Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables had some flashbacks to the 2015 national championship game this week. Twice he mistakenly confused Alabama’s current big-boy running back, Bo Scarbrough, with Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, another large UA running back.
Henry, who stood 6-foot-3 and weighed 241 pounds, ran for 158 yards and three touchdowns against Clemson in the national title game. In last season’s national championship rematch, Scarbrough – who is 6-2, 235 – ran for 93 yards and two scores on 16 carries before leaving with an injury in the third quarter. So you can see the similarities.
At two different points in discussing last season’s game, he referred to Henry – rather than Scarbrough – getting injured.
“Losing Henry was a big deal for them,” he said.
Later, he elaborated and then caught himself: “Everybody was saying, oh, well, the big back — Henry — he was down and that was how Clemson kind of took over. I say Henry? Scarbrough. Sorry.”
Hiding from spies
Alabama practiced Thursday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, where the Sugar Bowl will be played. Clemson has opted to practice outdoors at Tulane.
Tigers linebacker Dorian O’Daniel took a guess at why.
“Maybe because it’s a dome, there might be some spies sitting around in the bleachers or something,” he said. “No, seriously, you never know. Not (Alabama coach Nick) Saban, but that’s college football. You never know. You don’t know what you don’t know, so I think we just took the safe route as far as practicing at Tulane.
“I’d rather be inside in the dome. It’s kind of cold outside.”
