Alabama's QB really had a poor game. He threw two INTS and they were killers. The first was a no-look pass to the corner that Clemson's defender was right there on. Anticipated it. Tagovailoa threw it anyway and the Clemson guy cleanly picked it and ran in for the TD untouched. That was the first score of the game.
The second was worse. Alabama was only down 21-16. There were eight minutes left in the half. Alabama had taken over at their own 25 after the kickoff following the Clemson touchdown. They ran Josh Jacobs six straight times at the Clemson line: for 7 yards, for 2 yards, no gain, for three yards, for eight yards, for eleven yards. It was the kind of drive designed to take Clemson's soul, to assert 'Bama's superiority along the lines, to punish and demoralize the Clemson D. Then, on first and ten at the Clemson 44 Alabama called up a post route. That call is the chalk, it's SOP. But although it was the chalk it again was as if Tagovailoa didn't even look to see if the Clemson defense was in a chalk defense. They weren't. The Alabama intended receiver was double covered at angles and a third Clemson defender ran over to be in the play. The Alabama receiver was triple-covered. Clemson had him covered long, short and to the right side and Tagovailoa threw a long, poor ball two yards beyond the Alabama receiver right into the arms of the Clemson long man. The pick killed the Alabama drive and resulted directly in another Clemson score to make it 28-16.
The second was worse. Alabama was only down 21-16. There were eight minutes left in the half. Alabama had taken over at their own 25 after the kickoff following the Clemson touchdown. They ran Josh Jacobs six straight times at the Clemson line: for 7 yards, for 2 yards, no gain, for three yards, for eight yards, for eleven yards. It was the kind of drive designed to take Clemson's soul, to assert 'Bama's superiority along the lines, to punish and demoralize the Clemson D. Then, on first and ten at the Clemson 44 Alabama called up a post route. That call is the chalk, it's SOP. But although it was the chalk it again was as if Tagovailoa didn't even look to see if the Clemson defense was in a chalk defense. They weren't. The Alabama intended receiver was double covered at angles and a third Clemson defender ran over to be in the play. The Alabama receiver was triple-covered. Clemson had him covered long, short and to the right side and Tagovailoa threw a long, poor ball two yards beyond the Alabama receiver right into the arms of the Clemson long man. The pick killed the Alabama drive and resulted directly in another Clemson score to make it 28-16.
