Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

ESPN analyst Desmond Howard says no SEC defense compares to Notre Dame’s

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Editor’s note: There were other media members present during Desmond Howard’s talk.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Crimson White: It seems like a lot of people have written Notre Dame off and give the championship to Alabama. How mentally prepared do you think Alabama will be for this game?

Desmond Howard: I’ve known Nick Saban since I was in high school – he recruited me when he was at Michigan State – and the one thing about Nick is that he’s more than just Xs and Os. He’s about the physique and the mental makeup. He’ll have them mentally prepared and I don’t think that will affect them. He really gets into the psychology of a player and gets them prepare.

CW: With Everett Golson being inexperienced, do you think Notre Dame will come out running the ball to take some of the pressure off of him?

DH: They have to. You don’t want to be one dimensional. I don’t know how successful they’ll be, but they can’t be one dimensional. Alabama has the same issue. They’re going up against Notre Dame’s front seven. I know everybody gets wooed by the SEC and enamored by that conference, but there isn’t a defense in the SEC like Notre Dame’s defense. None of them. So Alabama hasn’t seen a defense like this. That’s just reality.

CW: What are you expecting the atmosphere to be like considering both fans bases and how big this matchup is?

DH: I think it’s going to be electric, off the charts. You couldn’t have wished for a better matchup. Certain programs with their history and tradition bring something magical to the field. When you look at Notre Dame, they haven’t been relevant for a decade. Now they’re back on the scene and ready to make a statement. For Alabama, what they’ve done since Nick Saban has been there is amazing. I’m excited.

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