Alabama impressive to most at A-Day

TUSCALOOSA — Marquis Maze was breezing through pregame warmups and pulled up short on a deep route in a seven-on-seven drill.

Not many noticed the lack of hustle. Alabama head coach Nick Saban did. As Maze jogged back to the line, Saban held his arms out from his side and snapped, “Do you want to play?”

Message received. The sophomore receiver gained 134 all-purpose yards and shared the Dixie Howell Memorial Award as the Most Valuable player in the
Alabama’s A-Day Game with junior quarterback Greg McElroy.

McElroy threw two touchdown passes and led his Crimson team to a 14-7 victory over Maze’s White team Saturday in front of an announced 84,050 at Bryant-
Denny Stadium.

Maze caught five passes for 87 yards, including a 38-yard completion from Star Jackson. He also gained 47 yards on two reverse plays. One of those gained 33
yards and set up the White’s only touchdown.

“He has made a lot of big plays this spring,” Saban said of Maze’s development. “He’s very fast, our most explosive guy off the line against any type of close
coverage or bump-and-run. He has ability to run with the ball. He has improved his hands, which is a real key. He’s a guy that can be a playmaker for us in the
future. I’m very, very encouraged by the spring that he had.”

“Given the opportunity, I did what I had to do,” Maze said after the game. “We work on those (reverses) during practice. and I always see an opening.”

McElroy led the Crimson team (first offense, second defense) throughout the game. He was 16-of-30 passing for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw
two interceptions.

The game’s first score came on a 52-yard strike to Julio Jones on a post route from the left side.

“It was actually my third read,” McElroy said. “I started my read at the tight end (Colin Peek), then worked over to the over route, then looked to Julio on the
backside and it was good. He got open and made a play. I knew exactly where he was going to be and I guess that’s what all the execution over the spring led
to.”

Late in the second quarter, McElroy found Mike McCoy on a 10-yard pass. That capped a seven-play, 58-yard march. The Crimson had just one other drive
that lasted as long as seven plays. The White team was the first defense and second offense.

“I thought the offense did a good job moving the ball in the first half,” McElroy said. “I’m a little disappointed in the fact that we didn’t do that a lot in the second
half. But that’s just a testament to our defense, and how difficult they are. But it’s been one really fun spring for everybody involved.”

Saban sounded less impressed with his defense than McElroy.

“We gave up some big plays, and big plays changed field position,” the coach said. “I wasn’t crazy about the way we played on defense today, to be honest
with you. The first defense can play better. They should have a higher expectation. ...

“I think there’s a few guys that think they are a little better than they are, and it changes their attitude about how they go about their work. And if we weren’t out
there in front of 80,000 people, I would have let them know that today. But they’ll see it, and they’ll find out soon enough. We’ve got a meeting on Monday.”

The other quarterbacks, Thomas Darrah and Star Jackson, weren’t given much opportunity to impress as the No. 2 defense shut down the No. 2 offense.

Darrah finished 8-for-22 passing for 113 yards. Jackson was 4-for-13 for 52 yards and two interceptions.

“I think both need to make significant improvements,” Saban said. “I think both guys have made a tremendous amount of progress and I think they’re capable of
developing into good quarterbacks. I think, right now, ... both guys are too inconsistent.”

Free safety Robby Green and linebacker Dont’a Hightower recorded interceptions for the White team against McElroy.

“I was just trying to make a play,” the quarterback said. “Dont’a just got a little too much depth, and I should have checked it down to my running back.”

Chris Jordan intercepted Jackson at the 5-yard line, stopping the White team’s best offensive drive of the first half. Earlier in the drive, Jackson hit Maze for 38
yards and a first down at the 30. Mark Barron stepped in front of a Jackson pass for an interception in the fourth quarter.

But scoring opportunities were few and far between once the White team defense got into a groove. The 107 total offensive plays produced 395 total yards and
21 first downs combined.

Sophomore defensive lineman Marcell Dareus was voted the Most Valuable Lineman of the game by the media. He recorded four tackles for the Crimson team,
including a 6-yard sack. Rolando McClain had six tackles, five solo, and an 8-yard sack for the White defense.

First quarter
9:00 Crimson 7, White 0: Julio Jones 52-yard pass from Greg McElroy (Leigh Tiffin kick). 2 plays, 52 yards, 0:53. Key play: The touchdown. McElroy waited for tight end Colin Peek to come open, but spotted Jones break free on a post patter from the left side and delivered a strike.

Second quarter
4:30 Crimson 14, White 0: Mike McCoy 10-yard pass from McElroy (Tiffin kick). 7 plays, 58 yards, 4:17. Key play: McElroy completed a crossing route to Peek for 30 yards and a first down at the White 15.

Fourth quarter
14:11 Crimson 14, White 7: Ivan Matchett 5-yard run (Tiffin kick). 5 plays, 73 yards, 2:35. Key play: On the final play of the third quarter, wide receiver Marquis Maze ran a reverse 33 yards up the left sideline to put the White on the Crimson 25-yard line. On the next play, Thomas Darrah hit Preston Dial for 20 yards to set up the score.