Crimson Tide makes short work of previously unbeaten Bulldogs and a hobbled Kamario Taylor

By Rick Cleveland | Originally published by Mississippi Today

STARKVILLE — Kamario Taylor has had far better days this season and even last year as a freshman. He will have many much better days in the future. As has been written in this column several times, the gifted quarterback will win many, many big games at Mississippi State.

But this sunny, humid Saturday at Scott Field was a reminder of two important facts:

• One, for all his remarkable ability and his accomplishments to date, Taylor is 19 years young and will not turn 20 until February. Saturday was only his sixth college start. As good as he is, he’s far from as good as he will become. He made mistakes that cost State dearly.
• Two, Alabama is still Alabama, which is elite. And we could add a third important factor: Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell, like Taylor only a sophomore, seems a lock to be the next in line of so many splendid Crimson Tide quarterbacks (think Starr, Namath, McCarron, Hurts, Tagovailoa, Young and so many more). 

Russell, strong-armed and so uncommonly quick, passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as No. 7 Alabama raced past No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23 to remain undefeated and unceremoniously knock the Bulldogs from the ranks of unbeaten. 

If you saw Russell play in in Alabama’s first two games and then saw him again against State, you can be excused for thinking you were watching two different quarterbacks. In a month’s time, the Duncanville, Texas, native has become much more efficient, much more confident and sure of himself, much quicker with his decisions. Saturday, he completed 16 of 22 throws for 275 yards and used his quickness and speed to escape State defenders, buy himself some time, and make accurate throws down the field. 

Some of Russell’s throws, particularly a couple of perfect back-shoulder tosses, almost didn’t seem fair. State defensive backs seemed in perfect position, running step for step with the receiver, and then the receiver stopped, turned around and snagged a perfectly timed pass. 

State defensive back Isaac Smith, one of the Bulldogs’ veteran leaders, offered no excuses. “Russell is a really good player, but we shot ourselves in the foot,” Smith said. “That’s on us, the players. It’s not on the coaches, not on the crowd. I apologize to our fans. I’ll take the blame. I’m the leader on the back end, and we just didn’t do our job.”

There were excuses that could have been made. Taylor came into the game hobbled with a lower leg injury, didn’t play the fourth quarter and limped off the field with his foot in a protective boot. Said State coach Jeff Lebby, “Kamario wasn’t able to do anything with his legs.” As anyone who has watched Taylor play knows, his long legs – and his foot speed – are so much of what make him who he is. 

Taylor did manage to throw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but he suffered two interceptions, one a pick-6, and he lost a fumble. All three mistakes led to Alabama touchdowns.

The fumble actually led to Alabama’s first score when Taylor seemed to pump fake a pass, but the ball tumbled out of his hands. Bama recovered. Officials reviewed the play and the call on the field, a fumble, stood. Alabama quickly scored.

Some day, perhaps, someone will explain that rule to me in a way I can understand it. Taylor’s arm was moving forward, the ball went forward and I’ve seen that ruled an incomplete pass as often as not. Maybe you have to be a mind reader to officiate that call. If so, clearly some refs read minds differently than others.

On State’s next possession, Taylor simply threw a bad pass, nowhere near the intended receiver, which Alabama cornerback Dijon Lee snatched out of the air and returned 30 yards for a second touchdown.

That was two touchdowns in 71 seconds, no way to start a game against anybody, much less against Alabama.

Lebby praised Taylor for his courage and grit, but at the same time also stated the obvious, that Taylor has to be more careful with the ball. 

State’s other valid excuse was that the Dogs’ best back by far, Fluff Bothwell, was banged up coming into the game and carried only one time for 1 yard before retiring to the sidelines. His absence was glaring.

But then, when Alabama loses a great back, the Tide just plugs in another, and they all run behind mammoth, yet mobile, offensive linemen who look as if they just walked off an NFL bus. Bama won the line of scrimmage on both sides as it usually does in this lopsided series which the Bulldogs have won only 17 of 109 meetings. 

At times, this writer felt as if I was watching a rerun of a bad movie I’ve seen maybe 25 or 30 times before. Indeed, Alabama has now won 17 straight games over State by an average of 26 points per game. 

Maybe a healthy Kamario Taylor is the quarterback who can finally snap that streak. State will have to improve greatly across both lines and play much more efficiently, Taylor included, to do so. Until then, the Tide will keep on rolling.

This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Source: Original Article