Former Penn State safety King Mack transferred to Alabama this offseason to play for first-year Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. Mack left Happy Valley in the spring transfer portal window and has been a critical loss for the Nittany Lions who have been without star safety Kevin Winston Jr. for much of the season.
In new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s three-safety scheme, Mack would have been a significant contributor for the Nittany Lions who have been forced to play true freshman Dejuan Lane and convert cornerback Cam Miller to safety. However, Mack isn’t necessarily missing out on those opportunities because he has become a key piece of Alabama’s banged-up secondary. On Saturday in Alabama’s 24-17 Week 8 loss to Tennessee, Mack also served as an actor for DeBoer’s coaching staff, faking an injury to stop play.
DeBoer was upset that the officiating crew was not allowing his defense enough time to substitute, so he sent Mack onto the field to fall and get the officials to stop the play. Fake injuries have been a topic of conversation in the SEC because they are the perfect way for teams to get a stoppage without using a penalty and have been abused.
Mack may have been the most blatant example of a fake injury and it drew loud boos from the crowd at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. Alabama was ultimately flagged for an illegal substitution.
Tennessee got an extra measure of revenge on Mack beyond just the penalty. The sophomore allowed the game-winning touchdown catch in coverage.