Both teams rich with defensive talent
SAN JOSE >> Quality defensive linemen are just about the toughest find in football.
“Well, I do think that most people would agree, whether it’s the NFL draft or trying to find guys and recruit guys when they’re in high school that have the size and athleticism to be effective in terms of their power, ability to strike, as well as athletic enough to pass rush,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “I think it’s even more difficult now with sort of the spread because there’s more loose plays, plays in space, where it requires guys to be able to run and play in space.”
No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson belie conventional wisdom which helps explain why the Crimson Tide and Tigers are playing in the College Football Playoff for the fourth straight season and third time in the national championship game.
The 2015 title game between the Tide and Tigers featured 10 defensive linemen who were drafted from 2016-18, including six from Alabama. Two more from Clemson who played in that game — defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and end Austin Bryant — will be picked in April.
Wilkins and Bryant are part of a group of 10 edge rushers and interior defensive linemen who will be at Levi’s Stadium for Monday night’s national championship game who are likely to be selected in the NFL draft this year.
“The fact that we could have three to four maybe five first-round picks off two defensive lines, that just doesn’t happen,” said Matt Miller, a draft analyst for Bleacher Report. “Alabama has three starters who are going to be top 75 picks. The top-end talent for ‘Bama is crazy. Then you have Clemson, where all four starters and the top reserve are going to be drafted. It’s great recruiting. It’s great development. The really aced it with these groups.”
Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is a contender to be the first overall pick, held by the Arizona Cardinals.
CLEMSON THRIVED AFTER QB SWITCH >> The choice was clear for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney last September freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence deserved to start over wellliked, well-respected senior Kelly Bryant.
It’s a move that could’ve led to dissension, in-fighting and a divided locker room. Instead, the switch started the second-ranked Tigers on a glide path to the national championship game.
“It’s just a situation where (Lawrence) has been in the game, he has been productive and to be fair to competition, just like we do at every position, coach (Swinney) decided to name him the starter,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said.
Swinney insists, that despite Lawrence’s talent, the swap wasn’t made with Alabama in mind.
“You’ve got to prove that you deserve to be the starter this year,” he said Saturday. “That’s just the culture we have.”
Lawrence has thrown for 2,933 yards with 27 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Clemson has averaged more than 45 points and 540 yards a game since
Lawrence took over against Syracuse in game five. TUA FEELING GOOD >> Alabama quarterback and Heisman Trophy runnerup Tua Tagovailoa said his sprained ankle is feeling good two days before the Crimson Tide plays Clemson for the national championship.
“I can only say we’re continuing to get better,” Tagovailoa said at media day on Saturday. “It’s trying to maintain the feeling of it feeling good. Just one more game then I can rest.”
Tagovailoa has surgery on his sprained ankle after he injured it against Georgia in the SEC title game. He has been receiving almost nonstop treatment on his ankle since.
Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said Tagovailoa, who also dealt with a knee injury this season, was as healthy as he has been in months.
“I thought last week we saw him healthy,” Locksley said.
FAMILIES HAVE HARD TIME MAKE IT TO BAY AREA >> Alabama’s Joshua Casher had a couple of carloads of friends and family make the drive to the College Football Playoff championship last year in Atlanta, when it was only a few hours away from his hometown in Mobile, Alabama. With the championship game this year all the way across the country in the Bay Area, Casher’s traveling party for his final college game as a Crimson Tide lineman is much smaller.
“It’s just my mother. She’s excited but I’m a nervous wreck,” Casher said. “It’s her first time on a plane. It was pretty difficult financially. You didn’t want to step ahead. We had to make sure we made it to the national championship before we started making plans. Things were a bit difficult but I’m glad I was able to get her out here.”
The CFP helps with the cost, giving each player a $2,500 travel stipend for friends or family members for both the semifinals and final, along with six tickets to each game.
The NCAA began the travel stipend program for the men’s and women’s Final Four in 2015.
“The stipend is a big help for travel but when a plane ticket is like $1,200 it gets tough,” said Clemson offensive lineman Blake Vinson, whose mom and sister are making this trip from North Carolina, while his father stays home because of the cost.
That’s a problem for most of the players in this game. With both teams and most of the family members from the Southeast, $2,500 doesn’t go nearly as far this year as it did when the final was in Atlanta or Tampa, Florida, like it was the past two years.
HAMSTRING SLOWS ALABAMA’S MILLER >> Alabama linebacker Christian Miller is questionable for the national championship game because of a pulled hamstring. Saban said Miller has not been able to do much work in practice.
If Miller can’t play, it should open up more opportunities for senior James Mosley and freshman Eyabi Anoma. Miller is second on the team with 8 1/2 sacks. LOCKSLEY JUGGLES TWO JOBS >> Locksley is not sleeping much these days. Locksley is the latest Alabama assistant to coach in the College Football Playoff after accepting a job to be head coach at another school. Locksley was hired by Maryland last month. He is recruiting for the Terps and trying to hire staff.
He does that at 10 p.m. when he’s done for the day with Alabama. Out in California this week, he’s been getting up at 3:30 am to juggle both jobs.
HURTS STANDS READY >> Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts is ready to do whatever he can to help the Crimson Tide defeat Clemson. He’s not ready, however, to talk about his future at Alabama.
Hurts is a junior who started his first two seasons but was backup to Southeastern Conference player of the year Tagovailoa this season. But when asked whether he’ll remain at Alabama for his senior season, transfer or try for the NFL, Hurts quickly turned away and walked off.