After Hurricanes Talk the Talk, Tide’s Lassic Walks His Walk

Miami talked a good game during the week before the Sugar Bowl, and Derrick Lassic didn’t like it.

“They were on Bourbon Street, talking about how they had the best offense and the better defense,” the Alabama running back said. “Talk is cheap. National championship rings speak for themselves.”

Alabama did its talking after its 34-13 Sugar Bowl victory Friday.

“We beat the ‘dynasty’ of college football. We broke their 28-game (actually 29-game) winning streak,” Lassic said. “They didn’t respect us. There’s no greater feeling than to go out and earn respect. They talked it, but they didn’t walk it.

“We didn’t just beat them. We dominated.”

Lassic earned the game’s most-valuable-player award by rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns in 28 carries. He piled up more yards than any other back gained against Miami’s defense all season.

Miami held opponents to an average of 120.5 yards on the ground before the Sugar Bowl.

By halftime, Lassic had 106 yards and Alabama had a 13-6 lead. The Tide had won 20 consecutive games in which it has had a 100-yard rushing performance. It would become 21. Alabama hasn’t lost a game in which it has had a 100-yard rusher since 1988.

“Derrick had that look in his eye all week,” Alabama Coach Gene Stallings said. “I thought Derrick Lassic would have a good day.”

Lassic did the running back’s duty and praised his line. So did Stallings.

“Miami does have a good defensive line, but we have a good offensive line and he’s a pretty good running back,” Stallings said.

Lassic scored the touchdown that put Alabama ahead, 20-6. And he scored the final one, the one that made the score 34-13.

He celebrated with a cartwheel in the end zone that wasn’t really showmanship--nothing so haughty as a spike or as boastful as some well-rehearsed hip-wagging, fist-pumping dance. It was pure joy. Lassic was smiling behind his face-mask in the end zone, and he bounded up looking as if could have cartwheeled to the other end zone.

“Coach was saying, ‘It’s not over,’ but in the back of our minds, we knew it was over,” Lassic said. “Nobody is going to score three touchdowns on our defense in a half.”

You could call his touchdown icing on the cake, or you could call it the engraving on the national championship trophy. Miami wasn’t coming back.

Lassic’s most frustrating moments came in the first quarter, when he took the ball at the 11 and scampered toward the goal line, eluding a Miami grab at his facemask and landing at the one, sticking the ball across the goal line.

Lassic thought it was a touchdown; the officials didn’t, ruling he was down first. As Lassic got up, he twirled the ball away in apparent disgust. He was rewarded with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The penalty sent Alabama back to a first and goal from the 15, and on the sideline, Stallings vented his anger. Even after a television timeout, he was still stewing and purposefully walked past an official on the sideline to shout some more. Alabama settled for a field goal instead of a touchdown.

“I cost us four points,” Lassic said. “I spun the ball in the end zone and he tagged me. It was costly. I lost my cool.”

He held his tongue--and gestures--in check for the most part until it was over. Then he broke loose against Miami one last time.

“Miami said a one-dimensional offense could not beat them. Our offensive line accepted the challenge Miami presented. The defense did what they did because they’re No. 1. We got caught up a little bit in the talking and at times started acting like them. We had to keep our cool, and we did.”

Now they act the way Miami used to. Like national champions.