HOOVER, Ala. — My recollection of Alabama’s last performance: a second-half butt kicking administered by Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal game. The 42-35 score didn’t adequately account for the damage the Buckeyes did to Alabama’s defense — and its reputation — while rallying from a 15-point deficit. But apparently, there were extenuating circumstances. Alabama coach Nick Saban enlightened me at SEC Football Media Days on Wednesday. “I just felt like in our experience last year, our team chemistry from the SEC championship game to the playoff game was affected by something.” He elaborated: “So we’re trying to get ready for a game, and all of a sudden, a guy finds out he’s a first-round pick, or a guy that thought he was a first-round draft pick finds out he’s not a first-round pick. “And we’re trying to get ready to play a playoff game.” The comments sounded more like an excuse than an explanation. Moreover, weren’t Ohio State and Oregon, which overwhelmed Florida State in the other playoff semifinal, subject to the same distraction? But the Tide didn’t get waylaid by the Buckeyes just because a few players were fretting over their draft status. Another explanation/excuse: The defense was tired. Don’t blame conditioning for that. Blame the faster pace of the no-huddle offense. …
Continue Reading: John Adams: No excuse for what Buckeyes did to Alabama
