The College Football Hall of Fame exists as a tribute to great players and coaches of seasons past. But on Thursday night, the downtown Atlanta attraction was turned over to the stars of the current season.
All four Heisman Trophy finalists were there, along with about 20 other standout players from across the country. All four head coaches of teams in the College Football Playoff were there, too.
The occasion was the 29th annual “College Football Awards” show, a two-hour event televised live on ESPN and held in Atlanta every year since 2015. The winners of a dozen awards – most of the sport’s major individual awards except for the Heisman – were to be announced during the show. But before the awards were handed out, three of the four playoff coaches shared a stage at a news conference.
“Reaching this stage is something that we all shoot for,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Only four teams get here, so we’re glad to be one of them.”
LSU coach Ed Orgeron and Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, whose teams will meet in a playoff semifinal in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, were seated on one side of the national championship trophy. Swinney was seated next to an empty chair on the other side of the trophy, because Ohio State coach Ryan Day, whose team will meet Clemson in a playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl, arrived late because of a delayed flight.
Also notably missing from the stage was Alabama coach Nick Saban, whose team failed to make the playoff for the first time in the event’s six-year history.
“He’ll be back. Don’t fret for Coach Saban,” Swinney said. “It’s a little odd to not see him, but I don’t think he’ll be gone very long.”
Orgeron was happy to be back in Atlanta, just five days after LSU beat Georgia in the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and happy that he’ll be returning here again for a playoff semifinal.
“Obviously, it’s going to be some familiarity,” Orgeron said. “Guys are going to stay in the same hotel, so I think they’re going to feel comfortable, but that won’t matter come game time.”
Three of the playoff teams -- No. 1 seed LSU, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Clemson – are undefeated, while Oklahoma is 12-1. Swinney has been outspoken about what he perceives as a lack of respect paid to Clemson and the ACC, seemingly using it as motivational fuel for his team.
“I’m pretty well stated on that, I think,” Swinney said Thursday. “As a coach, you take free fuel anytime you can get it.
“At this point, it doesn’t matter if you’re (ranked) 1, 2, 3 or 4. You’re going to play a great team, and the margin of error is very small.”
Each of the three coaches at the news conference offered a one-word description of their teams.
“Focused,” Swinney said.
“Grit,” Orgeron said.
“Hungry,” Riley said.
The awards ceremony opened with presentation of the Davey O’Brien Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. The finalists were LSU’s Joe Burrow, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, all of whom also are finalists for the Heisman Trophy, which will be awarded Saturday in New York. Burrow won the O’Brien Award and is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman as well.
Burrow, Fields and Hurts transferred to their current teams -- Burrow from Ohio State, Fields from Georgia and Hurts from Alabama.
“I wouldn’t change my journey for anything in the world,” Burrow said. “I’m super focused on trying to beat Oklahoma in a couple of weeks, but I’m trying to enjoy this week with my family.”
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