Notebook: Nick Saban Addresses Status of Agiye Hall After Tennessee Win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama receiver Agiye Hall was not dressed out for Saturday's game. The freshman has played sparingly this season and caused a stir on Twitter last week following the Crimson Tide’s win against Mississippi State.
“Yea, nah, calling it quits,” he said in his tweet. Hall has just one catch for 10 yards through four games.
Saban addressed Hall’s situation after the game.
“What we do with our players on our team is our business,” Saban said. “We are encouraging guys to do the right thing. We have protocols, when guys miss so many things, they don’t get to play in the game. That’s always been a rule around here. I’m not going to disclose and I don't think it’s anybody’s business. That’s basically all I’ve go to say about that.”
Latu says hello
Alabama tight end Cameron Latu caught a 20-yard pass late in the first quarter. After the catch the 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior turned and laid into 6-foot, 193-pound Alontae Taylor. After the play Taylor was on the ground. He left the game and didn’t return on the Alabama series.
Full speed behind
Tennessee went up-tempo several times to catch Alabama off guard, particularly in short-yardage situations. The Vols converted just once in the first quarter on third-and-1 with the quick snap.
Alabama stuffed the Vols on four short-yardage plays off the quick snap in the first half, and once more in the second.
"We made simple calls that our defense could execute," Saban said on the third-and-sort stops. "They were counting on going fast in those situations, and sometimes if the defense is ready to go and they run the stunt properly you can get some penetration. We had two or three of those in the game that were really big."
Making amends
Jameson Williams dropped a pass on Alabama’s first offensive play of the game. It was a sign of things to come. Williams dropped three passes and fumbled inside the Vols’ 10-yard line in an uncharacteristic off night for the junior.
He made up for the miscues in the fourth quarter on a third-and 15 situation in the fourth quarter. He got behind the defense and caught a 65-yard pass from Bryce Young. Brian Robinson scored on a 15-yard run on the next play.
Williams finished the night with six receptions for a team-leading 123 yards.
Queen crowned
Homecoming Queen McLean Moore, a senior from Tuscaloosa, was honored at halftime. Moore, majoring in both finance and economics, was sponsored by Kappa Kappa Gamma. This was the biggest voter turnout since 2015, with 13,180 students voting.
The big cheers inside Bryant-Denny Stadium from the fans during the homecoming ceremony were for Alabama softball player Montana Fouts, the 2021 SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year. She was a member of the homecoming court.
Other members of the homecoming court were
Laney Ackles from Norfolk, Virginia, Noelle Fall from Birmingham and Savanah Lemon from Nashville, Tennessee.
