Can Clemson be the 3rd team to run for over 100 yards vs. Alabama?
PHOENIX – As Alabama's defense focuses on star Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Tigers running back Wayne Gallman could be poised to take advantage of any attention on Watson. But to do that, he'll have to crack a rushing defense that hasn't showed much instability all season.
Gallman has 1,482 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in 2015 and has rushed for over 100 yards in a game nine times. Alabama's defense, the best in the country against the run, has allowed two teams to break 100 yards rushing all season. Georgia's Nick Chubb is the only player who has run for more than 100 yards against the Tide.
Boston College, despite going 0-8 in the ACC, is the only other team besides Alabama to allow less than 90 yards per game rushing in 2015.
Clemson's worst rushing perfomance of the season came against Boston College in a 34-17 win as the Eagles gave up just 112 yards. It was Gallman's worst game of the season too. He had 17 carries for 48 yards; the only time he's averaged less than three yards per carry this season.
Is Boston College's performance a harbinger of things to come in Monday night's title game? Clemson players were quick to point out the fundamental differences between what they saw from the Eagles and what they expect to see from Alabama. The similarities between the two teams may end on the statsheet.
"It's hard to say because Boston College was totally different," Clemson tight end Jordan Leggett said. "They just played straight one-high [safety] man-to-man and they put everybody else in the box. Alabama's kind of a different team just because they play four down [linemen] and play almost like cover four. They really don't try to pack up the box because they got big enough players to still hold down the run."
Watson did burn Boston College via the pass. He only ran for 32 yards, but he threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns on just 27 completions. Alabama won't be daring Clemson to throw the ball down the field nearly as much.
"Boston College really tried to allow us to not run the ball, they just wanted to make us beat them passing it and that's what we did," guard Eric Mac Lain said. "I don't really see Alabama doing that too much, I really think they're going to play and do what they do which is all-around great defense so we're really just looking forward to that challenge."
The Alabama defensive line, which is perhaps the deepest and best unit in the country, has smothered quarterbacks on the ground too. Tide players compared Watson's rushing ability to that of Tennessee's Josh Dobbs.
Dobbs' stats vs. Alabama this season? 16 carries for 19 yards. Watson is a better passer than Dobbs is. But it's easy to envision Alabama keeping Watson in the pocket and covering him on his option reads, forcing Gallman to carry the rushing load.
The sophomore running back's 100-yard rushing performances have come in threes this season. His 150-yard two-touchdown performance against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl followed 100+ yard games against South Carolina and North Carolina. A 100-yard game against Alabama would be the first time he's had four-straight all season and would likely mean things are going very well for the Tigers.
"It's just a matter of going out there and making plays," Gallman said, noting he was not at his "best" for the Boston College game. "This is a game where you can't make mistakes so we just have to do what we've been doing and do it right."
Perhaps those made plays will come from a different look. Mac Lain hinted that the Tigers were going to change things up on Alabama.
"I think we're going to try to approach the game a little differently, to something maybe they haven't seen," Mac Lain said. "You've got to make them uncomfortable. If you just try to run the power right at Alabama you're going to lose every time."
For more Alabama news, visit TideSports.com.
For more Clemson news, visit TigerIllustrated.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
