Defense delivers for Crimson Tide
Alabama’s defense not only delivered some payback to Clemson but a strong statement entering the national championship game.
For all the injuries and departed stars, the fourthranked Crimson Tide’s ‘D’ still is tops in college football.
The defense certainly looked the part Monday night’s 24-6 Sugar Bowl throttling of No. 1 Clemson, which had been ‘Bama’s Kryptonite the past two years with quarterback Deshaun Watson running the show.
Alabama Coach Nick Saban said the only comparable defensive effort he can remember in his nearly 11year tenure came in the 2011 national championship game against LSU, a 21-0 victory.
“I thought the defense played with sort of a ferocious, relentless, I won’t be denied kind of attitude in the way they competed in
the game,” Saban said Tuesday. “I’d say those two probably rank up there with the best of them.”
This injury-riddled group powered the Tide to a national championship matchup with fellow SEC power No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta with Monday night’s 24-6 victory. The next big challenge will be contending with Georgia’s dual 1,000-yard rushers Nick Chubb and Sony Michel next Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
That Sugar Bowl performance wasn’t just payback, but an emphatic reminder that this Alabama defense is still awfully formidable even if it has been far from full-strength since a string of injuries that began in the opener against Florida State.
“We had wanted to prove ourselves to the world, because I think we felt a little disrespected,” said defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, one of the main contributors in that performance.
The game turned on two — three, really — huge plays by defenders Payne and Mack Wilson in a whirlwind span of the third quarter. Payne made
an interception and then caught a touchdown pass after coming in for the goal line package. Mack Wilson, who had been out with a foot injury late in the regular season, then scored on an interception return 13 seconds later.
Plus, the defense racked up five sacks of Kelly Bryant. Saban said the defensive line played as well as it had all year.
“During the week, coach put emphasis on just being destructive in our pass rushing and just keeping in our pass rushing lanes and making sure that we get after them,” Payne said afterward. “And I think we did a good job of locking in during the practice and just getting after them as a whole defense.”
The defense is still far from 100 percent. Linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton and safety Hootie Jones remain out. Linebacker Anfernee Jennings’ status is uncertain with a sprained left knee sustained in the Sugar Bowl, and Saban said he and guard Lester Cotton (right knee) were being evaluated Tuesday in Birmingham.
Plus, seven of last season’s stars having moved on to the NFL and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt’s pending departure as Tennessee’s new head coach.