Saban says he will ‘never forget’ thrilling U.S. college title game
Alabama coach already on to next season’s championship chase, writes John Zenor.
ATLANTA Nick Saban wins one title and moves on to figuring out how to get the next. It’s part of his famed Process. But Saban’s sixth national title, and fifth in nine years, was different and not just because it put him in a tie with Alabama icon Paul (Bear) Bryant for the most by any major college football coach. This time, one quarterback, Jalen Hurts, led the Crimson Tide into the championship game and another, freshman Tua Tagovailoa, directed a secondhalf comeback in Monday night’s 26-23 overtime win over Georgia.
A quarterback battle seems inevitable.
Saban has months to figure out which quarterback gives Alabama (13-1) the best chance for a repeat. But he allows himself far less time to celebrate winning titles, even ones as dramatic as this one.
That doesn’t mean he won’t remember it fondly.
“This will be a game that I’ll never forget” Saban said Tuesday morning.
Trailing 13-0 at halftime, Saban turned to Tagovailoa. The lefty from Hawaii delivered in a big way, threading a fourth-down pass to Calvin Ridley for a tying touchdown late and then leading a drive for a potential winning field goal. Andy Pappanastos missed a 36-yarder to send the game into overtime.
After the Bulldogs (13-2) settled for a field goal, Tagovailoa was sacked. He responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass to fellow freshman DeVonta Smith to touch off the latest confettidripping celebration for Alabama a year after absorbing a lastsecond loss to Clemson in the championship game.
It set the stage for a quarterback competition between Tagovailoa and Hurts, who is 26-2 as a starter and has helped Alabama make two title game appearances.
Tagovailoa was named offensive player of the game, making plays running and passing. What he didn’t do: sleep much before attending a morning-after news conference.
“I couldn’t sleep because, if I slept, I would have never woken up to come to this thing,” he said. “Aside from that, it was a good team win. I still can’t believe that this is what happened. It just feels like another game.”
Just another game. Just another title.
As usual, Saban sounded ready to get back to the business of pursuing another. The coach said he spoke to seven players considering leaving early to enter the NFL draft. The group of potential early entries includes All-America safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, tailback Damien Harris, wide receiver Ridley and defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne.
Saban believes several of them probably should leave and several should return and try to boost their draft stock.
Saban understands championships create “a lifelong legacy that everybody lives with.” After all, he said there’s still a sign in Monongah, W.Va., celebrating the 1968 state championship team he played on.
“Everybody realizes the sacrifices and the adversity that you had to overcome to do it and the hard work you put in to do it,” Saban said. “And I think it’s something that you never forget. It becomes a part of the legacy of that team.
“But I also think that, if you’re a competitor and you’re a player, whether you’re a coach or a player or any part of the organization, in 24 hours you probably need to move on because there’s another challenge and basically you created a target for yourself in the future in terms of people who want to beat you.”
This team won despite losing four first-round draft picks and seven defensive players picked in the first four rounds of the NFL draft. Alabama will lose quite a few key players again.
If Fitzpatrick and safety Ronnie Harrison turn pro, the entire starting secondary is gone, along with All-America linebacker Rashaan Evans and centre Bradley Bozeman. Saban must also replace defensive co-ordinator Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee’s new head coach.
Alabama will still be among the favourites going into next season.
As for his own legacy, Saban refused to rank himself even with Bryant. He helped his case, anyway, by gambling with a halftime quarterback switch with a national title on the line.
“I think coach Bryant is probably the best coach of all time because of the longevity of his tenure as a coach and the way he changed,” Saban said. “I mean, he won championships running the wishbone. He won them with Joe Namath dropping back throwing when people never, ever did it. I just think that, for his time, he impacted the game and had more success than anybody ever could.”