Alabama HC Nick Saban reveals the "turning point" in Mac Jones' college career
New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones has impressed fans with his play so far this season. But Jones' solid decision-making under pressure didn't come easy. Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban can attest to that.
On his radio show this week, Saban talked about how he had to bring Jones' temperament to his young quarterback's attention and how it may have just changed everything for him and his game.
Unbeknownst to many, it all started with a family love for tennis.
Mac Jones has more wins than all other rookie QBs COMBINED. https://t.co/KKMcPkpRBx
Nick Saban says there was a "turning point" for Mac Jones at Alabama
Everyone knows about the success that now-New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones had at Alabama. He and the Crimson Tide went on to win a national championship, continuing their long line of success at the university.
But there was a point when Alabama head coach Nick Saban was concerned with what he was seeing from Jones on the field.
Mac Jones' family is full of tennis players, and he, too, has even played the game. Jones' parents both played tennis in college, and his dad was even a pro for a time. Jones' attitude on the tennis court, though, transferred over to the football field, which earned him the nickname "McEnroe" from then-offensive coordinator and now-University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Saban told the story on his radio show this week about how Jones' temper concerned him and when he started to realize how it affected everyone. Saban said that, one day, Alabama had to move its practice session indoors. Where he was sitting blocked his view and he could only see Jones and not the rest of the offense.
Saban quickly noticed that, although he couldn't see Jones' passes, he could immediately tell which were complete and which were incomplete because of his quarterback's attitude.
“Every time he would throw the ball, I would just look at Mac and I could tell whether it was complete or incomplete based on his body language. And I told the film guy, ‘Film this.’” Saban said. “(I) showed it to (Jones) and said, 'This is how you’re affecting everybody else. I can’t even see whether you threw the ball complete or incomplete, and I can tell whether it was complete or incomplete by how you’re acting.’"
Saban said that, when he showed Jones the video of the way he was acting, it seemed to be a turning point in the quarterback's attitude and his ability to be a leader on the team.
“I think that might have been the turning point for him,” Saban said. “Sometimes, doing those little individual things where you show somebody something like that is really, really beneficial to them. It’s not a negative thing or anything. It’s just, ‘Hey look, see this, this is not a good thing.’”
Nick Saban on Mac Jones, who is set to suit up for the New England Patriots tonight: "He really understands football. He's accurate with the ball. He's easy to coach."
Saban has said, in the past, that Jones is easy to coach, and this story shows that. Jones was able to see how the attitude he had from playing tennis was actually hindering his ability to lead his teammates on the football field, and he changed it. The fact that Saban could film that and bring it to Jones' attention, and he was able to fix the problem, shows he is willing to make changes, which could lead to a long and successful NFL career.