Dareus comes up big for Alabama’s defense

Playing on an Alabama defense that boasts the nation’s best linebacker in Rolando McClain, an All-American cornerback in Javier Arenas and a mountain of a nose tackle in Terrence Cody, it wasn’t hard for a backup lineman like Marcell Dareus to go overlooked this season.

On Thursday, however, he stood squarely in the spotlight, turning in the two of the biggest plays on a night of big plays to help the Crimson Tide to a 37-21 victory over Texas in the Bowl Championship Series title game at the Rose Bowl.

“I’m just a sophomore. I didn’t think I would come in and make an impact like I did,” said Dareus, who knocked out Texas’ record-setting quarterback Colt McCoy with a first-quarter tackle and then returned a second-quarter interception for a touchdown to win defensive MVP honors. “It shows you what hard work and determination gives you.”

Well, that and a huge helping of humble pie, which Dareus has been chewing on since September.

After getting off to a fast start in Alabama’s first two games, Dareus put a bull’s-eye on his back by saying his goal was two sacks a game. He got three the rest of the season.

“I talked to a lot of players and they told me about what I said,” Dareus said. “It’s a lot harder than what you think. I said ‘OK, then.’ As the games went along, I realized it is a lot harder. You have to mature and you have to be patient.”

Dareus was anything but patient Thursday, slamming head-first into McCoy on Texas’ fifth offensive play, sending him to sidelines with a bad right shoulder.

“I just dropped my [shoulder] pads, dropped my head,” he said. “I hit him pretty solid. I felt my neck jerk back. My neck’s sore right now.”

Then on the second-to-last play of the first half, Dareus intercepted a shovel pass from McCoy’s replacement, Garrett Gilbert, and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to give Alabama a 24-6 lead.

“We called a little shovel pass that I had never seen intercepted before,” Texas Coach Mack Brown said. “And I certainly hadn’t seen it intercepted for a touchdown.”

Said Dareus, who said his last touchdown came in his final high school game: “That was super sweet. I’m ecstatic.”

Not bad for a guy who started just four of Alabama’s 14 games this season yet still led the team with 6 1/2 sacks. The player who led the defense in just about every other way was McClain, who was considered questionable with a stomach virus up until game time.

For McClain, however, there was no question he would play.

“I couldn’t not show up for my guys,” said McClain, winner of the Butkus Award as college football’s top linebacker. “I knew they needed my leadership. So I had to play.”

And after Texas sent its offense back onto the field trailing, 24-21, with 3:14 to play, McClain used his presence to rally his troops one more time, with Alabama forcing turnovers on the Longhorns’ final three series. It started with Eryk Anders swooping in to sack Gilbert from the blind side, forcing a fumble that led to Mark Ingram’s second rushing touchdown. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Arenas picked off Gilbert for the second time, setting up freshman Trent Richardson’s second rushing touchdown.

Tyrone King then secured the win with Alabama’s fourth interception of the night..

“We pride ourselves on making big plays,” McClain said. “When playing in the big games, you have to make big plays. And we did.”

kevin.baxter@latimes.com