Alabama Football: A healthy Jaylen Waddle is a bigger problem for the Buckeyes than a not fully healthy Justin Fields.
There are only three possible ways an opposing defense can handle the Alabama football offense. One way is the Buckeyes defensive front could dominate the Crimson Tide offensive line. Even without Landon Dickerson, the highest probability is neither side dominates and if one does it is more likely to be the Crimson Tide.
Another way the Ohio State defense could top the Crimson Tide offense is by the Tide beating itself with turnovers. In any football contest, a better team can beat itself because of self-inflicted mistakes. Nothing in the 2020 season suggests Alabama football is particularly vulnerable to the risk.
The third way would be if the Buckeyes have more talent on defense than the Crimson Tide does on offense. The Buckeyes have talent but their biggest weakness has to contend with the Crimson Tide’s best strength. That strength is the passing of Mac Jones and the receiving of DeVonta Smith, John Metchie and Jahleel Billingsley (plus Harris and Forristall), Those matchups strongly favor the Crimson Tide. If Alabama football has an almost healthy, game-changing Jaylen Waddle, the Buckeyes secondary will be outmatched – no make that overwhelmed.
Ohio State fans may want to believe there is a fourth way for the Buckeyes to slow the Crimson Tide offense. The fourth way being out-scheming Steve Sarkisian. OSU Defensive Coordinator, Kerry Coombs appears to know scheme is not the solution. Speaking of the Alabama football offense, Coombs said,
"This is a great offense. It is a complete offense. They have great players, but they also have a great scheme and they understand how to attack defenses. People have tried numerous different things against them, and they always have an answer.“They run the ball well. They throw the ball extremely well. They have great skill. For us, this is the biggest offensive line that we’ve faced, but they’re also very gifted, very athletic"
The reason “numerous different things” have not worked is an abundance of Crimson Tide talent and the balanced, motion offense of Steve Sarkisian. The Crimson Tide simply has too many weapons. Try to take away Najee and the result is getting sliced up through the air. Play DeVonta with no safety help and he can’t be covered. Sometimes, two guys can’t cover him. With Jaylen Waddle as a legitimate threat, the Alabama passing attack is far more deadly than Clemson’s and the Tigers passed for 400 yards on the Buckeyes.
A mostly healthy Jaylen Waddle will change the National Championship game more than a mostly healthy Justin Fields. Fields should have extra padding and enough pain medication to play effectively. Unless he takes too many hits during the game, his health is not the biggest problem for the Buckeyes. Their biggest problem would be a healthy-enough Jaylen Waddle.
Steve Sarkisian is adept at attacking wherever a defense is vulnerable. With Waddle playing, Ohio State is vulnerable all over the field.