Special turning point enough to make stoic Saban smile

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Alabama coach Nick Saban drew on his inner Sean Payton and then did the most remarkable thing.

He smiled.

The smile didn't last forever, but the game had just been irreversibly changed.

With the score 24-24 early in the fourth quarter Monday night, Saban called for a perfectly executed onside kick that Marlon Humphrey recovered for Alabama. Two plays later, Jake Coker connected with tight end O.J. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown, and suddenly the Crimson Tide led 31-24.

Clemson fought back, but never caught the Tide, who with the 45-40 victory captured the College Football Playoff National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium.

This was Saban's fourth title at Alabama and fifth overall; he also won one at Louisiana State. That's one championship short of the six the legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant won, setting the standard for all the Tide coaches who followed.

No one could live up to what Bryant established. Until Saban was hired in 2007.

In handing top-ranked Clemson (14-1) its only defeat of the season, Saban showed why he is a master, especially on the big stage.

Now that top ranking belongs to what will be formerly No. 2 Alabama (14-1), and the onside kick was only part — though a big part — of why Saban was able to pull off this victory.

He unleashed Howard on the unsuspecting Tigers, who never realized they needed to cover him. Maybe that's because Howard entered the game without a touchdown and was averaging 11.9 yards per catch.

His numbers in the title game? Five receptions for 208 yards (41.6 average) and touchdowns of 53 and 51 yards. Howard also had a 63-yard catch to set up a TD.

"We just had three busts," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. "We just had three critical errors."

On his first touchdown, Howard was so wide open that Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin raised his arms in triumph before the tight end even caught the ball.

And, of course, this wouldn't be a Saban victory without a key touchdown that didn't come from the offense. Not only did special teams turn around the game with the onside kick, Kenyan Drake put the hammer down with a 95-yard kickoff return for a 38-27 lead with 7:31 left.

That was Alabama's 10th touchdown this season that didn't come from its offense.

"Special teams probably made the difference in this game," Saban said. Those plays "changed the momentum of the game."

Especially the onside kick, which stoked memories of the one Payton called that was so instrumental in the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl victory over Indianapolis in 2010.

No reasonable person can doubt Saban's coaching ability, and this season was one of his finest jobs.

The Tide looked done just three weeks into the season, suffering a 43-37 home defeat to Mississippi. Many Alabama and national media wrote off Alabama, saying the dynasty had come to an end.

Saban thought differently, but he knew changes had to be made.

Alabama began to focus its offense on running back Derrick Henry, who went to win the Heisman Trophy. Against Clemson, he rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns.

And Saban refocused the team, with the defense in particular locking down its opponents. Until Clemson pierced the Tide for 550 yards, Alabama had given up an average of 256.8 yards per game, second-best nationally.

"Everybody had to buy into doing the things exactly like we need to do them to be a better team," Saban said. "Every one of these guys did it. That's why we're here now."

Saban and Ohio State's Urban Meyer, two coaches who have won championships at more than one school, are the nation's best at what they do. It was appropriate Meyer, just one year removed from winning the national championship at Ohio State, was in the building.

Saban is the one standing tall now.

And even smiling.

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