He’s an easy target
Ridley stars, but Bama eyes better balance for receivers
Even though the calendar flips to 2018 on Monday, it’s not too late for the 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide to have more balance in their passing game.
Junior receiver Calvin Ridley has continued to dazzle this season, collecting 55 catches for 896 yards entering Monday night’s national semifinal against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. Yet his 55 catches are five more than Alabama’s next five receivers — Jerry Jeudy (13), Cam Sims (13), Robert Foster (11), Henry Ruggs III (seven) and DeVonta Smith (six) — have combined.
“We try to get everybody the ball, and it’s just not happening,” Ridley said this week in a Sugar Bowl news conference. “We hope to change that this game. We hope to get better at that.”
Fourth-ranked Alabama continued its preparations for the No. 1 Tigers (12-1) on Friday with a two-hour practice inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Getting better in the passing game has been an objective for Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide since last season’s national semifinal against Washington in the Peach Bowl, when quarterback Jalen Hurts completed seven of 14 passes for 57 yards. It was an emphasis throughout spring practice under first-year offensive coordinator and former New England Patriots tight ends coach Brian Daboll and throughout this season as well.
Alabama averaged 200.1 passing yards a game during its 11-1 regular season after averaging 210.3 in 15 games last season.
“We’ve had the same goal with the passing game as always,” Saban said. “We want to have great balance in our offense, because we have really good skill guys. We want to make explosive plays with those guys, and we have to execute all phases of the passing game better, whether it’s the quarterback’s presence in the pocket, getting to the second read at times or executing the plays as they develop.
“It’s the same thing with pass protection and pass routes. The overall efficiency is everyone’s responsibility, and I think that’s something we need to improve on.”
Ridley already has amassed more yards in 12 games than he did in 15 last season, and his yards per catch vaulted from 10.7 a year ago to 16.3. His fellow receivers have produced their share of moments this
“We try to get everybody the ball, and it’s just not happening. We hope to change that this game. We hope to get better at that.”
– CALVIN RIDLEY
season, with Smith breaking free for a 26-yard touchdown with 25 seconds remaining in the 31-24 victory at Mississippi State and Jeudy hauling in a 36-yard score in the 26-14 loss at Auburn.
Those moments, however, have been few and far between.
“We need to make it easier in some ways so that we can get better execution,” Saban said. “We have too many guys who can make plays, and we need to utilize their talents better.”
Said Daboll: “I’ve been involved with games where (New England tight end) Rob Gronkowski got one target. You have guys on your football team who are very unselfish who don’t worry about that.”
If Alabama’s 13th game is anything like the previous 12, Hurts will certainly have an eye out for Ridley, who believes he has a much better quarterback than he did at this time last year. Hurts has thrown for 2,005 yards this season after throwing for 2,780 a year ago, but his yards per attempt have increased from 7.3 to 9.0, while his efficiency has jumped from 139.1 to 157.1.
“He’s definitely gotten a lot better,” Ridley said. “I feel like we were limited last year to the things that we could do. Our passing game is a lot better now.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.