Indeed, Beteman's passing accuracy truly was average, but don't forget, Beteman had become the second quarterback for a traditional powerhouse like Crimson Tide Storm. Maybe his ability ceiling was lower, but he certainly wasn't incompetent.
The short passes often relied on teamwork. As long as the ball's trajectory wasn't too outrageous, and the wide receiver and tight end didn't misunderstand the tactics, then the connections could be successful.
While the Crimson Tide offensive line attracted a substantial amount of fire on the ground, Saban arranged a series of short-pass tactics to progressively penetrate the opposing defense—
Was the tactic original?
No. Saban's passing tactics were always by the book.
Did the tactic work?
Yes.
That was already enough.
