All Things CW: Where Do John Metchie III and Jameson Williams Fit in Crimson Tide History?

Even with their season-ending injuries, statistically the two made up the best receiving tandem Alabama has ever had.

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

Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY Sports

Rank, Name and Opponent , Year, Catches -Yards

1. DeVonta Smith, vs. Florida, 2020 (SEC Championship), 15-184
2. Amari Cooper, at Auburn, 2014, 13-224
3. Amari Cooper, Florida Atlantic, 2014, 13-189
4. DJ Hall, Tennessee, 2007, 13-185
5. DeVonta Smith, vs. Ole Miss, 2020, 13-164
6. John Metchie III, at Auburn, 2021, 13-150
7. Julio Jones, at Tennessee, 2010, 12-221
8. DeVonta Smith, vs. Ohio State, 2021 (National Championship), 12-215
9. Amari Cooper, vs. West Virginia, 2014, 12-130
10. Amari Cooper, vs. Missouri, 2014 (SEC Championship), 12-83

Alabama Receptions (2007-21), Season

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Rank, Name, Year, Reception-Yards

1. Amari Cooper, 2014, 124-1,727
2. DeVonta Smith, 2020, 117-1,856
3. John Metchie, 2021, 96-1,142
4. Calvin Ridley, 2015, 89-1,045
5. Jameson Williams, 2021, 79-1,572
6. Julio Jones, 2010, 78-1,133
7. Jerry Jeudy, 2019, 77-1,163
8. Calvin Ridley, 2015, 72-769
9. Jerry Jeudy, 2018, 68-1,315
10. DeVonta Smith, 2019, 68-1,256

Alabama Receptions (2007-21), Career

Alabama Athletics

Rank, Name (Catches), Years, Yards

1. DeVonta Smith, 2017-20, 235-3,965
2. Amari Cooper, 2012-14, 228-3,463
3. Calvin Ridley, 2015-17, 224-2,781
4. Julio Jones, 2008-10, 179-2,653
5. Jerry Jeudy, 2017-19, 159-2,742
6. John Metchie III, 2019-21, 155-2,081
7. Marquis Maze, 2008-11, 136-1,844
8. ArDarius Stewart, 2014-16, 129-1,713
9. O.J. Howard, 2013-16, 114-1,726
10. Jaylen Waddle, 2018-2020, 106-1,999

All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Receptions Game

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Name, School, Opponent, Season, Yards

1. Josh Reed, LSU vs. Alabama, 2001, 19-293
2. DeVonta Smith, Alabama vs. Florida, 2020 (SEC Championship), 15-184
3. Amari Cooper, Alabama at Auburn, 2014, 13-224
4. Amari Cooper, Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic, 2014, 13-189
5. DJ Hall, Alabama vs. Tennessee, 2007, 13-185
6. Plaxico Burress, Michigan State vs. Florida (Citrus Bowl), 13-185*
7. DeVonta Smith, Alabama vs. Ole Miss, 2020, 13-164
8. John Metchie III, Alabama at Auburn, 2021, 13-150
9. Julio Jones, Alabam at Tennessee, 2010, 12-221
10. DeVonta Smith, Alabama vs. Ohio State, 2021 (National Championship), 12-215
11. Amari Cooper, vs. West Virginia, 2014, 12-130
12. Michael Clayton, LSU, vs. Alabama, 2003, 12-130
13. Amari Cooper, vs. Missouri, 2014 (SEC Championship), 12-83

* Plaxico Burress had 13 receptions for Michigan State against Florida in the 2000 Citrus Bowl, but Saban didn't coach the game.  

All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Season

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Name, School, Year, Season, Catches-Yards

1. Amari Cooper, Alabama, 2014, 124-1,727
2. DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 2020, 117-1,856
3. John Metchie III, Alabama, 2021, 96-1,142
4. Josh Reed, LSU, 2001, 94-1,740
5. Calvin Ridley, Alabama, 2015, 89-1,045
6. Jameson Williams 2021, 79-1,572
7. Julio Jones, Alabama, 2010, 78-1,133
8. Michael Clayton, LSU, 2003, 78-1079
9. Jerry Jeudy, 2019, 77-1,163
10. Jerry Jeudy, 2018, 68-1,315
11. DeVonta Smith, 2019, 68-1,256

All Nick Saban-Coached Players, Receptions Career

T.G. Paschal/BamaCentral

Name, School, Seasons, Catches, Yards

1. DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 2017-20, 235-3,965
2. Amari Cooper, Alabama, 2012-14, 228-3,463
3. Calvin Ridley, Alabama, 2015-17, 224-2,781
4. Michael Clayton, LSU, 2001-03, 181-2,582
5. Julio Jones, Alabama, 2008-10, 179-2,653
6. Josh Reed, LSU, 2001-02, 159-2,867
7. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama, 2017-19, 159-2,742
8. John Metchie III, Alabama, 2019-21, 155-2,081
9. Marquis Maze, Alabama, 2008-11, 136-1,844
10. Plaxico Burress, Michigan State, 1998-99, 131-2,155

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.

Alabama Athletics

Georgia will reportedly pay new basketball coach Mike White $3.4 million, which is now only a raised from what he made at Florida, but $200,000 more than his predecessor.   

Tom Crean was making $3.2 million a season during his four years with the Bulldogs.

White was hired after seven seasons at Florida where he was paid $3.05 million this past season.

Based on USA Today’s most salary survey of college coaches, White’s new compensation at Georgia ranks sixth in the SEC behind Kentucky’s John Calipari ($8.6 million), Tennessee’s Rick Barnes ($5.2 million), Arkansas’ Eric Musselman and Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams ($4 million each) and Auburn’s Bruce Pearl ($3.8 million).

Alabama's Nate Oats is next at $3.225 million annually. That means he has the average coaching salary in the 14-team league. 

Transfer system getting blasted by coaches

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina WBB HC Staley sounds off on the transfer portal, asserting that the Gamecocks will surely avail themselves of it, but calling it “a big ol’ fad [...] Is it out of hand? It absolutely is. I don’t know how you control it.” Acknowledges even some on her own roster don’t want to spend their entire career on the bench: “It’s going to happen to all of us. [...] You have to allow them that space, but surely it’s way, way, way, way out of hand” given that “there are more people in the portal than there are scholarships.” (link); Louisville HC Walz echoes Staley’s sentiments on the portal: "The grass is greener on the other side, because it's fertilized by a lot of bull ----." Walz goes on to note that Cardinals who have hopped in the portal have found more playing time and ultimately did the right thing.

NIL Awards

Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY

This summer's inaugural NIL Summit has announced finalists for its NIL Awards, which will be celebrated at the College Football Hall of Fame in June, headlined by Female & Male Athletes of the Year, Innovator of the Year & a number of others. Florida gymnast Clapper, who is a finalist for Innovator of the Year, "Being nominated innovator of the year is so exciting! I feel so special whenever my friends or parents express their amazement at the amount of creative ideas that are swirling around in my head. There are so many nights where I can’t sleep because I keep getting up and scribbling crazy ideas on neon sticky-notes beside my bed, and the feeling of waking up energized and impatient to get started working on a project is so invigorating." 

Student Athlete NIL is proud to announce the nominations for the Inaugural NIL Awards, recognizing exceptional achievement by student-athletes, brands and institutions during the first year of name, image and likeness. The NIL Awards gala ceremony will take place on the evening of Monday, June 13 at the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural NIL Summit.

Top student-athletes, alongside celebrities from professional sports and entertainment will gather to recognize nominees and honor winners in categories such as: “Female and Male Athlete Of The Year” “Innovator Of The Year” “Breakthrough Athlete,” “Brand Of The Year,” and “Best Institutional Program.”

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges spanning the sports and entertainment industry, including members of the sports media, advertising and brand world. The public will also have the opportunity to weigh in on their choice through online voting for select awards.

Nominations Highlights Include:

• 41 different individual student-athletes, of which 22 are female
• More than 250 student-athletes total across individual and team wide campaigns
• 45 different institutions represented, including numerous HBCUs and Non D1s
• 15 different brands

Alabama athletics

USA Today and Syracuse’s Knight-Newhouse Data project publish the financial differences among comparable sports at 107 public FBS institutions in travel, equipment and recruiting. Findings: “For every dollar schools spent on men, the analysis found, they spent just 71 cents on women in those categories. Over two seasons, that added up to $125 million more for men than women in basketball, baseball and softball, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. USA TODAY focused solely on sports with comparable men’s and women’s squads. Had the analysis covered all teams, including football, the overall disparity would be greater: Altogether, schools spent just over twice as much on men than women on travel, equipment and recruiting combined – $1.16 billion compared to $576 million.” Former NC State AD Yow: “It’s not the law itself. Maybe after all this time, the Office for Civil Rights needs to go back and say we need to do a review. Does it work? Does how we determine people can satisfy Title IX obligations and what we say we need to do (work)? It seems like the discussion would be healthy at this point in time.” Bailey Glasser Partner Bryant: “The important point is Title IX does not require schools to spend equal amounts on women and men. It requires them to give women and men equal treatment. But particularly in a capitalist country like America, when you're spending unequal amounts, you're usually providing unequal treatment. And particularly when the disparities are massive, as they are in some of the cases you've cited, then the violations of Title IX are pretty darn clear." 

Photo | Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s Connelly dives into the use of analytics in the NFL and NCAA. Ole Miss HC Kiffin talks about communicating the philosophy to student-athletes, so, for example, the defense doesn’t think you lack faith in them just because your offense is aggressive on 4th down. Kiffin also acknowledges that when going against the grain doesn’t work, “not only does it look bad, it looks bad in front of 100,000 people and national TV and you're answering to the media afterward, and the announcers are saying how dumb that is.” Piece includes data on shifts in rate of 4th down and 2-point conversion attempts, run/pass ratio and 1st down run rate. But perhaps the buried lede is the next frontier – player tracking – which would assign each player a value on each play, and which ESPN’s Walder says “is coming sooner rather than later” via “StatsBomb, Telemetry, SportLogiq, Slants -- I think all four of them are attempting computer vision for college football. There might be more.

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.