Mac Jones tennis player mentality was his biggest hurdle in Alabama: Nick Saban explains QB turning point

Mac Jones comes from a family of tennis players.

Both of his parents played at the college level and his father even went professional for a while. It’s no surprise that the Patriots quarterback also took up the sport, but evolved a bit in character, and attack coordinator Steve Sarkisian nicknamed him (John) McEnroe while in Alabama.

In his radio show Nick Saban said the tennis player’s mentality was actually something that Jones had to beat with the help of Crimson Road to become a better leader.

That was probably Mac’s biggest hurdle as a player, Saban said. Ability to control their emotions. Especially for playing a quarterback. So he wouldn’t be so upset or frustrated when he threw a bad ball or read poorly. He kind of had a tennis player mentality. It was: Do you understand how you affect everyone else? This is not an individual species. You’re a team leader, fired and hassle-free, and everyone else sees it, and that’s not a good thing for your position. You must be a general manager. You have to be in control of events.

Saban said the turning point came one day when Alabama had to move the exercises indoors.

In the coaching offices of the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility, Sabans ’view was blocked and he saw only half of the field. Jones was in his line of sight, but when the ball was clicked, there were no wide recipients and defenders.

That was all Saba needed to see.

Every time he threw the ball, I just looked at Mac and could tell if it was perfect or incomplete based on his body language. And I said to the filmmaker: Shoot this. Saban said. (I) showed it to (Jones) and said: That’s how you affect everyone else. I can’t even see if you threw the ball complete or incomplete, and I can tell if it was perfect or incomplete based on how you acted.

I think it could have been a turning point for him, Saban said. Sometimes doing the little individual things where you show someone something like that is really, really helpful to them. It is not a negative thing or anything. Its just, hey look, look at this, this is not a good thing.

Jones took on the coaching and Crimson Tide won the 2020 national championship.

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