CFP: Opposing Coaches Scout Alabama and Ohio State

quote:

---

"He's had a couple of games where he's looked pretty human," one Big Ten head coach said. "He's going to have to be at the top of his game. He's going to have to be really sharp. They just need all of their weapons [to play well]."

---

quote:

---

"I thought Indiana confused Fields and that Northwestern confused him," said the SEC coach, noting that Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is one of the best in the business at messing with quarterbacks' minds.

"So I thought [Venables] would rattle Fields, and to his credit, he didn't let that happen. We'll see if Alabama can do that. But the key was the Ohio State run game. That helped settle Fields down and allowed him to take those shots down the field."

---

quote:

---

"Fields goes from the Big Ten championship, where he looked just dazed and confused, and against Clemson, he looks like the best player in the country," a Big Ten offensive assistant said.

---

quote:

---

"Alabama has issues with quarterbacks that can run," an SEC head coach said. "I think Ohio State can keep them off balance if Fields can run it some. If he can do that, they can play with Alabama. But you've got to be good on third down to have any chance against Alabama and control the tempo of the game a little bit. Fields gives you a chance to do that with his skill set."

---

quote:

---

"it's going to be a hell of a football game. It could be the Alabama versus [Clemson quarterback] Deshaun Watson game [in 2017] all over again, and we saw what Watson did to some Alabama defenses that were better than this one."

---

quote:

---

"Ohio State looks like the closest team that could do that," the coordinator said. "But if you do get into a track meet with Alabama, you're probably running for the silver medal, not the gold medal. Alabama has never been this explosive on offense before under Saban, but they can still pound you in the running game.

"They've got an elite running back [Najee Harris], an elite offensive line and an elite playcaller [offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian]. That's dangerous."

---

quote:

---

"Are they able to generate a pass rush?" the coach said. "You can go after [Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade], but they're going to play three-deep, keep it inside and in front. I think they're going to force Alabama to earn it."

"But that front seven of Ohio State's is pretty damn good now. They dominated Clemson. Dominated," the coach said. "Those backers and the D-line, there's no superstar on the D-line except for maybe [tackle Haskell Garrett], but if they do what they did in the Sugar Bowl, that front eight that they rotate could be a problem. It will probably be the best D-line that Alabama has played."

---

quote:

---

"But if you're going to do that, you've got to score on your drives, and even though you've got to hit some shots down the field, you've got to be able to meticulously move the ball on them, which I think you can on this defense if you're patient," the coach said. "They're a really good defensive football team. They're not a great defensive football team."

"Make it a tight game because they really haven't played one," the coach said. "When Florida kept scoring, Alabama had a little bit of panic on their face. They hadn't been hit like that."

---

quote:

---

"This may sound crazy, but you've got to make [Alabama] one-dimensional," the coach said. "You've got to win on first down. You've got to set them behind the chains, because Mac [Jones] can't run. So you've got to make that kid beat you."

---

quote:

---

"The part of their team that nobody talks about enough and the best part of their team overall as a group is the offensive line," the coach said. "Najee Harris is a good player, but he's not [former Alabama running back] Derrick Henry. What he has is five professional offensive linemen in front of him. I think Mac Jones will probably be a first-round pick, but he's also not Joe Burrow. Again, Mac is a really good player who never turns it over. But if that offensive line were average, he would be average."

---

quote:

---

"They don't have to pressure because they usually get pressure from their D-line a lot of the time," the assistant said. "They've got some pressures, but people are afraid to pressure Alabama because they're afraid to give up some big plays."

---

quote:

---

"You just can't let Alabama get yards after the catch," the coach said. "Look at three of their touchdowns against Notre Dame. The quarterback takes the ball and throws it to a guy like it's 1980 again. But that's how good Alabama is at their skill positions, especially DeVonta Smith.

"It's not like Sark is running some kind of offense that nobody's ever seen before. He's just got the best players, so you better make them earn it and not get yards after the catch."

---

quote:

---

"Smith is unreal, but the wide receiver group as a whole is not the same without Waddle," the coach said. "With him, and if he plays, look out."

---

quote:

---

"Let [John] Metchie go for 100 yards," the assistant said. "His 100 yards are going to be dig routes where he gets tackled or crossing routes where he gets tackled. But DeVonta catching crossing routes? He ain't catching them. They're touchdowns. I would commit two people to DeVonta at all times.

"If Ohio State can't contain him, Alabama will win big."

---

quote:

---

"Ohio State can go fast, but nobody can go fast like Lane," the coach said. "And you can't put tempo in like that in one week. Ohio State messed with Clemson but was hiding their formations and waiting and waiting and then would run a play and gashed Clemson a couple of times when they weren't lined up. But to do it against Alabama, you've got to do it four times in a row like Lane did.

"That can be catastrophic, because if you do that and don't get a first down, you're going to be down 14-0 because Alabama is going to score."

---

quote:

---

"Ohio State is going to score points," the assistant said. "They should be able to go toe to toe. It's going to be, 'Who turns the ball over, or which defense can make a stop?' I don't know who to pick in this game. It's not like there's a clear-cut pick."

---

quote:

---

"That was a tough matchup for Alabama because it exposed their two true freshmen having to cover Florida's two best players [Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney]," the coach said. "Ohio State is more traditional. Now, Chris Olave is ... a great player. How good? I guess we'll find out because Olave plays outside, and that's where Bama's strength is with Patrick Surtain and Josh Jobe."

---

quote:

---

"To me, the only way Alabama loses the game is if Mac Jones plays the worst game he has all season, sort of like Tua Tagovailoa two years ago against Clemson," the coach said.

---