Alabama quarterback Blake Sims (6) calls the play close to the Tennessee end zone in this past Saturday’s game.Throwing for 210 first-quarter yards and two touchdowns and rushing 28 yards for a score early in the second quarter to put your team up 27-0 is usually enough to assure an easy win.
That was not the case Saturday night at Neyland Stadium for Alabama fifth-year senior quarterback Blake Sims.
When Tennessee scored 17 consecutive points to pull within 27-17 late in the third quarter, Sims and his suddenly shaky offense faced a third-and-9 at Alabama’s 48-yard line. The 6-foot, 208-pounder scrambled for a 9-yard gain and a first down that ultimately squashed any upset hopes by the Volunteers.
Four plays after the key conversion by Sims, tailback Derrick Henry broke free for a 28-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach in the Crimson Tide’s eventual 34-20 victory.
“When I got around the tackle, I looked down the field to see if I could hit one of my guys for a first down, but I didn’t see anybody open,” Sims said as Saturday night gave way to Sunday morning. ‘I just tried to use my legs and ran it and tried to do whatever I could to get the first down. I saw a guy put his head down, and I tried to dive over him for the first down.”