CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: OHIO STATE VS ALABAMA

January 11, 2021

Mac Jones

Hard Rock Stadium

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama 52, Ohio State 24

THE MODERATOR: Mac, thank you for being with us. When you're ready, why don't you give us an opening statement, then we'll take some questions.

MAC JONES: Yeah, I'm just really proud of this team, from everybody, top down, the coaches, players obviously, and the fans for sticking with us all year. We set this as a goal, to potentially be the greatest team to ever play. I think we made a valid statement in winning the national championship tonight.

Who would have thought we would have won every game, all SEC schedule with everything going on. Then to finish off the last couple games the way we did, I'm just so proud of my teammates, the coaches, and everyone that supported us.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.

Q. Mac, the guy calling a lot of those plays, Sarkisian, what kind of job has he done to put all of you in position to make plays?

MAC JONES: Coach Sark, all year long he's called great plays. We really just think alike. I know exactly what he's looking for. We had that communication that every quarterback and offensive coordinator wants. He put our best players in position to make plays. My job was always to get them the ball.

Beyond football, Coach Sark means so much to me. He made me such a better player and person. I love Coach Sark. For him to deal with all the stuff he was dealing with with the Texas stuff, just locked in and gave us the best chance to win.

So that just shows the type of person he is. I know he's going to do great things in the future, and we just all love Coach Sark.

Q. You played for a legendary coach in high school, obviously now played for Nick Saban. He now has seven national championships. Is he the G.O.A.T.? Is he the greatest college football coach of all time?

MAC JONES: C'mon, man. Of course he is (laughter).

How could he not be? He does it the right way. He recruits well, but more importantly develops great players and young men. I'm just so blessed that he gave me a chance to come here along with all my teammates. I wouldn't trade it for anything. He's the greatest to ever do it. He'll be the greatest for a long time.

Q. You made a statement about what you thought this team did. Would you say you guys made a case to be the greatest college football offense, given all the awards, accolades, points, what you did tonight? Was there an extra sense of motivation, it's Ohio State, but just the history with these two programs? Was there some extra motivation around the building over the last week or so?

MAC JONES: Yeah, I mean, in the first question, I mean, I think we're the best team to ever play. There's no team that will ever play an SEC schedule like that again. At the same time we're just so happy to have won this game and kind of put the icing on the cake.

There was not a lot of pressure. We just wanted to go out there and play the game we've been playing since we were all five years old. We did that really well.

I think you just have to give credit where credit's due with everybody. So yeah.

Q. What does it say about Jaylen Waddle and Landon Dickerson that they were even able to play in this game? How special a moment was that at the end of the game to see Landon go in there and take that snap?

MAC JONES: It was awesome. Waddle, to go through what he had to, rehabbed his butt off. Fought to just get in there and help the team. Smitty kind of went down, he was in there. It wasn't like one or two plays, he was in for the drives. I was super happy for him, man.

That shows what type of person he is, to put literally his career and body on the line to help us out and help us to win a game. That means so much to everybody. I'm so proud of Waddle.

With Landon, I don't know if I can disclose his full injury, but the guy, most people can't even walk after the time period where he's at. He's worked his butt off, too, in the last couple weeks to get back on the field. He kind of joked with me, he's like, I'm playing. He texts me every morning, 7:00 in the morning, I'm playing, Mac, I'm playing. Just to see him go in there and do that.

After the game, just being with him, us getting a little emotional, means a lot. Landon has been through a lot. Transferred schools, took a risk to come to Alabama. A lot of people said that Landon was going to be done with the injuries that he HAD but he just keeps fighting. And I love Landon Dickerson.

Q. 464 yards, a hell of a way to go out on. Have you thought about this being your last game? What has been your career like, reflect back on that?

MAC JONES: Yeah, there's a lot of distractions and stuff. My family has kind of handled all that. I'm just really happy to have won this game. Even for us to focus with coaches leaving. We just locked in, gave everything we could to win this game. Obviously there's decisions to be made. I'm going to make the best decision for me and my family. I put myself, I'm blessed to put myself in a position to do either one, come back or hopefully go to the NFL. We'll discuss that this week and see what my plan is.

In terms of legacy, I mean, I just think it's cool. Just the class that we had coming in, the four teams that I played on throughout my career here, I just am so blessed to be on each team. Two national championships, one kind of watching from the sideline, one getting a chance to play. It just goes to show that anything is possible. When you put your mind to something, believe in your teammates and coaches, you can get things done.

Q. Are you okay? You hobbled around a little bit in the fourth quarter. Did you take a shot?

MAC JONES: I had a really bad bone bruise, which I don't know, they thought maybe something worse had happened. We did the x-rays and stuff and everything is good. I'll probably be really sore, black and blue, but just happy to be able to finish out the game. I mean, a lot of guys out there were kind of limping around. That just shows we wanted to finish strong for Alabama.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Mac, on the national title. We appreciate you being with us.

MAC JONES: Thank you. Appreciate it.