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Key Clemson defenders healthy enough to play

 
Published Jan. 12, 2016

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The biggest story before kickoff Monday night centered on the health of two of Clemson's best players — DE Shaq Lawson (knee) and CB Mackensie Alexander (hamstring).

Both started and made early impacts in different ways.

Alexander was targeted early when Alabama QB Jake Coker threw a screen pass on the game's first play. Alexander, a redshirt sophomore, wrapped up WR Calvin Ridley for no gain. Alexander is a potential Bucs target with the No. 9 overall pick and was shaken up midway through the first half.

Lawson, an All-American and likely first-round pick, had two first-half sacks despite injuring his knee in the semifinal win over Oklahoma.

BAMA MIXING IT UP: Alabama showed it can shed its reputation as a ground-and-pound team. The Crimson Tide opened the game with an uptempo offense — an uncommon method under coach Nick Saban. Its second touchdown came with a different wrinkle. Bama brought in a pair of defensive linemen — 312-pound A'Shawn Robinson and 313-pound Jarran Reed — to block for Henry on his 1-yard plunge up the middle.

LOCAL WATCH: Former East Lake High star Artavis Scott made an immediate impact for Clemson. The sophomore receiver caught a 4-yard pass on the the Tigers' first play. Then, after Henry ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run, Scott answered with a 43-yard kickoff return to spark a Clemson scoring drive.

PLAYOFF EXPANSION: Although Monday's game was only the second in a 12-year deal, talk about expanding the four-team playoff to eight teams hasn't disappeared. Both teams were playing their 15th game of the season Monday, and ACC commissioner John Swofford said he is concerned about possibly growing that number.

"I think we are reaching the max in terms of the number of games that are being played, particularly with what we're seeing with the impact on individuals and their bodies and their minds in the sport of football," Swofford said. "We've got to take all that into consideration."

RAY-RAY RECEIVING: Clemson WR Ray-Ray McCloud spent most of his life as a running back. His 5,765 rushing yards at Sickles High are the most in Hillsborough County history.

"I'm still adjusting, just not being in the backfield," said McCloud, who was targeted twice early Monday night. "It got hard for a while. I miss it. That's all I played."

MISCELLANY: Coker — a graduate transfer from Florida State — completed nine of his first 13 passes. Coker was looking for his second national championship after backing up Jameis Winston on the Seminoles' 2013 title team. … Henry needed only a quarter and a half to secure his 10th 100-yard game of the season and become the third player to rush for that many yards on Clemson this season. The other two: Appalachian State's Marcus Cox and FSU's Dalvin Cook. … Tickets for the game were selling for as low as $120; the lowest face value was $450. … Clemson was still without WR Deon Cain (Tampa Bay Tech), who was sent home from the semifinal for reportedly failing a drug test.