All Things CW: Where Do John Metchie III and Jameson Williams Fit in Crimson Tide History?
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Here's how much the game of college football has changed over the years, and how big of an adjustment Nick Saban made with the Crimson Tide offense and passing game under the current set of rules.
On Sept. 30, 1967, Dennis Homan made 11 receptions against Southern Miss, which easily set an Alabama single-game record as no one during the modern era had ever reached double-digits. He also had three touchdown passes from Kenny Stabler that day in Mobile, where the Crimson Tide won 25-3.
It was hailed as being one of the biggest accomplishments in Crimson Tide history, and this was the program that had developed Don Hutson, who some consider to be the best wide receiver to ever play the game. A charter member of both the college and NFL Halls of Fame, Hutson is at minimum on on the short list.
But as far as we know, Hutson never posted a number like that with the Crimson Tide.
Homan finished his senior season with 54 receptions for 820 yards and nine touchdowns, which not only led to his being named an All-American, but an Academic All-American.
He played in the Senior Bowl, where he was named the MVP of the South Team. He was a first-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys (20th overall). He's been inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the Muscle Shoals City School System eventually honored Homan by naming the field of James F. Moore Stadium, Dennis Homan Field.
Two years later, David Bailey had 12 receptions against Tennessee, and then did it again the following season. But then it took nearly 30 years for another player to match Homan's 11 catches: Quincy Jackson while tallying 104 yards against BYU on Sept. 5, 1998.
Nowadays, 11 catches won't even get a player on the top-10 list of receptions during the Nick Saban era at Alabama.
We did a look at the top players in receiving yards under Saban, both at Alabama and with all collegiate teams he coached, and also the Crimson Tide's best third-down receivers since 2007. Next up is receptions.
Based on these alone, one could spark quite a debate about who had a better Crimson Tide career, John Metchie III or Jameson Williams. They also help put Saban's comments this week about the two, who statistically just had the best season of any receiving tandem in Alabama history, into perspective.
"Probably the thing that affected our team the most was losing those two guys at the end of the year because that was the strength of our team, the quarterbacks and the receivers," he said on Pro Day. "Everything else was kind of a complement to that.
"But I think those guys will have great careers. They're both great competitors. They work hard. They don't have the mindset of 'I just want to catch passes.' They want to be complete players at their position. They'll play on special teams, they'll do everything they can do to help the team get better."
Nick Saban Leaders in Receptions
Alabama Receptions (2007-21), Game
Alabama Receptions (2007-21), Season
Alabama Receptions (2007-21), Career
All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Receptions Game
All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Season
All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Receptions Career
The Safety Base Dance
Remember that thing a couple of weeks ago when Alabama coach Patrick Murphy made a big deal about safety bags, and how the sport needs to add them to minimize the risk of collisions at first base?
“The athletes have gotten bigger, faster and stronger and it is 60 feet," Murphy said. "You can’t stop on a dime to avoid a fielder. I don’t know why it hasn’t happened yet," he said. "It is probably $300 for a safety bag vs. an ACL injury or $300 vs. a season-ending injury. It is a no-brainer.”
NCAA Softball Secretary Rules Editor Van Kleeck told D1Softball.com that the Softball Rules Committee surveyed members about safety bags last year, and the idea was “generally not supported by NCAA softball coaches. … The Softball Rules Committee will be surveying NCAA member schools on this topic again this year and may consider this proposal during its June 2022 annual meeting.”
The safety bag is already used in international softball competitions, and in some states at the high school level. In addition to limiting collisions, it reduces incidences of ankle and Achilles injuries caused by the base runner, who has a shorter distance to run than in baseball, stepping on another’s foot or ankle as they both stretch.
Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson believes the rule will eventually change and attributes the lack of progress so far is due to traditionalism.
“I think some if it is old-school people don’t want changes," said Lawson, "just like when they didn’t want hockey helmets and people didn’t want the rules to change for pitching because by God this is the way it has always been done and the way it should be.”
5 Things That Got Our Attention This Week
Average? We don't think so.
Transfer system getting blasted by coaches
NIL Awards
Tide-Bits
• This might be proof that Las Vegas is becoming the nation's sports mecca: The Alabama rowing team will compete in the Pac-12 Invitational there next weekend. Yes, rowing the desert.
• The headline event next weekend is Alabama softball at Florida, as the Gators are No. 7 in this week's polls. Of course, that's after the Crimson Tide hosts No. 14 Georgia this weekend. Even though Murphy's team is No. 4 in the polls, Alabama (29-4) is still second in RPI.
• You know that whole thing about the baseball team could theoretically face a ranked opponent every week during the SEC schedule? This year is no exception. Using this week's D1 rankings, Alabama has No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Arkansas still to play, along with No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 13 LSU and No. 23 Georgia. The only league opponents it'll face that aren't currently ranked are South Carolina (which might be by the April 28-30 series) and Auburn.
Did you notice?
• We can't recommend enough the SI.com article Jeff Pearlman wrote about the Henry Ruggs III car wreck which killed Tina Tintor and ended his football career. Although Pearlman went to Las Vegas to do a story on them, it ended up being on a man who lived in a nearby garage and tried to pull her out of the burning car.
• The NCAA’s Existential Crisis Should Have Groundbreaking Answers Soon
• Congress Introduces Bill to Investigate Gender Equity Within NCAA Operations
• Bipartisan Bill in Congress Seeks Overhaul of NCAA Infractions Process
Christopher Walsh's notes column All Things CW appears every week on BamaCentral.