Nick Saban Pretending That Suspending DeVonta Smith Against Tennessee Will Mean Anything is Comical
By Michael Luciano
Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver DeVonta Smith, generally regarded as one of the more mild-mannered players on the Tide team, was ejected from Bama's domination of Texas A&M for throwing a punch at an Aggies defensive back.
In an attempt to seem tough, head coach Nick Saban claims he's going to "discipline" Smith, which could mean that he is suspended for part or all of the Tennessee game.
DeVonta Smith "will be disciplined" against Tennessee for throwing a punch late in the game against Texas A&M, per Saban
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 14, 2019
On a team with a fleet of future pro receivers, Smith might be the most productive, piling up 38 catches, 636 yards and 9 touchdowns. Even if Smith were unable to go, Tua Tagovailoa will still be able to lean on Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs and Jaylen Waddle.
If Smith is suspended for their game against a freshman QB in Brian Maurer and Jeremy Pruitt's Volunteers, Saban finds himself in a win-win scenario. Knowing that Alabama would beat Tennessee if they started 76-year-old Joe Namath at quarterback, Saban can look like he's holding his players accountable while also not jeopardizing the team's chances of winning.
Saban says DeVonta Smith’s ejection “probably merits a half” of missed playing time. Says he thinks the SEC Office will agree with his decision.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) October 14, 2019
As good as Smith is, the Tide are going to steamroll the Volunteers next week, so it's not like Alabama is going to be struggling to find paydirt without him in the lineup.