JaMarcus Shephard followed offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan's and wide receiver Germie Bernard's lead Wednesday morning.
The Alabama football wide receivers coach would not give specific insight into the mimicked basketball jump shot by Bernard and freshman Ryan Williams on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Jalen Milroe during the Crimson Tide 's 24-17 loss to Tennessee .
If anything, Shephard said, the play worked.
"Our players are very in tune with the things that we need to do on the football field to really make plays successful," Shephard said. "And it was a successful play. We got a first down."
When asked if that particular move was coached or encouraged by members of the the coaching staff, Shephard repeated his answer.
"I say the same thing," Shephard said. "Our players are very aware of the things that need to be done on the field to make plays successful. And that play was successful. It was a first down."
On Monday, Sheridan, when asked about the mimicked jump shot, said "there's nothing on the field we're not coaching."
Bernard declined to answer a question about the play, saying Sheridan's response "answers itself."
It was a successful play, turning a 4th-and-1 at the Tennessee 37-yard line into a first down on a 1-yard Milroe sneak with less than a minute left in the second quarter. The offense stagnated from there. Three Milroe incompletions led to a 54-yard field goal miss by Graham Nicholson .
Alabama will face Missouri at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: JaMarcus Shephard talks Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard 'jump shot' for Alabama football
