Alabama wasn’t perfect, but the Crimson Tide didn’t have to be to win the title

Alabama won the national title with a 45-40 win over Clemson on Monday night.

Here’s a breakdown of what transpired during the Crimson Tide’s championship victory:

5 TAKEAWAYS

• O.J. Howard picked a great time to have the game of his life: Seriously. For a guy that had not caught a touchdown pass since 2013, what a way to close out this one. Howard made three huge plays, including second-half touchdowns of 53 and 51 yards, as well as a 63-yard reception late that set up the Crimson Tide’s final score.
• The Alabama defense was on the ropes: Make no mistake about it, the Crimson Tide defense more than earned its share of this national title during the course of the season. But this elite group was in trouble against Clemson QB Deshaun Watson. The Tigers tallied 550 yards of total offense and scored 40 points. Those are startling numbers against a dominant group, and if you had to guess if the Crimson Tide won or lost based on those stats alone, you’d likely pick the latter.
• Jake Coker is one of those stories coaches will tell their players about: Perseverance is the trait of any successful athlete, and coaches love to talk about it. Coker has overcome so many obstacles during his five-year career, and it paid off in a national championship. And good on Coker for not taking a bad attitude when things got rough, working hard and ultimately earning his dream of a championship.
• Kenyan Drake, special teams showed up at just the right time: Speaking of great stories for coaches to tell, Drake is a guy who suffered a severe leg injury last season and a broken arm just a month ago. That didn’t stop him from making the 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that could be considered the turning point of the game. If not that moment, it belongs to another special teams play, which involved an onside kick from K Adam Griffith that turned the momentum of a 24-24 game in the fourth quarter.
• We are witnessing a dynasty: Enjoy this, whether you’re an Alabama fan or a detractor. We throw the term “dynasty” around pretty loosely in the sports world, but Nick Saban at Alabama is truly a once in a generation type of program. He’s now won his fourth national championship in the past seven seasons, and the seasons that don’t involve championships are still considered elite by almost any standard.

REPORT CARD

Offense: (A) — Derrick Henry rushed for three touchdowns, Jake Coker did not turn the ball over and he delivered the ball to O.J. Howard on three huge plays.

Defense: (C-minus) — A really underwhelming performance from a group that was great for much of the season. Clemson QB Deshaun Watson accounted for 478 total yards of offense, which is far too many for a team that expects to win. Lucky for this group, the Crimson Tide offense was up to the challenge.

Special Teams: (A-plus-plus) — Perhaps the difference in this game, Kenyan Drake made a huge kickoff return for a touchdown, D.J. Pettway got his hand on a field goal attempt, and K Adam Griffith executed a perfect onside kick in a tie game with just over seven minutes remaning.

Coaching: (B-plus) — Kudos to Nick Saban for having the guts to call for an onside kick late when he needed it. Kirby Smart’s defense didn’t give its best effort, but Lane Kiffin’s offense was on point in the second half.

Overall: (A-plus) — How do you grade a victory in a national championship game as anything other than an A-plus? You play to win championships, and the Crimson Tide earned it.

GAME PLAN

Alabama tried to utilize a short, underneath passing attack with Calvin Ridley in the early going, without much success. Sticking with Derrick Henry on the ground proved to be a winning strategy, with an increased emphasis on getting the ball to O.J. Howard in the passing game during the second half. Defensively, the Crimson Tide had trouble corralling a talented QB in Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. It took some adjustments to spying him to limit some of his running opportunities.

GAME BALLS

• QB Jake Coker: 16 of 25 passing for 335 yards and two touchdowns. Did not turn the ball over.
• RB Derrick Henry: 36 carries for 158 yards and three touchdowns. That’s a vintage Heisman performance.
• RB Kenyan Drake: Returned kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to extend the Crimson Tide lead to 11 points late in fourth quarter.
• TE O.J. Howard: Five catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Also had a 63-yard reception late to help seal the victory.

INJURIES

• Alabama did not appear to fall victim to many injuries on Monday.

Nick Cole

Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.