Dabo Swinney responds to final play criticism
Clemson won the national championship on Monday night, using the late-game heroics of QB Deshaun Watson and WR Hunter Renfrow.
However, the deciding play had many Alabama fans up in arms, as they believe an offensive pass-interference penalty should have been assessed to Clemson.
The controversial play, which can be seen below, has plenty of contact, but it’s tough to tell who was the main aggressor:
#ALLIN Fans in case you missed what happened! Pay close attention to detail! The old famous pick play. #NationalChampionship #ClemvsBama pic.twitter.com/AzcDdWvySS
— Corey Howard (@choward_media) January 10, 2017
Clearly, though, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney believes there should have been a flag — on Alabama. The title-winning coach told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he felt the Crimson Tide committed a penalty on the play:
“Yes, it’s a rub play, it’s a pick play,” Swinney said Tuesday. “Artavis was actually trying to go pick the guy, but he couldn’t get there because he got tackled. I mean, literally, the guy tackles him.”
Swinney admitted that the play called for Artavis Scott was supposed to run a pick play, but couldn’t get there due to the Alabama penalty. However, he added, the ensuing pileup worked perfectly to spring Renfrow for a touchdown:
“I mean, if you really watch the play, we never even got a chance to really rub the guy (Brown),” Swinney said. “But he had to play over the top. That’s the way the play is designed.”
Obviously, as it was the final offensive play in a closely contested national championship game, the no-call will be discussed all offseason and remembered for a long time.
It was a clean play. Get the hell over it. You got beat.
this was the second time they did it, this is offence interference and should be called.
It was designed to be offensive interference…hence the term pick play. Bama actually committed defensive holding though so the pick never happened. Better start paying attention. Life is hard, it’s even harder when you’re stupid.
I bet your life has been really hard in that case.
Pick plays are illegal you damn idiot! It’s not defensive holding when the receiver fires off and BLOCKS! Learn something about football. Your psycho babble has become pathetic. If anyone would know about life being harder when you’re stupid it would definitely be you!
Stop whining little girl.
It is not offensive interference if the defenders trip over each other…. By design, it was a failed pick play. But in the end, it worked anyway because the two bammer players ran into each other.
Nothing about that play was clean. Clemson was interfering on every pass play. They were holding on virtually every play. Dabo Sweeney and his whole team is dirty. But then again that was the only hope they had of beating Bama.
The refs were out to get Bama!!! How goofy.
BAWAAAAA!
Clemson playing dirty? Bama took off the head of the Clemson QB and damn near mounted it on a pike and it was a no call….yeah, Clemson was the dirty one. SUCK IT BAMA.
Calm Down!!! You always have Kentucky basketball to cheer for😂😂😂😂🖕
And you have 7-5 and the next Will Muschamp as a coach. Or is he the next Butch Jones?
That’s the ONLY WAY Clemson was going to win this game; have the refs hand it to them.
Enjoy your Asterisk Championship. You now join the 2002 Buckeyes in football lore.
What nonsense.
When most Tennessee games in 2016 were luck, you see an idiotic post like this one? Life is tough when you are a loser , I guess? Supposed to be Tennessee year? How frigging funny is that. Get back in the clear where you belong and let the “Big – Boys” handle it okay.
ADB
Dobbnail Boot:
That is all.
Nice try mr. FAKE NEWS FOOTBALL POSTER
I’m not sure if Marlon tackled him like Dabo is saying. He put his hands on him which you are allowed to do before the ball is passed (bump). It’s a designed play that’s very effective. We acting like this is a new special play or something.
Have to say I was devastated by this loss as would any true fan of their team. I can handle Alabama losing when they are out coached and out played. What I can’t handle well is knowing how so many wanted to see this happen. I am a huge fan of Kirk “Herbie”, I have always seen him as a guy who we all know is a Ohio State man but yet he does a great job of keeping his bias neutral and providing great insight into the game we all cherish. Although I was disappointed, because I (my opinion) felt that Kirk was over anxious to see Bama fail. The reason I am pointing this minor flaw out is because these kids put so much hard work into the season and just because they play for the team that has been to the championship over and over again, this is a entirely new team and these boys shouldn’t be punished by a world that seems to desperately want the dynasty to come to an end. I understand this fully as I grew tired of USC however, I would never show that outwardly especially if I was in the position as some of these men are on ESPN, SEC network, etc. On another subject, I fully believe that those “rubs” should be penaltys. Not only because I am an Alabama man but why should an offensive player be able to “accidentally” run into a DB but when a DB accidentally bumps a WR its a pass interference. Giving it much thought as to why the pick plays weren’t called led me to think about the refs. They were Big 12 referees and I think most would agree that the Big 12 is a offensive friendly conference. All those high scoring affairs, especially the 66-59 game between the Red Raiders and Sooners, is why I believe these refs are use to allowing the offense to have their way. I am basing this info purely off the fact that the high octane offenses in the big 12 would make for the refs to allow the WR to get away with more “rubs” (pass interferences) and calling more penalties on the DB’s. This seems highly plausible to me and should that be the case it would be most unfortunate for the Tide. As for Dabo saying the Tide player tackled his man, I didn’t see that. I saw a Clemson WR spearing the DB which looked like a tackle but I haven’t seen a DB for the Tide tackle a WR at the line of scrimmage all year. We will see just how good of a coach Dabo is when Deshaun is gone. Chizik looked good until Cam left, Jimbo looked like Saban Jr. till Winston left, Meyer with Tebow, the list goes on and on. However, many of these coaches are great, my point is that they all need great QB’s and Saban is the only one that can do it without an Elite QB. So Dabo can prove just how good he is next year. A lot of coaches could have won the National Championship with a QB like Watson, not to take away from Dabo he did recruit him. Overall I think Bama was deserving of the win and refs blew some calls but that is football. Proud of the boys for the Tide and Clemson for that matter two great teams and the best D ever in my opinion. Going to be sad to see some go but wish them the best for the great years they gave to us and looking forward to the new guys coming in and let’s hope the “Process” continues and Roll Tide! God bless!
tl;dr
^^^ WELL SAID^^^
Bring that play to Bama when Saban retires Dabo.
Every OC in America runs that play.
420 yards passing and you homers are acting like total sissies over one play.
Everyone knows that was offensive pass interference. The refs were just too afraid to throw the flag in that spot. The idea is that the picking receiver has to at least try to make an effort to look like he’s running a route. Scott just went straight into a block. Should have been called but it is what it is.
How was it offensive pass interference? The two defenders ran each other over. All while holding, tackling (whatever you want to call it, because it wasn’t a block-the defender’s hands were out side of the receivers shoulder pads) Scott on a 5 yard slant…
That is very rarely called for offensive pass interference. That play is not the reason bama lost.
Now that I look at the video again, pause it at the :17 seconds mark. The corner took himself out of the play, forget it potentially being a pick (a pick that none of the offensive players made contact with the defenders), the corner tripped and was doomed from the start!