GLENDALE, Ariz. — As Brent Venables was talking to a group of reporters in Clemson’s locker room moments after the Tigers’ loss to Alabama in the National Championship Game, cornerback Mackensie Alexander came up to him, gave him a hug and apologized he was not there for him

Of course Venables let his All-American defensive back know that it was not his fault. There was nothing he could do.

Alexander severally injured his hamstring midway through the second quarter after making a tackle. After staying down a while, he was eventually assisted off the field in severe pain. He did not return.

“Mackensie is a special player and he has tremendous playmaking ability,” Venables said.

He also has tremendous preparation before a game as he studies everything he can about his opponent. It comes to no surprise then that all of Jake Coker’s big plays in the passing game came after Alexander was ruled out.

Alabama’s quarterback was a modest 9 of 13 passing for 82 yards in the first half with Alexander in the game. In the second half, with Alexander watching from the sideline, Coker torched the Tigers for 253 yards and two touchdowns. He hit tight end O.J. Howard for 53- and 51-yard touchdown passes, while also completing a 63-yard catch and run to Howard on a key play late in the game, setting up Derrick Henry’s one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“Mackensie is a great player. I thought Adrian came in and really did some good things,” Venables said.

But there were some things that did not happen, and it wasn’t just one person’s fault. Both of Howard’s touchdowns came from blown assignments, while the 63-yard play was a missed tackle by Baker that sprung the Tide’s big tight end down the sideline.

“One time we don’t see the formation and we don’t see him out there, and another time we are three deep and he runs by us,” Venables said. “We have to do a better job coaching them and getting them to recognize those things. But Alabama is good enough to make those plays, too.”

In all, Alabama made four of their six explosive plays (gains of 20-plus yards) after halftime. Howard’s two touchdown grabs, his 63-yard completion, plus ArDarius Stewart’s 38-yard grab on a third-and-11 play from their own 44. That set up Adam Griffith’s tying field goal with 10:34 to play in the game.

“When it was all said and done, the explosive plays were the difference because consistently I thought we were getting into a rhythm, but it is hard to do when we don’t make the easy plays,’ Venables said.

But one wonder’s how many of those explosive plays would have occurred if Alexander, who originally tweaked his hamstring in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, had been in the game.

“Alabama is the better team. They won the game,” Venables said. “We had our opportunities. They made some great plays and we made some critical mistakes.

“When you make critical mistakes against a team like Alabama, they are going to make you pay.”