Tide displays efficiency with passing attack

TUSCALOOSA | Introduced with the other Alabama seniors prior to Saturday's game, Nikita Stover started at wide receiver in the Crimson Tide's 39-0 victory over Auburn.

Stover admitted he might have been overlooked as a starter since freshman sensation Julio Jones is a wide receiver. But it was Stover who caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from fellow senior John Parker Wilson.

"People actually haven't noticed, but I started the last three games," said Stover, a Hartselle native who finally ended up at Alabama after spending time at a junior college in Mississippi. "I started the last three games. It's just hard work, laying it all on the line. It's not all about catching passes. It's about blocking and everything else."

Late in the game, reserve quarterback Greg McElroy threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Marquis Maze.

Alabama didn't throw often, but Wilson and McElroy threw effectively. Wilson completed 8 of 16 passes for 134 yards and was sacked only once. McElroy completed both of his attempts for 44 yards.

"That's something we’ve done all season," Wilson said. "We're not going to go out there and try to throw for 300 yards. We just take what they give us. We want to be smart with the ball.

"This is the way we play. This is our style. They were putting lot of guys in the box, but we were still running the ball. If we can keep doing that, we're going to be pretty tough."

Glen Coffee gained 144 of Alabama's 234 rushing yards. The defense limited Auburn to 170 total yards and recovered three fumbles.

"We always want to establish the run," Stover said. "We've got great running backs. Every time we start off with the run, it helps the passing game. That's how we approach it."

With Alabama leading 10-0 in the third quarter, linebacker Rolando McClain recovered a fumble, setting the offense up on the Auburn 39.

"Turnovers hurt a team bad," Stover said. "It just helped us out. We knew that we had to nail them down. We had them on the ropes or whatever, just knock them on out."

On first down, Wilson rolled to his right and found Stover behind defensive back Walter McFadden. Stover easily caught the line-drive pass and scored to give Alabama a 16-0 lead.

"I saw (Wilson) scramble, and he saw me at the last minute when I took off," Stover said. "He just put it in the air, and I caught it for a touchdown.

"It's great, man. People will remember it. I don’t have many catches in my career, but I have some big catches. It's just great to be known for something."

Wilson said he considered running with the football.

"It was a bootleg out to the right," Wilson said. "(Stover) actually ran a comeback route, and I was going to run the ball until the defender broke off. I just laid it right it over the top of him.

"(Stover) did a good job of getting open. I was kind of worried I was past the line (of scrimmage). I saw the replay and luckily it wasn't."

Jones led Alabama with three catches for 36 yards.

Alabama scored another touchdown in the third quarter after noseguard Terrence Cody recovered a fumble at the Auburn 45. Wilson threw a screen pass to freshman running back Mark Ingram for a gain of 27 yards to the 22. On third-and-7, Wilson gunned a pass to the 6-4, 210-pound Jones on the right sideline. Jones eluded 5-10, 192-pound cornerback Jerraud Powers and gained 15 yards to the 4. Ingram scored on a 1-yard run to give Alabama a 22-0 lead.

Reach Andrew Carroll at andrew.carroll@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223.