Alabama keeping Jalen Hurts from being pressured
If you’ve been watching Alabama and Tennessee lately, you’ve probably noticed Joshua Dobbs has been dealing with more quarterback pressures than Jalen Hurts.
CFB Film Room decided to look at the difference between the two SEC quarterbacks:
Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs has been pressured on 40% of his dropbacks in SEC play this season
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) October 20, 2016
For comparison, Alabama's Jalen Hurts is at 27% https://t.co/DDqJGmv0Dz
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) October 20, 2016
While not every pass in the box score is a drop-back throw, it’s worth nothing that Dobbs averages 33 passing attempts per game in SEC play while Hurts averages only 26.8. That virtually guarantees that the number of attempts Dobbs is under pressure is more than Hurts by a number much larger than 13 percent. If all attempts were drop-back passes, the Dobbs-to-Hurts difference would be 13.2 to 7.2 attempts per game under pressure.
As SEC defenses have learned, when Hurts is not under pressure he can pick apart a defense.
On Saturday, #Alabama's Jalen Hurts was pressured on 4 of 18 drop-backs. On non-pressured snaps was 12-13 for 250 yds & 2 TDs =>158.3 QB rtg pic.twitter.com/d7PQwZXkcR
— Jack Farrell (@PFF_Jack) October 11, 2016
The matchup of Alabama’s offensive line against Texas A&M’s pass rush should be fun to watch on Saturday. Handicappers are predicting the Crimson Tide will win that battle, as Alabama is currently an 18-point favorite according to Vegas Insider.