GLENDALE, Ariz. — From Derrick Henry to Calvin Ridley, Jake Coker to the star-studded Alabama defense, there were a number of potential heroes for the Crimson Tide on Monday night.
The one very few expected — junior tight end O.J. Howard — keyed Alabama’s dramatic 45-40 win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff national championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Howard, seldom used in the Crimson Tide’s passing attack, picked the perfect time for his breakout performance. He caught a pair of long touchdown passes in the second half from Coker and hauled in five catches for a career-high 208 yards, by far the best performance of his career.
“It’s bad coaching by me that O.J. didn’t have an opportunity to do this all season long,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
Entering the title game, Howard — named the Offensive Player of the Game — had 394 receiving yards in the first 14 games of the season, and his last touchdown — his only touchdown in fact — came on Nov. 9, 2013, against LSU.
His first score Monday night came early in the third quarter, when he was left alone down the right sideline for a 53-yard touchdown. His second time in the end zone was even more significant — the second play after Alabama recovered an onside kick in a 24-24 game early in the fourth quarter. Coker hit him in stride, and Howard cruised in for a 51-yard touchdown, giving Alabama the lead for good with 9:45 to go.
“Initially it felt like a dream and I tried to tell everybody to wake me up because I thought it wasn’t real,” the 6-foot-6, 242-pound Howard said. “It was just a great feeling to get in the end zone again.”
But he still wasn’t done. After Clemson got to within 38-33, Howard took a short completion by the left sideline and turned it into a 63-yard gain, setting up Derrick Henry’s third touchdown run.
“He found a way to slip through the defense, and he made plays,” Coker said. “He’s been able to do that all year. For whatever reason, we haven’t found him. I’m glad he was able to finally show everybody what he can do.”
Howard now has a decision to make, to return to Alabama for his senior year or enter the NFL draft. He plans to sit down with his parents on Wednesday to discuss it. This performance gave him pause about leaving.
“It makes me think about coming back and playing and making plays next season for coach [Saban],” he said.