Isaiah Bond or 0017
Isaiah Bond will forever have a place in Iron Bowl lore, as will Jalen Milroe, after the Alabama quarterback and wide receiver connected for a TD on 4th and 31 with under a minute left in the 4th quarter.
Nick Saban revealed in his postgame interview that the Tide practice that play, even though he admitted it is basically a jump ball. So what is that play actually called?
Bond was happy to let us behind the curtain, and the play’s name doesn’t disappoint.
The name for the play call on 4th and 31?
Isaiah Bond: “Grave digger”
He impersonated the famous image of James Bond, clasping his hands together to form an imaginary gun and thrusting his head upwards.
He's staking claim as the originator of the move in a football game.
"I want everybody to know I did it first,” he said.
That is, after all, why it is called Gravedigger, says Bond, because it is designed to “put them in the grave.”
“We put them asleep,” he said.
If all of this sounds too unbelievable to be true, too wild to ever happen in real life, if it feels like the script for some far-flung Hollywood drama, it is understandable. But it did happen.
Gravedigger happened to take place on the 10th anniversary of what is the most famous play in Iron Bowl lore.
Auburn has the Kick Six. Alabama, now, has Gravedigger.
2023
Second-year wide out who earned a starting role during fall camp ... leads UA with 44 receptions totaling 621 yards and four scores ... added one rush for a gain of three yards ... also returned one punt on the season ... selected as one of the Alabama coaching staff's offensive players of the week for his performance against Middle Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Auburn. Middle Tennessee: Led all wide outs with five receptions and 76 yards while adding one touchdown ... had a long reception of 47 yards against the Blue Raiders. Texas: Recorded one catch for 34 yards and a first down across his four targets on the night. USF: Totaled 42 yards on his team-leading four receptions. Ole Miss: Caught one of his three targets for a gain of 10 yards and a first down. Mississippi State: Recorded one catch for a gain of 17 yards in Starkville. Texas A&M: Hauled in seven of his nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown ... converted five first downs to go with a 52-yard score ... averaged 13.7 yards per reception with his 52-yarder representing the long play by either team. Arkansas: Caught one pass for a gain of eight yards. Tennessee: Led the Tide wide outs with 77 yards and one score across his three catches ... converted a pair of first downs to go with his 46-yard touchdown. LSU: Recorded five receptions for 60 yards, both team-high marks ... had a long gain of 21 while converting three first downs on the night. Kentucky: Hauled in two receptions for 24 yards while adding one rush for a gain of three ... converted two first downs with a long reception of 17. Chattanooga: Accumulated 23 yards across his team-high four receptions. Auburn: Caught five of his eight targets for 75 yards and a touchdown ... hauled in the 31-yard go-ahead touchdown with 32 seconds left to lift the Tide to an Iron Bowl victory ... also converted a pair of first downs to go with his scoring play. Georgia: Converted a first down on each of his team-high five receptions totaling 79 yards.
2022
Saw time in all 13 games with one start, splitting time at receiver and on special teams ... totaled 17 receptions for 220 yards and a touchdown ... added one punt return for a gain of 34. Utah State: Saw his first collegiate action ... finished with two catches for 23 yards with a long of 13. Texas: Targeted once in the game but did not record a reception. ULM: Returned one punt for a gain of 34 yards. Vanderbilt: Caught two passes for 13 yards and converted one first down. Arkansas: Ranked second in receiving yards with 76 across his two receptions ... converted a pair of first downs with a long catch of 53 yards. Texas A&M: Rotated in at wide out and on special teams. Tennessee: Made his first career start for the Tide ... caught two passes for 39 yards in Knoxville. Mississippi State: Hauled in one pass for eight yards. LSU: Rotated in at wide out while also working on special teams against the Tigers. Ole Miss: Earned snaps on offense and special teams in Oxford. Austin Peay: Recorded three catches for 19 yards on the day. Auburn: Tied for the team-high total in receptions with four totaling 36 yards. Kansas State: Caught one pass for a six-yard touchdown and the Tide's first score of the day.
High School and Personal Data
An explosive play maker out of Georgia ... a unanimous four-star prospect ... tabbed as the No. 72 ranked player on the On300 list in On3's rankings ... also listed as the No. 60 prospect in the On3 Consensus ... No. 51 on the 247Composite, the site's No. 2 athlete and No. 5 player in the state of Georgia ... No. 42 on the Top247 list and rated as 247Sports' No. 2 athlete and No. 5 player in the state ... the No. 70 prospect on the Rivals250, the No. 11 wide receiver and No. 5 player in Georgia ... No. 71 on the ESPN300, the No. 7 receiver, the No. 36 recruit in the Southeast Region and No. 9 player in the state ... On3 ranks Bond as the No. 12 receiver and No. 7 player from Georgia ... selected to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas ... won the Georgia 6A 100-meter (10.51) and 200-meter (21.19) state titles as a junior with personal bests of 10.48 (100 meters) and 21.05 (200 meters) ... played for head coach Bryant Appling at Buford High School ... chose Alabama over Florida and Georgia.