Quite a few local connections in College Football Playoff championship game

Alabama QB Mac Jones (left) and Ohio State CB Shaun Wade are two of the prominent players in Monday night's College Football Playoff national championship game. Both played high school football in Jacksonville. (Getty Images, Getty Images)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Alabama and Ohio State face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at 8 p.m.

Five players from the Jacksonville area are on the rosters of the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes. Here’s a glance at those players and how they’ve fared this season and in their careers.

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National title game locals

Pos. Player, Class (*redshirt), Local tie, College

RB Marcus Crowley, So., Trinity Christian, Ohio State, Took some time to get back on the field after tearing his ACL late last season. Didn’t get any offensive touches this season. Credited with one tackle on special teams. Had a solid true freshman season, with 237 yards rushing on 25 carries and scored twice.

CB Tyreke Johnson, So.*, Trinity Christian, Ohio State, Has played in five games this season and has five tackles, four of those coming in a Nov. 7 game against Rutgers. Played in seven games in his redshirt freshman season in 2019 and had three total tackles.

QB Mac Jones, Jr.*, Bolles, Alabama, Has enjoyed an exceptional season for the No. 1 Crimson Tide. Consensus All-American selection, garnering first-team nods from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp. Finished third in Heisman Trophy voting. Finalist for Maxwell and Manning awards. Davey O’Brien award winner. Passed for 4,036 yards and 36 TDs (275 for 357) and has been intercepted just four times. Has thrown for 400 yards in a game four times this season. Has passed for 5,662 yards in his career with 51 TDs and just seven picks. Has completed 74% of his passes in college.

CB Jahquez Robinson, Fr., Sandalwood, Alabama, First-year player for the Crimson Tide hasn’t recorded any statistics this season. Credited with game participation against Florida and Kentucky this season.

CB Shaun Wade, GS, Trinity Christian, Ohio State, Played in all seven games this season for the Buckeyes after electing to return for his redshirt junior season and bypass the NFL draft. Wound up graduating last August. Has 30 tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups this season. Has played in 34 career games and picked off six passes, returning one for a TD. Consensus All-American selection, earning those honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Sporting News. Second-team selection by the Football Writers Association of America.


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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