5 questions for... Greg McElroy s. tions for...

SiriusXM College Sports Nation host and former Jets and Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy talks about the Crimson Tide’s offensive woes and Lane Kiffin’s departure with The Post’s Justin Terranova. McElroy will be on SEC Network on Paul Finebaum’s Film Room during the title game.

Q: What was most shocking about Clemson’s dismantling of Ohio State?

A: I thought Clemson’s defense at times this year was extremely good, but they were also very inconsistent — notably in the Pittsburgh game. I was a little surprised how well they played along the defensive front and made J.T. Barrett very uncomfortable. I thought Urban Meyer would have a plan for the talented linemen Clemson had, but they couldn’t win enough one-on-one matchups.

Q: Why was Alabama’s offense so inept against Washington?

A: Part of it had to do with the stage and magnitude, but if you look at their play-calling it was extremely conservative because they had a decided advantage on the other side of the football. They just didn’t want to give Washington any chance to turn the game with a turnover, any drive that ended in a punt for them was essentially a positive drive.

Q: What was your reaction to Lane Kiffin’s departure?

A: It’s not an ideal situation because they have a young quarterback, who is looking for a little confidence after last week’s performance. The offense will stay the same, but I am anxious to see how they come out. And if something was to go wrong really early in the game we’ll (see) how the team responds to the adversity because Lane had a knack for getting the team back on track with his play-calling and making it easy on his quarterback. Q: How much of a concern is it? A: It’s significant, just because sometimes you are not 100 percent confident in the unknown. Steve Sarkisian (taking over for Kiffin) had a proven track record of outstanding offensive production, but he’s never done it at Alabama. Any time you are going into a game of this magnitude it matters, and we don’t know exactly what we are going to get from Alabama. Q: Having played under Nick Saban, why do you think he’s been so successful? A: He’s the same guy every day. After a great win or brutal loss, you are going to get the same guy. He’s going to coach you the same and you are expected to perform at the same level regardless of who the competition is. That’s why the program has been so remarkably consistent.