CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: OHIO STATE VS ALABAMA

January 11, 2021

Patrick Surtain

Hard Rock Stadium

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama - 52, Ohio State - 24

Q. I think you held Justin Fields to about 50 percent passing, under 200 yards. And after the big game that he had against Clemson, what was the plan coming in and how were you able to kind of slow him down a little bit?

PATRICK SURTAIN II: The plan coming in was focus on our keys, communicating out there, and flying around to the ball. We knew what type of offense we was going against and our plan was to manage the game where it would eliminate those explosive plays that they had been consistently getting. So that was our main focus.

Q. This is the 18th National Championship for Alabama. What does it mean to you to be a part of those championships?

PATRICK SURTAIN II: It means a lot. We're another team in the history books. This team accomplished a lot and it's no better feeling to end this way. So I'm proud of this whole team.

Q. How rewarding is this season after such a challenging year with everything going with COVID?

PATRICK SURTAIN II: It's even more special. This team has been through a lot in the off-season, going into the season. But the main thing was we focused on one goal and that was to win the National Championship. We finished it. I'm proud of this team and what we have accomplished knowing what was going on before the season and I just say that we did it.

Q. What does it mean to you to win a National Championship in a stadium that your dad played in professionally?

PATRICK SURTAIN II: It means a lot, just playing a game that you seen your dad playing it for years and just to win it here, the big National Championship, it's a special moment and it's just a blessing to be here.

Q. Coach Saban preached discipline, that's what he's preached all year and I think especially in this year it's really important. Talk about how you guys stayed disciplined and stayed true to the goal. This is, you wanted to come back and you had a lots of seniors that wanted to come back to win this National Championship, talk about that what means to you just seeing what you set out in August to do with all the uncertainty right now culminating in this moment?

PATRICK SURTAIN II: Coach Saban always talk about being prepared, being focused and locked in, no matter which part of the season we're in, we can't be too complacent. But all those things he said, you know, it means something leading up to this point. And just winning it, especially during this season, finishing a goal, finishing a mission, there's nothing more things you can say, you know, we did it and like I said before, I'm proud of this team and what we have accomplished and we just, another team in the history books.