College Football

Joel Klatt talks CFP title game, opt-outs on 'Breaking The Huddle'

Published Jan. 7, 2022 11:40 a.m. ET

A new "Breaking The Huddle" dropped just in time for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Joel Klatt first sat down with Alabama’s Will Anderson to discuss his outstanding season with the Crimson Tide, and how he and his teammates are prepping for the title game against Georgia on Monday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Anderson, one of the premier defenders in all of college football, had two words to describe his mindset this week.

"Locked in," Anderson said. "Everybody's paying attention to little details, making sure that we're all on the same page, making sure there's no negative energy. Everybody's positive. We have a good energy at practice so we can roll it over into the game, and everybody [has] a good game. … Everybody's focused.

"Georgia is a very physical football team. They have a very great O-line, their quarterback (Stetson Bennett) is really good. … We know the challenge that we face."

Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. on the CFP Title game vs. Georgia ' Breaking the Huddle with Joel Klatt

Joel Klatt is joined by Alabama phenom Will Anderson Jr. ahead of the Crimson Tide’s matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship.

Alabama has been unstoppable since suffering its only loss of the season to Texas A&M in Week 6, allowing just 17.1 points per game and putting up 39.6 points since that defeat. Klatt asked Anderson about how the Tide was able to bounce back after the shocking upset and how it has prepared them for the biggest game of the year.

"We're gonna get everybody's best every week, so when everybody [saw] that, and they knew how serious it really was, I think that's when the mindset starting shifting," Anderson said. "I think after the Texas A&M game, a lot of people woke up. … They started playing to the Alabama standard, and I think that's what it's all about.

"I hate that we had to take a loss for us to understand that, but I think it was a good lesson to be learned that if you don't go out there and prepare the right way, you don't play the right way, that we can get beat."

Alabama is seeking to become the first team in the CFP era to win back-to-back titles and would be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the '11 and '12 Crimson Tide. Alabama leads the all-time series against Georgia 42-25-4, including a 41-24 victory in this year's SEC Championship Game, where Anderson finished with six tackles and one sack.

Switching gears, Klatt also shared his thoughts about opt-outs and their impact on bowl season.

Over the past decade, the conversation around players choosing to opt out has intensified, and the discussion heated up over the weekend when one of the best quarterbacks available in April's NFL Draft, Ole Miss QB Matt Corral, went down with an injury.

Corral was carted to the locker room after suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl. His absence was felt as the Rebels fell 21-7 to Big 12 champ Baylor.

"This Matt Corral injury in his bowl game really had everyone talking," Klatt said. " … There are a lot of different angles that you can talk about in terms of opt-outs. It is what it is. It is a personal decision for these players.

Added Klatt: "All of these decisions are very personal ones for each of these players and they should be treated as such. Lots more that could be said, but we'll have to leave it at that."

Check out the entire episode of "Breaking the Huddle" below: