching the Tigers in Baton Rouge gets the nod. Smith had 8 receptions for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns against LSU.

1st and 10: LSU scored their first touchdown on the previous drive. Smith (#6) is in the slot on the left, and John Metchie (#8) is to his left. He shoulders through LSU DB CorDale Flott, an Alabama native, before Metchie and he switch a couple yards past the first down marker, bringing him outside and Metchie inside. Smith gets a little contact from Derek Stingley Jr., but it doesn’t amount to anything. He outruns both Flott and Stingley, and he is a good six yards past Flott when he makes the catch. He strolls the final 20 or so yards into the endzone.

Here’s another angle for you.

Alright, let’s move on.

1st and 10: LSU scored their second and final touchdown on the previous drive. Alabama has trips right with Metchie as the #1 receiver (furthest out from the line) and Smith (#6) as the #2 in the slot. Flott is covering. Smith initially runs like he’s going to block Derek Stingley Jr. to set up Metchie for a screen, but he turns upfield. And that’s all she wrote. Smith easily outruns Flott, and Mac Jones lofts a perfect pass to him. Flott desperately dives at Smith’s feet, but it’s in vain. Touchdown Alabama.

3rd and 5: Alabama has trips right again, and Smith is the #3 receiver this time. He runs past the line to gain and breaks on the out route. Stingley is giving Smith a whole lot of cushion, which allows Smith room to work once he’s hauled in the pass. He catches it, turns, and cuts back inside, blowing by Stingley. Miller Forristall (#87) throws a heads-up block, and Smith shoots through a big gap in the defense (credit to the poor defensive lineman showing serious effort to try and catch Smith from behind). Stingley has taken a good angle, however, and finally brings Smith down at the LSU 26 yard line after a 48 yard gain.

3rd and 10: Alabama has a bunch in tight on the right, and Smith is the lone guy to the left. Stingley is in press coverage on him. Smith gets a clean release inside. He sells the post route well and gets Stingley moving in that direction and then cuts back for a corner route. Stingley stays with him, however; and it’s tight coverage. Jones threw it high - and I think most of us thought it was going out the back of the endzone - and Smith just went up over Stingley, who falls down, and somehow makes a one-handed grab that he secures despite a hard landing on his back.

And a final shot for you.