Blake Sims Cements Place in Iron Bowl History Books with Clutch Second Half
There was a moment in this 2014 Iron Bowl where fans thought it might finally happen.
As Blake Sims trotted off the field after throwing his third interception of the night early in the third quarter, Jake Coker began to warm up on the sideline.
For the uninitiated, Coker was the summer super-transfer from Florida State and the presumed heir apparent to AJ McCarron until he didn't win the job. Instead it was Sims, the scrappy fifth-year senior who had waited his turn and bided his time, that has led Alabama on this march toward the first College Football Playoff.
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But, as Auburn extended its lead to 33-21 in the third quarter all of that threatened to come apart, and the life went out of the Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin had a decision to make, the kind of decision that defines a season.
They stuck with Sims. And boy did Sims make them look smart.
The veteran responded as he led Alabama on a 34-3 run in an Iron Bowl comeback for the history books. After throwing his third interception of the night, Sims closed the game by going 10-of-12 for 183 yards and three touchdowns (mostly to Amari Cooper), to cement his place in Alabama and Iron Bowl history.
It was the kind of game that defines an Alabama quarterback, and Sims kept delivering in the biggest way.
Saban was pretty close to making the change under center. He came out and said as much in his post-game press conference, per Aaron Suttles of The Tuscaloosa News:
That kind of a move, at this point in the season, would have sent shock waves through an offense that had really found an identity under Sims this year.
Besides a handful of plays against Florida, when Sims was briefly knocked out of the game, Coker has only had work with the offense in garbage time at the end of blowout games.
It’s not that he’s been terrible, but it’s obvious that, without even having the benefit of spring practice, he is still learning this offense, and that takes time, which is to be expected. He had his best showing of the season last week against Western Carolina, throwing for 115 yards and a score.
Even still, the calls for Coker were loud and clear, after that third pick put Alabama's title dreams in jeopardy:
"Put Coker in. He can't play any worse than Sims is playing right now.
— Sarah Chovnick (@theChovDawg) November 30, 2014"
But Sims, as he has time and time again this season, showed why he is the guy for this team.
Credit to Kiffin. He made sure Sims leaned on his most reliable weapon to get himself back in the flow of the game.
To begin the comeback, he hit Cooper for a 39-yard touchdown that Kiffin knew was good before the ball left Sims’ hand.
The next series, Sims found Cooper again, streaking down the right sideline for a 75-yard score. For the go-ahead score, Sims went full team-on-my-back and scrambled 11 yards into the end zone.
Later Sims found DeAndrew White for a six-yard touchdown later in the fourth and then led a six-play, 92-yard touchdown capped by a Derrick Henry run. That completed a stretch of five straight touchdown drives that put the game away.
After Henry’s 25-yard gallop that made it 55-36, it was hard to believe that minutes ago, the Blake Sims era at Alabama was hanging in the balance.
Sims' performance Saturday night was a testament to the precarious nature of college football and his unbelievable resiliency as a quarterback.
It was another night in the wild ride that has been his short career at Alabama. And if Sims has shown us anything this season, this ride isn’t over yet.
Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats come from CFBStats.
Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.
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