Ohio State Inexplicably Tried to Cover DeVonta Smith With a Linebacker
By Ryan Phillips | Jan 11, 2021, 10:29 PM EST
DeVonta Smith dominated the first half of the College Football National Championship Game. The Heisman Trophy winner had a title game record 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns as Alabama raced to a 35-17 lead. The Buckeyes simply couldn't find a way to contain Smith and perhaps on play epitomized that.
With 1:50 to go in the half, the Crimson Tide lined up for a second-and-4 on Ohio State's 42-yard line. Quarterback Mac Jones dropped back and delivered a strike to Smith, who was streaking wide open over the middle and he waltzed into the end zone. How did that happen? Well, the Buckeyes opted to shift coverage so middle linebacker Tuf Borland wound up on Smith. It didn't go well.
Devonta Smith AGAIN! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/5u1PPPP5Gc
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 12, 2021
Now watch Smith ISO'd:
— UConn Has A Football Team (@UConnHasAFBTeam) January 12, 2021
And finally, here's the play design and what it looked like:
route specifically designed to break the rules of the coverage Sark knew OSU would use here to get Smith on a LB
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 12, 2021
and DeVonta Smith is soooo fast pic.twitter.com/ep2BIwavOw
Credit Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian for drawing this up so well, but Ohio State can't allow something like this to happen. As it became clear college football's best player is going to be covered by a linebacker, someone should have immediately called timeout. I mean, what the hell guys?
With a player as good as Smith, you have to know where he is and what he's doing at all times. The Buckeyes simply failed to do that throughout the first half and he completely dominated them.