Alabama Football: Three big A-Day questions and answers

Alabama football fans wanted A-Day performances to answer three big questions having to do with quarterbacking and kicking.

It is hard to decide what is more fearful for Alabama football fans. Tua lost to injury for a key game or kicking being no better than last year, for another full season?

Crimson Tide fans wanted the A-Day game to provide, at least, strong indications of answers to quarterbacking and kicking questions. The spring game did offer clues, some stronger than others. Those clues will have to suffice until news trickles out from fall camp scrimmages. Let’s review the questions and to what extent they were answered on Saturday.

Question No. 1 – If Tua is injured, does the Tide have a backup QB who can win a big game?

The stage was set for Mac Jones to shine. Expecting too much too soon from the young quarterbacks is usually a mistake. A mistake Nick Saban will never be guilty of making.

Taulia Tagovailoa and Paul Tyson were not going to get enough snaps to leapfrog Mac Jones on Saturday. Mac could have possibly played so poorly to lose his designated status as Tua’s backup. He did nothing to diminish his position as QB2.

Mac made one poor read on a throw leading to an interception. He was sacked when he should have thrown the ball away, at least twice. Otherwise, he looked solid, as he did in last year’s spring game. His stats were impressive even against the second unit defense. A very impressive 201.6 QB rating came from completing 19-of-23 passes, including two TD passes.

Taulia showcased a strong arm and had one stellar throw for a TD to Jaylen Waddle. Lia appeared to be ahead of Paul Tyson who looked tentative. Neither freshman is close to becoming a QB prepared to win a big game as Tua’s backup.

So is Mac capable of leading Alabama football to a big-game win? Maybe he is or will be, if or when that time comes. More than torching the Tide’s second-unit defense must be shown by Mac before he earns a thumbs up.

Questions No. 2 and 3 – Does the Tide have a dependable kicker and punter?

The punting situation appears much better for the Crimson Tide. Skyler DeLong had a 47.5 yard, A-Day average on four punts. Two of those were not fielded, upping his average, but he still looked more comfortable and more proficient than last season. Punting in an A-Day game is not as pressure-intense as the regular season. DeLong’s encouraging performance must continue against Duke (if the Tide has to punt) before he can be defined as dependable.

Place-kicking appeared to be better on the foot of freshman, Will Reichard. Reichard nailed his one field goal attempt of 43 yards. Reichard also finished with a 42.2 yard average on six punts.

Last season’s place-kicker, Joseph Bulovas was inconsistent, much like his freshman season. Bulovas had a FG make of 34 yards and two FG misses at 49 and 41 yards. He also doinked in a PAT off a post.

Reichard’s performance was very encouraging, but again not under game pressure, and too small of a sample to make a conclusion.

Alabama football fans must wait for answers to questions No. 2 and No. 3. Based on spring game results, the ’19 kicking game is way ahead of the ’18 kicking game.