TALKIN' TIDE: Hold that asterisk

With or without McCoy, Texas was still second best

By Justin Graves The Cullman Times

PASADENA, Calif. — The record books will read like this. Results from the 2010 BCS National Championship: Alabama 37. Texas 21.

Notice an asterisk anywhere?

Didn’t think so.

But there are people out there that believe one should be placed beside the Crimson Tide’s most recent championship.

Why? Because Texas had to play almost the entire game without star quarterback Colt McCoy.

McCoy, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, was sidelined with a shoulder injury — a pinched nerve, according to the Associated Press — after the fifth play of the game.

Oh well. That’s football. And last time I checked, injuries are part of the game.

Don’t believe it? Ask Oklahoma fans.

Remember that injury that sidelined Sooners star quarterback Sam Bradford early in the Texas game?

Are we putting an asterisk beside that one, too? Didn’t think so, because the Longhorns wouldn’t even have been in the national title game if that were the case.

But back to the present, or most-recent game, at least.

Sure, Texas would have been a more formidable foe with McCoy on the field. But let’s face it, the play of backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert didn’t cost the Longhorns the game.

Now, those 24 unanswered points Alabama scored in the second quarter did. And even the great McCoy wouldn’t have been able to prevent that momentum swing.

Let’s take a look at the facts:

Alabama scored its first touchdown early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Heisman winner Mark Ingram. He carried the ball five times on that drive, gaining 8, 9, 9, 2 and 1 yards.

McCoy or no McCoy, that would’ve still happened.

Alabama went the next two series without arguably its best offensive player — should we add an asterisk to the final point spread because Ingram was slowed by cramps and a foot injury? — but still managed to put points on the scoreboard with backup running back Trent Richardson.

It’s not Alabama’s fault that its true freshman backups were better-prepared and more talented than the ones Texas used.

Some may say Alabama’s third second-quarter touchdown would’ve never happened with McCoy in the game — the Tide took a 24-6 lead when defensive tackle Marcell Dareus intercepted a shovel pass and did the best razzle-dazzle job a 280-pounder could do on his way to the end zone with three seconds remaining in the half.

Sure, McCoy may not have turned the ball over in that situation. But Gilbert shouldn’t have turned it over either … because he should’ve been taking a knee instead.

Why did the Texas coaching staff even run a play in that situation? The critics should be discussing that instead of whether or not an asterisk should be placed by Alabama’s national title — unless McCoy normally calls the offensive plays, but was unable to do so at that particular time because of his stinger.

With Leigh Tiffin’s second-quarter field goal, that’s 24 points. Seventeen of them could’ve still happened with McCoy in the game.

And even more could’ve followed if McCoy hadn’t been knocked out with an injury. With a big cushion and Texas’ superstar out, Alabama’s game plan changed from aggressive to ultra-conservative in the second half.

But that’s all irrelevant anyway. Since the BCS was created in 1998 — and tweaked after LSU and USC were awarded split titles in 2003 — we’ve had a championship game every year.

And the winner of that game is our undisputed national champion.

This year, that would be Alabama — winner of 14 games with one of the tougher schedules in the country.

There’s no asterisk beside this championship, regardless of what some national and Texas columnists say.

End of story.

Texas dealt with a key injury. Alabama dealt with injuries.

And Alabama’s backups were more talented and better-prepared than the ones put on the field by Texas … kind of like how the supporting cast around the Crimson Tide’s star players were a whole lot better, too.

Sounds like the better team won. No asterisks allowed.

• Justin Graves can be reached by phone at 734-2131, ext. 257 or by e-mail at jgraves@cullmantimes.com.