Alabama vs. Clemson: Game Grades and Analysis CFP National Championship Game
Derrick Henry's three touchdowns powered the Alabama Crimson Tide to a 45-40 victory over the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona, Monday night.
Alabama claimed its fourth title in the last seven years and 16th in program history. Nick Saban earned his 100th career win at the school in style.
| Pass Offense | C- | B- |
| Run Offense | B- | B- |
| Pass Defense | B- | C |
| Run Defense | B+ | A- |
| Special Teams | B | A- |
| Coaching | B+ | B+ |
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Pass Offense: The first half was not kind to Jake Coker, who looked tentative during the opening 30 minutes. He never dominated, but Coker took advantage of two blown coverages for long touchdowns to O.J. Howard. The tight end tallied a career-best 208 yards. Jasmine Watkins of Athlon Sports highlighted one of Coker's key moments Clemson gift-wrapped for him:
Run Offense: Derrick Henry opened the scoring with a 50-yard score and added a pair of touchdowns later on, including the game-sealing tally late in the fourth quarter. He finished the contest with 158 yards on 36 carries.
Pass Defense: Alabama's NFL-bound defensive linemen consistently pressured Deshaun Watson, but linebacker Rashaan Evans managed the only two sacks due to the Clemson quarterback's elusiveness. Eddie Jackson's interception set up a Crimson Tide touchdown. USA Today's Dan Wolken highlighted Saban's admiration for Watson's ability in that the "whole team" benefits from having him under center:
Run Defense: Designed runs—especially up the middle—were rarely effective against the Alabama front seven. Watson did a majority of his damage while scrambling, and Alabama limited Wayne Gallman to 11 yards on 13 carries, excluding his late 34-yard scamper.
Special Teams: The Crimson Tide's special teams won the game. Adam Griffith lofted a gorgeous surprise onside kick that led to Howard's go-ahead touchdown, and Kenyan Drake added a 95-yard kickoff return for a score. For good measure, JK Scott notched 42.4 yards per punt. Reddit CFB highlighted what it called Alabama's "perfect pooch kick":
Coaching: Lane Kiffin capitalized on Clemson's aggressive defensive ends, rolling Coker out of the pocket to create easy throws. Despite the score, Kirby Smart had a decent final game as the D-coordinator. Watson was nothing short of spectacular at extending plays after the defensive call worked.
| Pass Offense | B | A- |
| Run Offense | C+ | B |
| Pass Defense | B+ | C |
| Run Defense | B | B+ |
| Special Teams | B- | D+ |
| Coaching | B | B- |
Pass Offense: Though the accolades are no consolation, Deshaun Watson is a legendary magician. He became the first quarterback ever to throw for at least 4,000 yards and run for 1,000-plus, according to B/R Insights. The sophomore completed 30 of 47 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns—two of which went to Hunter Renfrow. Coach Dabo Swinney praised Watson's performance, calling him a "special" player and expressed his anticipation for Watson's return to the gridiron next season (h/t Paul Newberry of the Associated Press):
Run Offense: Alabama's powerful defensive line stopped Gallman from providing much of a positive impact on the ground. Watson used his scrambling ability to pick up a few first downs, ending with 87 yards on 18 non-sack rushing attempts.
Pass Defense: The best news? Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson combined for five sacks. The good news? Clemson absolutely shut down big-play threat Calvin Ridley. The bad news? Clemson failed to stop Howard, who had three 50-plus-yard gains and was the game's difference-maker.
Run Defense: Henry's 158 yards appear like an awful performance against the run. However, the Tigers surrendered an even 3.0 yards per carry to Henry after his 50-yard touchdown. Overall, Clemson truly did an excellent job containing the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner.
Special Teams: Greg Huegel connected on two field goals, while Andy Teasdall registered 44.2 yards per punt and downed two attempts inside the 10-yard line. Drake's kick-return touchdown will be a lasting negative from the loss, though. Swinney "promised" his team's return to the national championship game in less than another 34 years (h/t Brad Senkiw of the Independent Mail).
Coaching: Mental lapses from defensive backs could be a coaching issue, but the latter sure looked like an on-field problem. On the other hand, leaving the kick-return unit vulnerable to lose an onside kick wasn't great. Overall, Dabo Swinney and Co. had a decent night. They'll be back.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
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