TAMPA, Fla. _ The top player on the nation's best defense didn't quibble when asked how he wanted Alabama's unit to be remembered.
"The best ever," senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen said.
Allen has done his part as the winner of the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards as the nation's best defensive player. But so has everybody else.
Alabama's bid Monday for its fifth national championship in eight years in the College Football Playoff championship game against Clemson rides with its defense.
The Crimson Tide brings into the game the nation's top team in terms of fewest points (11.4) and yards allowed (244) per game. This is nothing new. Since 2008, Alabama has led the nation in total defense three times and scoring defense three times.
But this might be the best of the bunch.
In the BCS/CFP era, most point to the Miami Hurricanes of 2001 as the top team, and it was led by a remarkable defense.
After beating Nebraska for the national championship, Miami sent three defensive players into the first round of the NFL draft, led by defensive back Ed Reed. In all, 11 defensive players on the 2001 roster became first-round draft picks.
Those Hurricanes allowed an average of 9.4 points per game and created 45 takeaways, both leading the nation. Miami, like Alabama, had an opportunity to win a second straight championship but the Hurricanes fell to Ohio State for the 2002 championship.
Creating turnovers and turning them into touchdowns makes this Alabama defense special. The Crimson Tide's defense has scored an astounding 11 TDs this season.
Add four special-teams touchdowns and Alabama more than doubles the second-place team in non-offensive touchdowns _ Ohio State with seven. Dating to last season, the Tide scored a non-offensive touchdown in 10 straight games. They scored two in the SEC Championship game against Florida and another in a national semifinal victory over Washington in the Peach Bowl.
But Allen said the Tide must complete the task for those performances to have meaning.
"You're remembered by how you finish," said Allen, chosen the top player in college football by Pro Football Focus on the strength of 64 quarterback pressures, the most by an interior lineman.
The defense seemed to get better by the week. In November, Alabama did not surrender a touchdown. After Texas A&M scored a touchdown in the third quarter on Oct. 22, the Crimson Tide didn't allow its next four opponents to cross the goal line.
The streak was snapped at 273 minutes, 6 seconds by Florida in the SEC championship game.
If Allen is the Tide's top defender, linebacker Reuben Foster isn't far behind. Foster, the team's top tackler, became the fourth Alabama player to win the Butkus Award, joining former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas, among others.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick joined Allen and Foster as first team All-Americans. Fitzpatrick leads the Tide with six interceptions and has one in each of the last two games.
Linebackers Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson have combined for 32 { tackles for loss and 16 { sacks.
As draft prospects, Allen seems a sure top-five selection. Foster and cornerback Marlon Humphrey should be first-rounders, and Williams should be picked in the first two days.
The group faces its biggest challenge of the season in the Deshaun Watson-led Clemson offense. A year ago, Watson set a championship game record with 478 yards of total offense and 405 through the air. The Tigers rolled up 550 total yards in a 45-40 loss.
Foster said that performance inspired returning Alabama defenders to change their shape. Not scheme, physical shape.
"A lot of us lost weight this year," said Foster, who dropped 15 pounds and plays at about 225 this season. "It should help us be mobile around (Watson) and hold Clemson on offense because they are fast and pretty physical."
Allen made it sound like the Tide lost that game, and certainly the defense's pride was wounded. That should work in Alabama's favor on Monday.
"We didn't play that good on defense last year, so we're looking for an opportunity to redeem ourselves," Allen said.
Perhaps being remembered among college football's best in the process.
