TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- DeVonta Smith was one of four Alabama players suspended for the first quarter of the team’s season-opening game against the Duke Blue Devils this past Saturday.

The junior wide receiver said, “It’s not going to happen again.”

“I think it was something that we all learned from because I don’t believe any of us would want somebody else to do that,” Smith said Tuesday afternoon. “It was a learning experience. We kind of all took it and handled it well. We made a mistake and we’re going to learn from this.”

Smith, running backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson and linebacker Terrell Lewis watched the first 15 minutes of the Crimson Tide’s eventual 42-3 win from the sideline because of missing a mandatory team function during Alabama’s preseason camp. Smith and Harris were on the field for the first play of the second quarter and were heavily involved on offense the rest of the way.

Smith has been held out of games before, though not for disciplinary reasons. As a sophomore in 2018, the Amite, La., native missed the Tennessee contest with a hamstring injury. But when it would be easy to not be engaged, Smith uses the unique vantage point to continue to learn.

“I would say it definitely taught me a lesson, but it kind of opened up the things we were trying to do on offense,” Smith said. “I saw things, looking from the sidelines, like you said, seeing things and what Coach Sark was really trying to do. … Just the schemes he’s trying to do, the meaning of everything from the run plays to the pass plays to the RPOs, the way you read it.

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith

“Once you see it from the sidelines, you’re like, ‘Oh, OK. That’s why he’s doing this.’”

Smith said the offense doesn’t “feel that much different” from last year, other than how and when Steve Sarkisian calls plays. But Smith wasn’t complaining Saturday. Once he entered the game, the wideout was the recipient of three straight passes from junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“I mean, no matter when you come in you always thinking about trying to make an impact,” Smith said. “For that to happen, I didn’t expect it, but it happened, so I just went on with it.”

Smith caught five passes for 54 yards and a touchdown against Duke and was one of five wide receivers to haul in at least five receptions along with Jerry Jeudy (10) and Jaylen Waddle (5). Add in Henry Ruggs III, and Alabama’s top four receivers accounted for 22 catches, 295 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener and bringing back memories of the 2019 campaign.

The Tide didn’t utilize its four-receiver set -- or “red” personnel -- against the Blue Devils, but Smith and the rest of the “Ryde Outs” can’t wait to be on the field together at the same exact time.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Smith said. “I just really want to see how, with us being out there, how things are going to be called. You game plan for different teams and you have different things certain ways. You can’t just go out there every game and go red. Depending on who the opponent is, you’re going to game-plan and go with whatever personnel you want to.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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