Alabama's Secret Came Out Tonight, Maze & McElroy Deep Pass Connection

For weeks there has been a secret that Nick Saban wanted kept. Practices were closed when they worked on it and statistics were not always reported 'accurately'.

If nothing else went right for the Tide tonight, they had one play they had supreme confidence in. This one play worked well in practice and blew open a close game tonight in the fourth quarter.

Though Alabama was dominating the statistics, they behind due to great special team play by Va. Tech as well as their own miscues in the form of Upchurch being stripped of the ball following a long run that may have cost the Tide a score and an interception that killed a drive.

"We kept punching them, but we were also punching ourselves." Said Saban about the first half.

Saban's plan was to muscle and wear down the Hokies, but with three quarters gone and going into the forth, it wasn't putting the points on the board he needed.

It was time to uncork the Genie and use that play that they all felt was there in the right defensive alignment.

It worked just as surely as Saban and his entire staff knew it would and he waited until the game was on the line to play that ace, McElroy to Maze on a deep pass when coverage on Maze was one on one.

There were some, close to the program, who had heard from players or coaches that this combination was all but unstoppable in practice, and as you know, they practice against one of the best defensive units in college football.

Maze is the fastest man in Crimson and once he gets a step on a defender, McElroy, who had trouble tonight with other throws, will more than not, drop it right over Maze's shoulder into his waiting hands.

The secret is now out and can be told. These two are going to light up the scoreboards this season as they did tonight.

With Alabama trailing 16-17, with the offense seeming a little lethargic, Alabama took over on their own 46 yard line following a short punt a nice return by Arenas. With 13 minutes left on the clock, Offensive Coordinator McElwain knew this was the time to go for it.

As they came up to the line, McElroy read run defense and single coverage on Maze. The ball was snapped and Maze with a quick head fake, froze the defender for a single step and turned on the jets.

The ball dropped right over his shoulder as he was in dead stride. In bringing the ball in he lost his balance and fell at the six yard line, where Mark Ingram bulled in on the next play.

In less than 30 seconds, momentum and lead swung back to Alabama. They would never look back.

That pass must have broken Va. Tech's concentration when on the next play, the Hokie special team that kept them in this game so long, finally broke down as well. The kickoff was fumbled on a hit and recovered by Alabama.

It resulted in a field goal.

In just three minutes Alabama had gone from trailing to being 10 points in the lead. With Alabama's defense seemingly in command now, the game seemed over with only ten minutes and change left.

But you have to admire Va. Tech. Down but not out, bent but not broken, that special teams unit lived up to it's usual reputation and sought to atone for the previous mistake.

They did just that.

Dyrell Roberts took the kickoff and once again the Hokie return team burned the Tide. Robers dashed 47 yards and with an Alabama penalty on top of that, turned the ball over to the Hokie offense on the Alabama 37 yard line.

Following a short five yard pass, on the second play the Hokie freshman Flash Ryan Williams lived up to his billing and raced 32 yards for a touchdown. Finally the futility of the running game paid off with one long run.

And just like that, with just over nine minutes left, the Hokies were right back in it.

Following the kickoff, Alabama lines up on offense on their own 26 yard line, Alabama lines up in a formation that spreads in the defense. With the Hokies thinking pass again, Ingram rips off 39 yards to the Hokie 35 setting Alabama up one more time.

Alabama's weapon of the deep ball made the Hokies worry about that and allowed the running lanes to open up. A good passing attack opens the running game, much like the running game can open up the passing game.

Following a few good plays, Alabama is in business again on the 18 when McElroy fools the defensive back by looking at the deep receivers just long enough to get them to drop and then dumped a pass off the Ingram out of the backfield who dashed in for another touchdown, driving the final nail in the Hokies coffin.

With a ten point lead once again, and only six minutes remaining, Alabama was able to let the reserves play and hold Va. Tech scoreless while running out the clock.

For anyone who thought this new quarterback and patched up offensive line would be a problem, Alabama running backs ran for 270 yards against a top ten defense and this QB in his first collegiate start, passed for 230 yards and managed a masterful game.

For those who believed that Tech could run against Alabama, they were as inept as every other ACC team, rushing for only 64 yards and half of that coming on one play.

And those who believed that one off season could cure Taylor's passing ineptness now know he's still the same bad passer he was last year throwing for only 91 yards and no touchdowns.

Were it not for the heart of the team, their 'Pride and Joy' special teams unit, this game could have been downright ugly as the final statistics which were roughly 500 yards of offense for Alabama, 150 for Va. Tech.

Taylor's abysmal two of twelve third down conversions had to be the main cause of such lopsided stats, and he never appeared to a quarterback who could beat Alabama with his talent.

Alabama practiced ball control in this game, and held the ball almost one quarter more than Tech.

Fifteen minutes more possession much more than a three to one production rate on offense and a defense that stymied a top team's offense, all proved that Alabama should have been more than a six and a half to seven point favorite.

If this is the best the ACC can offer, the SEC should fare well against the rest.