PHOENIX — Stifling defense has been synonymous with Alabama since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa. Each of his three national championship teams — in 2009, 2011 and 2012 — were remembered for their dominance, the units littered with future pros who produced titles.
Entering Monday’s national championship game against Clemson, this defense is no different. In fact, with another epic performance like the Cotton Bowl masterpiece against Michigan State, the argument can be made it will go down as Saban’s best.
“It’s near the top,” defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said Saturday, during media day for the College Football Playoff championship game. “2011 was obviously really, really special. This year’s team has been as close to that as you can come without topping it.”
The numbers back that up. Alabama led the nation in sacks (50), points allowed (13.4) and rushing defense (74 yards per game), and was second in total yards (256.8). Its supposed weakness, passing defense, was 31st. The Crimson Tide only have gotten better of late, allowing 40 total points in the past five games.
“We want to be one of the best defenses to play college football and we work to that every day,” said defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who has a team-leading 12 sacks.
Though the defense is full of talented recruits — four- and five-star prospects who should have the opportunity to play on Sundays — Alabama says the key to its success is cohesion and unselfishness, the willingness to absorb blocks so the next man can make the big play.
“They enjoy winning, too,” Smart joked. “They enjoy the competitive nature. If you’re complacent and you start, you don’t get better. These guys challenge each other each week. A lot of guys are fighting for jobs each week, to see who starts. That makes you better.”
The defensive front, in particular, is full of stars — Allen, A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed are potential first-round picks — but its greatest strength is its depth. Saban will rotate up to 14 players on the defensive line. The secondary outperformed preseason predictions, led by dynamic cornerback Cyrus Jones, and the transition from corner to safety by Geno Matias-Smith and Eddie Jackson. Middle linebackers Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster not only are run stuffers, but able to cover running backs and tight ends, going sideline to sideline.
“I see a defense that we haven’t played since I’ve been at Clemson in seven years,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “Every group — up front, defensive line, linebackers, secondary — they’re exactly what you would want if you were drawing up the best players for a defense. The thing that makes them special in my opinion is the amount of depth they have on that defensive front.
“They have 10 or 12 defensive linemen that would probably start anywhere in college football. Fortunate thing for us is they can’t play more than four or five at a time.”
Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said the Alabama defense looked like an NFL unit on film, and that was before the Spartans offense was squashed like a bug, producing just 29 rushing yards in a 38-0 loss in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson wouldn’t go nearly that far.
“They have a different swag, but it’s nothing we don’t see every day in practice,” Watson said. “It’s not going to be a shock when we get on the field Monday night.”
Smart said it is difficult to compare this group to 2011’s team — which was led by current Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower and Rams safety Mark Barron — because he feels it has faced better competition, more talented offenses, while the numbers aren’t quite as impressive. That team allowed just 8.1 points per game.
Greg McElroy, the quarterback on the 2009 championship team, said he never has seen a better college defense. Marcus Spears, an All-American defensive end at LSU, remembers the 2001 Miami team of Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and Jonathan Vilma, and said he believes Alabama is right there with them.
“I didn’t think there was ever going to be one like that again,” Spears said. “It’s a different style, but I’d take this defense against any offense that has ever played college football.”
Of course, that team finished on a high note, winning it all. As did the 2011 Alabama team. For as much as the Crimson Tide have accomplished, in terms of gaudy statistics and sheer dominance, they still have a game left to complete their legacy.
“We can be one of the best,” Ragland said, “but the best got the job done.”
