GLENDALE, Ariz. — It wasn’t Vince Young in the 2006 Rose Bowl against USC. It was better, statistically, against a far better defense.
Deshaun Watson didn’t leave University of Phoenix Stadium a champion Monday night, didn’t lead Clemson to its first national championship in 34 years, but he did everything else, rolling up 478 yards of total offense — breaking Young’s national championship game record of 467 — and four passing touchdowns in a heartbreaking 45-40 loss to Alabama and Nick Saban.
He was elusive and he was accurate, he broke big plays and refused to let Clemson fade even after falling behind by two scores in the fourth quarter. He had the Crimson Tide defense on its heels all night, basically forcing that gutsy onside kick from Saban in the fourth quarter.
“Their quarterback is a fabulous player,” Saban said after Watson became just the third player to pile up more than 400 yards of offense against Alabama since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa nine years ago, and the first player ever in FBS history to throw for more than 4,000 yards and run for more than 1,000 yards in a season.
Next season will begin with anticipation of what Watson can do next, how he can build off his breakthrough sophomore season when he was college football’s most dynamic player. A number of big stars are back, creating a deep and exciting field for the Heisman Trophy, from Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey to LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook.
They all pale in comparison to the gifted Watson, who has lifted the Clemson program on his shoulders in just two years, losing just twice as a starter.
Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy, running behind that massive Alabama offensive line, and he deserved the honor, setting SEC marks with most rushing touchdowns (28) and rushing yards (2,219). But if there was any doubt who was more valuable — and there shouldn’t have been when looking at these two rosters — it was answered Monday night
Henry had a big game, running for 158 and three touchdowns on 36 carries. Nevertheless, he was a non-factor in the second half, and Alabama still prevailed, thanks to Saban’s gutsy onside kick call with the score tied at 24 with 10:34 remaining and Kenyan Drake’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
All Watson, a 20-year-old from Georgia, did was put up nearly 500 yards of offense against the nation’s best defense, a defense full of future NFL players.
He threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 73 more — 44 more than any other quarterback this season against the stifling Crimson Tide’s robust front seven.
Here’s the scary proposition for the ACC and the country’s other title contenders:
There is no reason Watson won’t get better. Consider he was coming off a torn ACL this season, and only started using his legs extensively midway through the year. His throwing from the pocket, steadily improving, should further develop. The skill-position players around him — tight end Jordan Leggett, running back Wayne Gallman and wide receivers Hunter Renfrow, Deon Cain and Artavis Scott — all return, too. Most of the offensive line will be back, as well.
If a defense like Alabama’s can’t even contain him, who, exactly, will? When asked what Watson needs to improve upon, offensive guard Eric Mac Lain interrupted the question, saying: “Nothing.”
But Watson seems already fueled by the loss.
“My whole game,” the sophomore said, answering the question of what he needs to work on, and added: “Get back to school and start watching some film — fix some of the mistakes I made. Put on some weight, get in the weight room more.”
In the postgame press conference, Watson vowed to be back, to lead Clemson to the College Football Playoff next year and to the championship game in Tampa, Fla. He made similar proclamations — to himself — after tearing his ACL at the tail end of his freshman season, that he would reach New York City as a Heisman finalist. He not only did that, but faced the winner, Henry, Monday night.
“I love my teammates, love my brothers, and you’ll see us in Tampa next year,” he said Monday night.
There has been no reason to doubt him so far.