Clemson, Alabama coaches say defense will be key in college football title game

Alabama has the Heisman Trophy winner in running back Derrick Henry, and Clemson has a finalist in quarterback Deshaun Watson.

It's on the other side of the ball, however, that could decide this season's national champion.

No. 2 Alabama heads into Monday's College Football Playoff title game with the nation's No. 2 defense. Top-ranked Clemson is sixth.

Both defenses were suffocating in Thursday's semifinals, especially the Crimson Tide's.

Alabama put constant pressure on Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook in the 38-0 victory in the Cotton Bowl, throwing the Spartans completely out of whack and allowing them to cross midfield just four times in 13 drives. They gained just 239 yards.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who is doubling as Georgia's head coach until taking over the Bulldogs completely following this game, didn't throw a lot of blitzes at Michigan State. The Tide, instead, played a lot of cover-two and counted on its four linemen to dominate up front.

And that's exactly what the Tide, who use an 11-player rotation led by All-America tackle A'Shawn Robinson, did.

"They're clearly the best that we've seen," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said on a conference call Monday. "They're as good as it gets in the country, No. 1 in about everything defensively, but the biggest thing is they have great depth in their defensive line. They roll them guys in there, play a lot of guys, a bunch of subs, and they all play at a really, really high level.

"We were No. 1 in the country in defense last year, and we had six seniors on that defensive line. We had such great depth, experienced depth, and that's what I see with Alabama, a bunch of guys, bunch of seniors and juniors and all those guys are starter type of bodies — big, strong, physical guys, and obviously well-coached."

Clemson came up its own dominating semifinal performance, shutting out Oklahoma in the second half of the Orange Bowl and winning 37-17.

Defensive end Shaq Lawson was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, leading the nation with 23½ tackles for loss, including 10½ sacks. Swinney said he expected Lawson, who injured his knee in the first series against the Sooners, to play against Alabama.

At the other end is Kevin Dodd, who has 18½ tackles for loss, including nine sacks.

"We've built this team in the trenches, and most great teams, that's where it starts," Swinney said. "You've got to be able to control the line of scrimmage and have some type of running game and stopping the run, and certainly that's been what Alabama has been for a long time. We've tried to do that here.

"We don't have the experience that they have this year. Our first-line guys, I think, are really, really good, but our depth is really young. They're growing up. Austin Bryant went in and played the whole game the other night when Shaq got hurt and played great as a true freshman."

Both defenses will be challenged by game-changing offensive weapons, beginning with Alabama's Henry and Clemson's Watson.

Being so effective on both sides of the ball is why those teams will meet for the championship in Glendale, Ariz.

"This is certainly going to be the most challenging game we've had to this point," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "Clearly, Clemson is a team that is good in all facets of the game. Very, very good offensive team, great defensive team, play well on special teams, very well-coached.

"I think as it should be, this is a game that two great teams are going to have a great opportunity to compete in, and it's something that we're certainly looking forward to and pleased that we've created the opportunity for ourselves to do that."

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65