Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts got flagged for intentional grounding on a second-quarter drive against Washington in Saturday’s Playoff semifinal.
This Jalen Hurts intentional grounding killed a Bama drive, and it was the right call
Officials got it right, but Alabama’s defense eventually made it not matter.
The Huskies got pressure on Hurts on a first-and-10 at Washington’s 28-yard line, leading 10-7 and already in range to extend that lead with a field goal. But the grounding call on Hurts pushed Bama back to the UW 44, a 16-yard loss that eventually killed the drive and forced a punt. The play:
Nick Saban looked pretty mad about this, and thousands of Tide fans at the Georgia Dome sounded pretty mad about this. But the tape lays plain that the officials on the field got the call right, and Washington didn’t get some undue break here.
Washington safety Budda Baker chased down Hurts, who let a back-footed throw go toward the sideline, in an area with no Bama receivers around.
Alabama snapped the ball from the center of the field:
Intentional grounding requires that the quarterback be within the tackle box, and Hurts never got outside of it here. (Officially, the tackle box is 5 yards wide, extending away from either side of where the ball is snapped.) Grounding also requires that no receiver be in the area, and none was here.
LSU is only team that even came close this year to beating Alabama. In the Tide-Tigers game in November, Hurts narrowly avoided a grounding call that would’ve resulted in a safety on Alabama. He didn’t avoid it this time.
Alabama’s defense scored a touchdown on the ensuing UW drive, so the Hurts penalty only hurt so much. Sometimes, it’s good to play for Alabama.
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