Saban impressed by Clemson as a team, not just Deshaun Watson

Alabama coach Nick Saban has said in the past that Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson’s the best player in college football and he should be the Heisman winner.

He made it clear during a teleconference on Tuesday that Watson’s only part of what makes Clemson such a difficult team to prepare for.

In particular, Saban said he was impressed by what he saw from Clemson’s defense in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. The Tigers shut out Urban Meyer for the first time in his coaching career and shut out the Buckeyes for the first time since 1993.

“They played really, really well against Ohio State. They created a lot of pressure, a lot of negative plays, really affected the quarterback, and this is a complete unit,” Saban said. “I thought they played just, you know, really, really outstanding against Ohio State in terms of well-prepared, knowing exactly what they had to take away, and played well together to get it done.”

The Buckeyes were held to nine first downs and finished with 88 rushing yards and 127 passing yards. The game was the best Clemson has played all year.

Clemson ranks No. 8 in total defense, allowing 307 yards per game, and is second in tackles for loss with 123, behind only Arkansas State.

Saban said the play of the Tigers’ defensive line stands out.

“I know Clemson has some really good ones. … That’s probably why they’ve been pretty successful,” he said. “Their linebackers are athletic and very instinctive and can run, and they play really well in the back end. You know, this is a very, very good defensive team from top to bottom.”

Saban also had plenty of praise for Clemson’s star quarterback.

Saban came away impressed with Watson in last year’s title game when the Tigers put up 40 points on the Crimson Tide. If anything, Saban said he believes Watson’s even better now.

“He is the complete package of everything that you could ever want or look for in a guy at quarterback,” Saban said. “And he’s been playing for a long time, so he has a tremendous amount of experience. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.”

Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson, who leads the Crimson Tide with 17 tackles for loss, echoed Saban’s comments.

“Deshaun Watson is a prolific player, a game-changer, can do a lot of things to hurt you, do a lot of good things with his team, run the ball and can spread you out,” Anderson said. “And he’s a very smart player. He understands the situations in the game, and it’s going to be tough to stop him.”

The senior added part of what makes Watson so good is the talent he has around him.

“It’s not just him, they’re a complete team,” he said. “They’ve got a good offensive line, good skill players, a good running back, and an up-tempo team. So you know you’ve got to be in shape and gotta be ready to play.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Saban impressed by Clemson as a team, not just Deshaun Watson."