Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Eddie Jackson crowned MVPs of CFP title game

Which means this is huge.

The title-winning coach four times over made a nifty catch from the sideline during Alabama’s Monday night matchup against Clemson in the college football national championship.

I can’t believe I just typed that.

While the national championship definitely elevated Ohio State to the truly elite class of college football programs, Alabama proved last night that their program still sits in a class of its own. Those games, and the smashing of Notre Dame, had memorable moments, of course. But despite the greater competition for players now, Alabama keeps dominating. “I think as I look back, there was so much focus on just the offense and calling the plays on the offense [and not] understanding the importance of all the other stuff, not just performance on the field”. Clemson had to play (the ACC championship game against) North Carolina, a team that might have gotten in….

“When you put talent with execution, and then when you add that to a well-oiled program, you get great results”.

Now everybody knows what a bad idea it is to play the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Eve – and it still isn’t moving off December 31 next season. Clemson safety Jayron Kearse said he knew Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry could be stopped – Henry only rushed for only 158 yards and three touchdowns. When it comes to this one, it tops the list.

Nick Saban has won five titles overall as a head coach. Saban said no, but Wednesday they had meetings and while they wouldn’t be planning strategies for next year, they would be at work. There also is the age difference.

Bryant, the original University of Alabama alpha-coach won six national championships, more than anybody else, but it took 25 years.

Do whatever it takes to make Nick Saban the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs.

“I think that a lot of the things we do and the way we do it at Alabama is probably a good fit for things that he maybe can learn and build on and grow from that would help him be a head coach again”. Overall the truth is, Bear Bryant is the better coach. Get on the plane and fly to Alabama.

Sorry, Nick, there’s no turning back at this point. In addition to Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the school has produced other football notables such as Paul Brown, Bo Schembechler, Paul Dietzel, Weeb Ewbank, Bill Mallory and John Pont.

Comparing coaches from different eras might be futile, but it’s fun.

“First, I get fired on the tarmac”, the former USC coach joked with Feldman about his midseason dismissal by the Trojans in 2013, “and now I get left behind at the national championship”.

“The commitment that these guys made early in the season after the Ole Miss loss, to do all the things that they needed to do to be the kind of team that we could be, I can’t say enough about”, he said. Saban’s Alabama teams have racked up four in the last seven years, and he had one at LSU before he got to Tuscaloosa.

Bowden also credited Saban’s coaching, game planning and his ability to recruit. I remember him telling me a story about his time at Michigan State – although in true Saban fashion he was scant on some details. With the win, the Crimson Tide captured their fourth title in the past seven years. Just listen to him talk: with Saban, the theme is always “putting yourself in the position to be successful”.