Miscommunication explained

Nakobe Dean smiled that he would not have gotten on fellow linebacker Channing Tindall in the second quarter of the national championship against Alabama if they were not such good friends.

It was one of several memorable moments for the Bulldogs in their victory two months ago at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

“It was just a little miscommunication,” Dean said Wednesday at Georgia’s Pro Day. “There was a little bit of a bad read with it. We went the wrong way. Emotions were high, on the goal line of a national championship. We held them to a field goal.”

The Crimson Tide held a 6-3 lead and was driving with a second down at the Bulldog 6.

On the next play, quarterback Bryce Young attempted to squeeze the ball to tight end Cameron Latu. As the pass was thrown, Tindall bumped into Dean, momentarily breaking him off his track, before the Butkus Award winner recovered in time to knock the ball away.

After making the play, Dean popped up, screaming at Tindall for the mistake he made.

Tindall would make up for the mistake on the very next play, sacking Young back on the 22 and forcing the Crimson Tide to settle for a 37-yard field goal instead of a touchdown and a 13-6 advantage.

“I remember I was supposed to be the hold player on that play, but I was also supposed to read the QB,” Tindall recalled. “The person (Latu) went under me. He was my crosser; but I was scared for the QB as well. So, I was indecisive. I was like, what do I do?"

When Tindall sacked Young, Dean was one of the first Bulldogs to meet and congratulate him.

“It was just knowing our guys,” Dean said. “If we didn’t have that connection, we weren’t so close, I wouldn’t have been able to do that to him. He understood. He knew what we had to do to fix it.”

Tindall smiled at the recollection.

“Nakobe had some words for me,” he said. “That’s all I’m going to say about that one. He held me accountable for my mistake, but on the next play I made up for my mistake.”

Tindall said he never took Dean’s criticism the wrong way.

“Nah, I’m not sweating it. Nakobe and I are brothers. Quay (Walker), really the whole front seven. If he yells at me, it is what it is. He yells at me for a reason. He knows my Why. I know his Why, so at the end of the day, it’s all good.”