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Alabama football entered 2020 with the return of an All-SEC inside linebacker from 2018 and a freshman who started all of 2019 in his place. It also returned a trio of defensive linemen responsible for 12 tackles for loss among them - Christian Barmore, DJ Dale and Justin Eboigbe. Yet eight games into the season, none is leading the team in tackles for loss. That honor belongs to outside linebacker Christopher Allen.

Allen is leading the SEC in tackles for loss with nine, after producing 4 1/2 in 13 games last season. The exit of Anfernee Jennings and Terrell Lewis left Alabama's outside linebackers a void to fill. While Will Anderson Jr. has earned the attention as a freshman playing a significant number of snaps, it is Allen who has brought production to the position. "He's came a long way, and I'm just proud to see him blow up like this this year," UA defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis said. "Hopefully he can continue being great and we can all follow behind him and do the same thing up front." - Montgomery Advertiser

(DS#19 OLB) rSr/2022

OLB Christopher Allen, Alabama
News Source: Montgomery Advertiser
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12/02/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

It did not take a degree in art history to decipher a Monday afternoon tweet by Alabama football's official account. In a graphic captioned, "No Coach, but we still managed," the program posted a graphic to the social media platform that included a picture of Mac Jones and the words, "Manager Material." No Coach, but we still managed. The tweet and graphic were an apparent reference to a comment made by Nix last Tuesday when he was asked about Jones. "Yeah, he does a great job managing the game, getting the ball to the players around him," Nix said.

"Obviously he's got a great running back, great offensive line, great receivers. That helps a lot. But he does a great job of managing the game, taking completions and knowing what to do with the ball." While ostensibly a compliment of Jones, the comment made its way to Alabama's locker room. It seemed to strike a nerve among players who viewed the Alabama quarterback of being more capable than a "game manager" - a slight used against quarterbacks who avoid mistakes but do not have talent to win games with their arms. "I think we did [use it as motivation]," wide receiver DeVonta Smith said after Alabama's 42-13 win. "I sent it to Mac and showed him. It was just funny, just seeing that. But I mean, at the end of the day, people gonna talk, they're gonna do what they want. At the end of the day, we're just gonna show up, execute the game plan and do what we gotta do." - Birmingham News

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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12/02/20 - *Jahmyr Gibbs, Jr/2023, Alabama, 5-09, 199 (DS#2 RB) + More +

The status of Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs remained uncertain Tuesday following what appeared to be a hamstring injury suffered in the Yellow Jackets' win over Duke on Saturday. Asked if either Gibbs or running back Jordan Mason would be available to play Saturday against N.C. State in Raleigh, N.C., coach Geoff Collins sidestepped the question at his weekly news conference. "Jahmyr's a really good player," Collins said with a slight grin. "I'm sure you guys have watched that, as a running back, and catching the ball out of the backfield. He's really good. J.P. Mason, it was really good to see him fully healthy and toting the ball. Really proud of him."

As a practice, Collins does not address injuries unless it is to announce that a player is out for the season. Mason, who has been sharing carries with Gibbs, also came out of the game in the fourth quarter after he was tackled awkwardly and did not return. Dontae Smith finished the game, rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns on five carries. Mason likewise was effective, with 105 yards on 21 carries. Gibbs left the game in the second quarter after falling untouched at the end of a 42-yard catch-and-run pass reception. Gibbs was on pace for what could have been the most productive game of his career, with 91 rushing yards and 48 receiving yards in less than a half of play. - Atlanta Journal Constitution

(DS#2 RB) Jr/2023

RB *Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
News Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution
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12/02/20 - DeVonta Smith, Sr/2021, Alabama, 6-0, 170 (DS#2 WR) + More +

Saban said they've been able to use the play-action pass or bubble screens to get him the ball creatively. The first of his two touchdown catches against Auburn came on a play-action look that included a violent Jones pump fake before hitting Smith wide open - almost 10 yards behind the nearest defender - for a 66-yard touchdown. "He's a smart guy," Saban said. "He can play all the positions, which is very helpful, because some guys that you have playing receiver, it's almost like the defensive backs, some guys can just play corner, they can't play anything else. Some guys can just play split end or X receiver as we call it. Other guys can only play Z or the flanker position. But in Smitty's case, because he can play H, he can play X, you can play Z, I mean, we can move him all over the place."

Smith was in the slot for the first touchdown, then got free for his second score lined up wide. He faked a blocking action to free himself for a slant Jones delivered for a 48-yard touchdown. "Defenses can try to lock in on DeVonta," Metchie said. "I don't think...It's kind of hard to stop somebody like that. Personally, I think Smitty is the best player in college football right now. I would say everything has been kind of the same. I will continue to do what I can to help this team win and Smitty will continue to do what he does day in and day out." - Birmingham News

(DS#2 WR) Sr/2021

WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/30/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

NOV 30 SEC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama,...The junior quarterback continued his stellar play as the Alabama offense scored 42 points in the Iron Bowl against the SEC's No. 3 scoring defense...Finished with 302 passing yards and a career-best five touchdowns in the 42-13 win over No. 22 Auburn...It was his sixth game with at least 290 passing yards while his five passing touchdowns tied an Iron Bowl record...Jones posted a passer rating of 230.26 on his 26 attempts...Averaged 16.8 yards per completion and 11.6 yards per attempt...Connected on touchdown passes of 66, 7, 24, 58 and 24 yards...Completed six throws of at least 24 yards (66, 26, 25, 58, 24 & 24)...Leads all Power 5 quarterbacks with a 208.0 passer efficiency rating and his 341 passing yards per game ranks fourth nationally. - SEC Football

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: SEC Football
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11/29/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

Alabama is the unanimous No. 1 again in The Associated Press college football poll as the top eight teams in the rankings held steady for the fourth week in a row. The Crimson Tide got 62 first-place votes for the second consecutive week and are followed by No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Clemson. Southeastern Conference teams Texas A&M and Florida are fifth and sixth, respectively. Unbeaten Cincinnati is seventh and undefeated BYU is eighth. The changes in the poll came after that, with Miami inching up to No. 9 and Indiana returning to the top 10. Oregon's first loss of the season knocked the Ducks out of the top 10, dropping them 12 spots to No. 21. - AP College Football

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: AP College Football
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11/29/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

As the temperatures cooled this fall, so did Mac Jones' statistical production - until the Iron Bowl. After a few weeks of slipping slightly from the sky-high figures he posted earlier this season, the Alabama quarterback on Saturday sliced through Auburn's defense, which entered ranked third in the SEC. Jones threw for a career-high five touchdowns in a 42-13 win while completing 18-of-26 passes for 302 yards. In the process, he re-established himself as a true threat to win the Heisman Trophy. "I thought Mac played really, really well," coach Nick Saban said after the game. "I'm sure that when we look at the film, everybody will see some things they could have done better, and that's what we want to focus on moving forward - what we have to do to improve. He certainly made the plays he needed to make today."

The redshirt junior was not honored as part of senior day at Bryant-Denny Stadium but will likely enter the NFL draft this winter. That would make Saturday the seventh and final start for Jones in Tuscaloosa. Jones' numbers over those seven games, six of which came against SEC opponents: 130-for-174 passing (74.7 percent), 2,185 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 224.16 rating. - Birmingham News

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/29/20 - DeVonta Smith, Sr/2021, Alabama, 6-0, 170 (DS#2 WR) + More +

Once the Iron Bowl kicked off, Nick Saban was just another passionate, heavily invested fan who was powerless to help his team win. His team still won — big. Mac Jones passed for 302 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, highlighted by two long ones to DeVonta Smith, and No. 1 Alabama rolled over rival No. 22 Auburn 42-13 without Saban. The Crimson Tide continued a dominating march through a schedule of all-Southeastern Conference games even minus its six-time national champion coach on the sideline. Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and watched the game feed from home, witnessing the usual array of big plays with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian running the show. - AP College Football

(DS#2 WR) Sr/2021

WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
News Source: AP College Football
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11/28/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

Mac Jones passed for 302 yards and five touchdowns, highlighted by two long ones to DeVonta Smith, and No. 1 Alabama rolled over rival No. 22 Auburn 42-13 on Saturday without coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide (8-0, No. 1 playoff rankings) continued a dominating march through a schedule of all-Southeastern Conference games even minus its six-time national champion coach on the sideline. Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and watched the game feed from home, witnessing the usual array of big plays with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian running the show.

The result was much of the same against the Tigers (5-3), who suffered the second-most lopsided loss of Gus Malzahn's coaching tenure. The only bigger margin was Alabama's 52-21 win in the 2018 Iron Bowl. Alabama started a string of three straight touchdowns with Jones's 66-yard touchdown to Smith, who was streaking by himself downfield after Auburn defenders bit on a pump fake. He later added a 58-yard catch and run on a quick slant, sprinting away from the Tigers. Smith had seven catches for 171 yards. Najee Smith ran for 96 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, and John Metchie III caught a pair of scoring passes. Bo Nix passed for 227 yards and ran for a late touchdown for the Tigers, but also threw two interceptions. - Alabama/AP College Football

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: Alabama/AP College Football
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11/28/20 - Jermaine Burton, Sr/2024, Alabama, 6-0, 196 (DS#20 WR) + More +

One of the biggest takeaways for Georgia's offense is Burton. He's beginning to realize the potential and expectations he had as a former five-star prospect out of Calabasas, California. Burton came to Georgia as one of its prized last additions on National Signing Day in February. They saw Burton as a weapon, and saw his "lightning-fast speed," as tight end John FitzPatrick put it, almost immediately. Pickens likens Burton to himself as a freshman with approach and ability. Burton logged a lot of snaps for the Bulldogs early on. Bennett even favored the freshman, too, but the consistent connections weren't happening. Burton dropped a pass at Alabama, fell victim to some overthrows and underthrows and hadn't emerged as a viable threat yet.

Smart emphasized that the freshman was getting "better and better" behind closed doors. Last Saturday, with Daniels calling the shots, Burton found his niche. It became his show. A two-headed monster might've been formed with Burton and Pickens. "The things the public sees are awesome, so I want him to be the complete player he can be," Smart said. "I want him to help benefit our team in terms of second-level run game, getting runs started. The thing about Jermaine is, he cares. That's important to him. He wants to do those things right, and on top of that, he's got good ability." - Macon Telegraph

(DS#20 WR) Sr/2024

WR Jermaine Burton, Alabama
News Source: Macon Telegraph
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11/27/20 - Landon Dickerson, rSr/2021, Alabama, 6-6, 333 (DS#2 C) + More +

Landon Dickerson on Tuesday became the second Alabama offensive lineman to accept an invitation to the 2021 Reese's Senior Bowl. Dickerson joins teammate Deonte Brown as confirmed for the Senior Bowl, the annual NFL draft showcase that takes place Jan. 30 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. Game officials made the announcement via Twitter. Dickerson (6-foot-6, 325 pounds) has started 20 games the last two seasons for the Crimson Tide, 16 at center and four at guard. The Hickory, N.C., native began his career at Florida State before joining the Alabama program in 2019 as a graduate transfer. - Birmingham News

(DS#2 C) rSr/2021

C Landon Dickerson, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/27/20 - Deonte Brown, rSr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 344 (DS#18 OG) + More +

Growing up in Decatur, Alabama, a five-hour drive up Interstate 65 from Mobile, Deonte Brown was well aware of the Senior Bowl. Some of the top NFL Draft prospects converging on Mobile for a week of practice and a game is quite the attraction for many in the state. This winter, Brown will participate in the practices and play in the game. Brown is the first Alabama football player invited to this season's Senior Bowl, and he has accepted the invite. He plays his final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday against Auburn. "I was very, very grateful for it, and I was excited to get it," Brown said. "I really didn't expect for me to get it but when I did I was very humble about it."

Brown has the potential to be a valuable prospect in that setting for his ability to play left and right guard. Many offensive linemen who switch sides of the line are bogged down by the technique involved: leading your drop-backs for pass protection and your forward steps for run blocking with different feet, based on the stance required for the left and right sides of the ball. Brown didn't see that as a hurdle, giving him more time to focus on the challenge of mentally flipping responsibilities dependent on being left or right of the center. Brown is part of a unit that has drawn the attention of the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in the nation. The unit has paved the way for running back Najee Harris to rank fifth in the SEC in yards per carry and first in the SEC in runs of 10 yards or more. "What sticks out most about Deonte Brown for me is when he pulls and he's one-on-one with whoever's coming that he's pulling against," Harris said. "It's not a good sight for that (defender). So me just seeing him making those plays, that's really what sticks out." - Montgomery Advertiser

(DS#18 OG) rSr/2021

OG Deonte Brown, Alabama
News Source: Montgomery Advertiser
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11/26/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

Jones on Monday said he's noticed teams playing more conservatively against him in recent games. "A lot of teams have kind of been backing up more and more," Jones said, "so we have to find ways to squirt the ball out, get into the flat or even with my decision-making, just find a way to check the ball down and get the yards that we can get." Saban after beating Mississippi State mentioned the Bulldogs used a similar strategy in an attempt to curtail Jones' accuracy throwing 30-plus yards down the field. MSU played a soft zone that took away some of those passing lanes, but Jones still connected with Smith for deep touchdown throws of 53, 35, 34 and 31 yards.

Jones' longest passing play of the day against Kentucky was an intermediate route thrown to tight end Jahleel Billingsley on the first offensive snap of the day. The big shot plays weren't there on a night they clearly weren't necessary but shows how teams have learned from Alabama's early-season success. Jones also got away with a second-quarter deep throw that should have been intercepted if not for a collision between Kentucky defenders that dislodged the would-be-turnover. The pass intercepted later was something Saban calls a "hope play where the quarterback throws it up and hopes his receiver comes down with it. "That's kind of on me," Jones said Monday. "When you have the people we have on our team and it's 1-on-1, I'm going to take the shot. Nine times it'll work and one time it won't, but I'll take those percentages." - Birmingham News

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/25/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

Asked about how Mac Jones has changed since last year's Iron Bowl, when he threw two pick-sixes, Saban said, "I think he's got a lot more experience, he's got a lot more knowledge, he's a lot more confident. I think the improvement is pretty obvious to everybody that watches the games. He's been very efficient in the way his decision-making, in terms of the things that he does. We've been very pleased with the progress that he's made. He's been able to play within himself, which I think is really, really important. I couldn't be more pleased with the progress that he's made." - Birmingham News

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/25/20 - *Mac Jones, rJr/2021, Alabama, 6-3, 217 (DS#3 QB) + More +

Alabama was No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season Tuesday night, followed by Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State. Texas A&M was fifth and Florida was sixth, giving the Southeastern Conference three of the top six teams along with Alabama. Unbeaten Cincinnati from the American Athletic Conference at seventh has the best ranking for a non-Power Five team in the seven-year history of the selection committee's top 25. No. 8 Northwestern, Georgia and Miami round out the top-10. This is the first of four rankings leading up to the only ones that really count, scheduled to be released on Dec. 20. - AP College Football

(DS#3 QB) rJr/2021

QB *Mac Jones, Alabama
News Source: AP College Football
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