Kirk Herbstreit on how Jameson Williams, John Metchie injuries impacted outcome of College Football Playoff

Alabama beatdown Georgia in the SEC Championship, but the stakes were different in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. On the call, Kirk Herbstreit had a first-hand view of the showdown for all the marbles.

Of all the things that changed, injuries to the Alabama receiving corps might’ve been the biggest different. In an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show, Herbstreit spoke about how the injuries to Jameson Williams and John Metchie impacted the outcome of the College Football Playoff.

“I think it was a great reminder for all of us that as good as Alabama recruits, being on those big stages comes into play,” started Herbstreit. “We can look at Jameson Williams right now as almost a finished product in college. But if you would’ve looked at him as a true freshman when he was in Columbus, he didn’t look like he looked this year.

“You look at some of the receivers that were asked to step-up, they’re very talented. I’m sure most of them are all five-stars or four-stars. But – you’ve been doing this a long time as well Paul – you know that sometimes on a big stage like that, it’s very different from doing it when you’re doing practice on a Wednesday or Thursday. Doing mop-up work when Alabama’s up big against whoever they might be playing, and you come in and you provide a few reps. Right now, you’re on the stage – the national championship is on the line – and you’re going up against a really talented defense.”

While Alabama has a bevy of talented wide receivers of their roster, missing their two best hurt them. It may not have made a difference, but the idea will sting Crimson Tide faithful for years.

Herbstreit: ‘It was just a different energy.’

Furthermore, Kirk Herbstreit stated his belief that Georgia came into the game with a renewed mindset. Among other things, the pressure on Bryce Young and an elevated energy helped the Bulldogs find victory.

“The pressure. How bout the Georgia pressure this time on Bryce Young?” stated Kirk Herbstreit. “My thought was that. As I continued to watch the game in the second half — of course, Jameson William would’ve been out there making some of those plays. Especially [Agiye] Hall dropped that one to the right sideline that was down about the two or three yard-line. That was a significant play.

“But if you go back and watch the SEC Championship, and you go back and watch this game, the biggest difference was the way Georgia pressured Bryce Young. It was night and day. We can talk scheme all we want. They came up with some different things. But it was just a different energy. It was a ‘not this time’ kind of attitude from Georgia. So, they were getting home. Those blitzes that were getting picked up in Atlanta, they were getting home. And they were forcing Bryce Young to have to throw into the face of a big defensive lineman, or a blitzing linebacker.

“So I think that – to me – had more to do with it than Jameson Williams not being in the game. He would’ve made a lot of plays – I’m not saying that he wouldn’t – I’m just saying that the SEC Championship just felt – to me – that (Young) had a lot more time to operate. And I felt this time that the line of scrimmage was won by Georgia. Especially in the second half.”