CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: OHIO STATE VS ALABAMA

January 11, 2021

DeVonta Smith

Hard Rock Stadium

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama 52, Ohio State 24

THE MODERATOR: We have our most outstanding offensive player of the game, Devonta Smith.

When you're ready, give us an opening statement, then we'll take some questions.

DEVONTA SMITH: Just blessed to be in this situation.

THE MODERATOR: Let's go ahead with questions.

Q. Just wondering what happened with the hand injury. How did it happen? What was going on in the locker room when you were trying to get it fixed?

DEVONTA SMITH: Just dislocated my finger. Just tried to put it back in place.

Q. Watching your teammate, Jaylen Waddle get back on that field tonight, talk about his toughness in wanting to be out there with you guys.

DEVONTA SMITH: Just shows the commitment, how much he love his team. Him just wanting to be out there, just doing what he can, give us everything he got. That was just the message, give us what you got, we'll take anything.

Q. From a year ago to now, what is the biggest difference in Mac Jones that enabled him to have a performance like this on this stage?

DEVONTA SMITH: Just his commitment, his dedication to everything. Him just getting in the film room, getting prepared for moments like this.

I don't think nobody prepared as hard as him on this team just with everything that he's done.

Q. Now that the game is over, what is your reaction to Shaun Wade saying he wanted to cover you, how you think that matchup went?

DEVONTA SMITH: Well, I mean, I just practiced hard all week, just worked, came to do my job. It just worked out well for me and the team.

Q. I wanted to ask you about you and your classmates, how you approached going into this season. After the Orange Bowl last year -- the Citrus Bowl, sorry, maybe wasn't quite the end of the season that you wanted. To come back and commit to this season, not knowing it was going to be as crazy as it was during a pandemic, what was that like? What were the conversations like between you and your teammates when you decided to go all in on this season?

DEVONTA SMITH: Well, we had a mission. Everybody wanted to end things the right way. We just all came to work every day and just put in the work. We got the result that we wanted.

Q. To have over 600 yards, you, Jaylen, Landon, what do you think that says about this offense, having that many injured guys play through it and put on the performance that you did?

DEVONTA SMITH: Just the love for the team. Just everybody want to do what they can. Just have young guys there just ready if anything happen, their dedication. Just the love that this team has for each other.

Q. Your last game with Sark. What kind of job did he do? Every defense is trying to focus in on you every game, yet you're still getting open, getting mismatches. What kind of job did he do helping that happen?

DEVONTA SMITH: He just called the game the way he's been calling all year. Just putting in the right position to make plays, just trusting in us. That comes with us coming to practice every day, getting in the film room, doing the things we need to do.

Q. If you had to convince anybody to come back this year with the pandemic and everything? Also why was this the ultimate team? Nick Saban called this the ultimate team.

DEVONTA SMITH: No, I didn't pressure anybody to come back, just let everybody make their own decisions because you don't know what they're going through or what their family situations are like. I just kind of let everybody just do what they wanted to do. The guys that did came back, I'm glad they came back. The guys that left, I'm proud of them. I'm happy they made the decision that was best for them.

With everything this team has been through with the pandemic, everybody staying as one, coming closer as a family.

Q. What do you feel is your legacy? You won all the awards this year, a championship as a freshman with the winning touchdown, a championship this year, came back for your senior season, set all the records at Alabama receiving-wise. What do you think your legacy would be?

DEVONTA SMITH: I wouldn't be able to do none of this without my teammates or without God. Just come here, I just put in the work every day no matter what the situation was, just believing in my coaches and them putting me in the right situations just to make plays.

Q. What makes Christian Barmore special? What is that switch he flips on? He plays with such an edge to him.

DEVONTA SMITH: He's just got a high motor, a guy that's going to give it 100% every time. He puts the work in. He just love the game. He just loves being out there. He's just an unbelievable player.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much for being with us. Congratulations again.

DEVONTA SMITH: Thank you.