Alabama Football: Meet Tua Tagovailoa’s All-Star supporting cast
By Ethan Lee
As a freshman, DeVonta Smith caught Tua Tagovailoa’s most memorable touchdown
Remember the moment that Tua Tagovailoa became a legend? The Crimson Tide was in overtime against the Georgia Bulldogs in the national championship game. The stakes could not have been higher for anyone involved. And, as a freshman, Tagovailoa threw a game-winning touchdown to claim a national title and capture the attention of the entire country. However, Tagovailoa wasn’t the only freshman involved in that historic play. DeVonta Smith is the man who caught that touchdown.
Smith, a native of Amite, Louisiana, spurned LSU for Alabama. In fact, Smith chose to play for the Crimson Tide over a host of big-name programs and then some not so big name programs. According to 247Sports, Smith had a wealth of options to choose from and wisely picked Alabama. That choice has allowed DeVonta Smith to become part of a legendary play and also a legend in his own right.
As a former four-star recruit and a freshman at the time, Smith started becoming a regular part of Alabama’s offense. He wasn’t the most heavily used wide receiver in 2017, only catching 8 receptions for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he made history and brought a national championship back to Tuscaloosa with one of those receptions.
This year, DeVonta Smith has 21 receptions for 409 yards and then 3 touchdowns again. He’s been hampered by injuries a little bit and was forced to miss the game against Mizzou, but he’ll probably see the field at some point again this season. It’s not clear yet if he’ll play against LSU, he’d likely find a way to make a big play if he was healthy enough to do so and given the chance.