The timetable was accelerated last week when Alabama coach Nick Saban announced that Kiffin would not be involved in the title game and Sarkisian would be calling the plays. “I’m fine. Just gotta play”.
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Just as LSU’s 13-1 2011 season nearly doesn’t exist to Tigers’ fans, thanks to Saban and Alabama embarrassing the previously unbeaten Tigers 21-0 in the national title game, Alabama’s 14-1 2016 season will be blank space in the minds of Crimson Tide fans.
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is No. 7 in the nation in total offense with 339.9 yards a game, No. 11 in passing yards per game with 298.1 and No. 19 in passing efficiency at 151.8 on 352-of-523 passing for 67 percent and 4,173 yards with 38 touchdowns to 17 interceptions. The Crimson Tide gained just 27 yards on those three possessions.
Sarkisian then went deep into the playbook. Hurts lateraled to receiver ArDarius Stewart, who threw a 24-yard pass to tight end O.J. The Tide finished 2 of 15 on third downs, and all the three-and-outs led to 99 offensive plays by Clemson and a exhausted Alabama defense late in the game.
Alabama called a timeout clinging to a 17-14 lead and with Bo Scarbrough, who scored the first two touchdowns, out of the game with an injury.
As the offense sputtered, the defense grew increasingly tired and was unable to stop Clemson from marching down the field for the game-winning score with one second remaining.
Bo Scarbrough still has plenty left to accomplish with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Originally hired as an analyst by Alabama, Sarkisian likened his new duties to riding a bike.
“Not to have him was probably a little bit of a disadvantage for us”, Saban said.
For all of the great things that the program at Alabama has done, they may have just made a fatal mistake. They’ve been around this thing.
Play calling will certainly be questioned as well. This is one of the most dominant teams I have ever seen play college football, and they have never really seemed vulnerable.
Bo Scarbrough missed the end of Monday night’s national championship game because of a broken bone in his lower right leg, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Jalen Hurts, who was trying to become the first true freshman quarterback to win a national championship since Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway in 1985, completed 13 of 31 passes for 131 yards with one touchdown. This game will likely come down to whether or not the Tide offense can make plays and keep pace, especially on the ground with Hurts pairing with Damien Harris and Scarbrough to provide a triple run threat against a Tigers’ run defense that allowed an average of 144.5 rushing yards per game to current Top 25 teams.
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The two scoring drives were quick strikes. Playing in his final college game, the junior quarterback threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns. The second a 5-play, 71-yard march in 84 seconds.
