With Alabama down 21-17 and its offense facing a critical 4th-and-7 from their own 33-yard line, the Crimson Tide suffered a debilitating 15-yard penalty after third down that put head coach Kaleb DeBoer in a decision-making position.
Alabama now faced a 4th-and-22 from its own 18-yard line with just 1:55 left on the clock, down by four points to the Volunteers.
Rather than punting to Tennessee with three timeouts to stop the Vols’ offense and try to get the ball back to score again, DeBoer opted to go for the 4th-and-22 attempt. Alabama only picked up 13 yards on the pass from Jalen Milroe to Justice Haynes as Tennessee got the ball back on the Alabama 31-yard line with 1:44 left in the game. After the turnover on downs, Vols kicker Max Gilbert recorded a 41-yard field goal to put Tennessee up 24-17 with 1:30 left in the game.
DeBoer explained his reasoning for going for 4th-and-22 from his own redzone as opposed to punting away and letting his defense on the field, citing Alabama’s need for a touchdown to win the game.
“Well, you know, there’s a lot of things that can go for you,” DeBoer said via BamaCentral on YouTube. “I mean, either way, it’s going to be a punt and you’re going to get the ball back if you stop them and you’re going to have to have a touchdown either way on our end. If we can just hold them to a field goal, you’re going to have to get a stop on three straight plays, use your three timeouts. And so, you know, it can go both ways, right? But you’re more than likely, if you stop them, going to get the punt back and have to go the length of the field anyway. And so, you know, you’re getting yourself one more play.”
DeBoer also credited Tennessee’s defense late in the game.
“They did a good job of checking in and out of something,” DeBoer said. “The chance for us – I know what it looks like when you watch it, but there’s a game plan reason where we would do something where I understand where you’re throwing short of the sticks as well. So hats off to (Tennessee). They played it the way they needed to. Adjusted.”
More from RTI: No More Caveats, Tennessee Football’s Defense Is Simply Elite
DeBoer also said that he couldn’t burn a timeout because he “needed three for the next defensive sequence” when Alabama got there.
DeBoer’s reasoning was basically that as long as Alabama didn’t let Tennessee into the endzone after an unsuccessful fourth down conversion from the Tide’s offense, the 21-17 deficit or the 24-17 deficit would both call for a touchdown to win the game for the Crimson Tide in the same way. DeBoer seemingly had enough belief in his defense to not let Tennessee into the endzone after a turnover but didn’t feel like letting his defense on the field with Tennessee backed up in their own territory was as advantageous.
Where Alabama fans left the game with frustration, though, was the play call itself. While Milroe’s pass to Haynes did go for 13 yards, it was a screen pass to get there. Alabama didn’t even attempt to throw over the top or past the sticks and instead tried to rely on a screen pass to get the job done. Tennessee had excellent coverage for the situation that was presented, but you also have to be willing to make that deep throw if you’re going to make that 4th-and-22 call from your own 18-yard line.
Alabama would get the ball back after the Tennessee field goal but Milroe would quickly throw an interception to close out the game for the Volunteers.
This is now the second straight week that an opposing coach has had to explain a controversial end-of-game decision against Tennessee in Neyland Stadium. Florida head coach Billy Napier was left explaining his thought process to kick a PAT instead of a game-winning two-point try with Tennessee on its heels in the fourth quarter last weekend.
