Recall the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal, where Nick Saban’s coaching career ended on a sour note with a botched snap on 4th and goal. It serves as a stark visual reminder of a disappointing conclusion for a legendary figure like Saban.
As Adam Breneman pointed out, had the snap been accurate, the play would have likely resulted in a pass to the running back on a swing route, potentially leading to a score for Alabama. The ripple effects of such an outcome would have been substantial, influencing both college football and the NFL.
The issues with poor shotgun snaps were not uncommon for Seth McLaughlin during his tenure as the Crimson Tide’s center last season. Such mishaps occurred frequently, with quarterback Jalen Milroe’s athleticism often bailing them out of trouble.
McLaughlin’s decision to depart from Alabama after the season, presumably due to potential scrutiny from classmates over his snapping inaccuracies, has led him to join the Ohio State Buckeyes in their quest to return to the College Football Playoff.
Understandably, Buckeye fans harbor concerns about McLaughlin’s past snap troubles. Head Coach Ryan Day addressed these concerns, shifting some blame onto Jalen Milroe.
Ryan Day attributed Seth McLaughlin's bad snaps at Alabama to cadence issues with Jalen Milroe.
🗣️“Seth’s snaps have been great. I know that was a little bit of a concern. I think that had a lot to do with maybe the cadence or whatever. But so far, he’s been doing great.”
— Tony Tsoukalas (@Tony_Tsoukalas) March 19, 2024
While it’s unclear why Alabama’s cadence calls would affect McLaughlin’s snapping accuracy, it’s conceivable that his focus on quickly exiting his stance may be contributing to rushed snaps. If this is indeed the case, it poses a significant concern for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, particularly when facing formidable opponents like Penn State and Michigan in the Big Ten. Should these issues persist, it raises the question of whether Day will continue to attribute them to cadence problems.
