College Football Playoff 2016: Most Important Players in National Semifinals
It takes 22 starters and usually a lot more members of a team playing well to win a championship. However, each of the four teams in the College Football Playoff will need at least one key player to step up and lead.
You can debate for hours which of the remaining squads will take home this year's national championship, but the reality is it will be decided on the field. Each team has a chance to win it all if it can come through with big-time performances in the next two games.
While there will be tons of talent on display in each contest, the matchups will likely come down to the play of a few key players. These aren't necessarily the most talented players on each roster, but they are the most important.
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Alabama: Derrick Henry, RB
The Heisman Trophy winner is an easy choice after what Derrick Henry has accomplished this season. The running back leads the nation with 1,986 rushing yards, which set a new SEC single-season record, and that helped him bring home most of the major awards in college football.
Besides the accomplishments, it's clear just how important Henry is to Alabama. While A'Shawn Robinson and Reggie Ragland are elite players defensively for the Crimson Tide, there is enough depth to survive if either struggled or wasn't able to play.
On the other hand, Henry is most of Alabama's offense. He averages 26.1 carries per game, including a ridiculous 90 rushing attempts in the final two games combined. The junior also has 23 touchdowns on a team where no one else has more than five.
In an interview with Tony Barnhart of Gridiron Now, head coach Nick Saban explained the thought process of getting Henry more involved with the offense:
"I just asked the (coaching) staff, 'When do we look like the best football team in practice and in games?' I asked everybody sitting around the table to give me their opinion. And somebody said, 'When No. 2 (Henry) carries the ball downhill, we’re pretty good.' And I said, 'That’s what I think.' I had been saying that, but we hadn’t made a commitment to that. And we’re trying to do a lot of other things that are all good things. I just said that I think we need to start featuring that part of what we do.
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The commitment to giving Henry the ball has helped the team win, and Alabama needs him to stay at that level in order to remain successful.
Michigan State: Shilique Calhoun, DE
Connor Cook is obviously a talented quarterback, but considering Michigan State was able to win a road game at Ohio State without him, it's clear the defense is what drives this team. If the Spartans want to beat Alabama specifically, the defensive front will have to be at its absolute best.
This puts the pressure on All-American defensive end Shilique Calhoun to come through against an elite opponent.
Calhoun has been a force this season with his ability to get into the backfield and disrupt the opposing game plan. He enters the national semifinals with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, showcasing his ability to penetrate and finish behind the line of scrimmage. He is also coming off a huge performance against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, finishing with two big sacks, a forced fumble and a QB hurry, according to cfbstats.com.
The senior will be vital against the Crimson Tide in both the passing and running games. His ability to get to the quarterback could put pressure on Jake Coker and force him into mistakes, but perhaps more importantly, he can stop Henry before the running back gets his momentum started.
Although the entire front seven of Michigan State needs to be at its best, Calhoun will need to lead the way.
Clemson: Deshaun Watson, QB
Even with talent throughout the roster, no one in football might mean more to his team than Deshaun Watson. Despite being just a sophomore, the quarterback has been one of the best at his position in the nation. In fact, his Davey O'Brien Award indicates he is the best quarterback in the country.
Watson put up some ridiculous statistics this season, passing for 3,512 yards while rushing for 887 more. He was responsible for 41 touchdowns as a do-it-all player for the Tigers.
Albert Breer of NFL Network interestingly named the sophomore the best NFL prospect at quarterback, although Watson will need another year in school before he is eligible:
In the more immediate future, though, Watson has what it takes to beat any defense with either his arm or his legs. Combining the two makes him nearly impossible to defend.
Clemson's defense will be valuable in the coming weeks with Shaq Lawson, Jayron Kearse and others expected to make big plays. However, the Tigers will go as far as Watson takes them this postseason.
Oklahoma: Sterling Shepard, WR
The Sooners' Baker Mayfield is the obvious pick as the starting quarterback with impressive numbers throughout the season. He is responsible for 42 touchdowns (seven rushing) with just five interceptions all year long. Only two quarterbacks in the nation had a higher efficiency rating than Mayfield at 178.9.
However, one person who makes Mayfield's job much easier is Sterling Shepard. The senior receiver is an excellent route-runner who gets open and always seems to make plays after the catch, making himself a quarterback's best friend on the field.
Shepard currently has 79 catches for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, but he saved his best for last against the best the Big 12 had to offer. In three games against Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State, the receiver totaled 32 catches for 375 yards and four touchdowns.
These big showings came without huge passing numbers from Mayfield (or Trevor Knight) in that stretch.
Clemson has a better defense than most Big 12 opponents, and Oklahoma's spread offense won't do the trick on its own. The Sooners will need playmakers to score against the tough opponent, and Shepard is one person who can make things happen on his own. This makes him the team's most important player in the upcoming semifinal.
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