On the play that Alabama won the 2017 national championship the pass went from true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to true freshman wide receiver DeVonta Smith for the 41-yard touchdown in overtime.

A lot of Crimson Tide fans also know that true freshman Alex Leatherwood was at left tackle for the injured Jonah Williams, and true freshman Jerry Jeudy, lined up on the right side next to Calvin Ridley, was the receiver the quarterback initially looked at to draw the safety over away from Smith.

True freshman wide receiver Henry Ruggs III caught a touchdown pass earlier in the game and true freshman running Najee Harris led the Crimson Tide in rushing.

Just from the performances of those six players alone, no one should ever again suggest to a recruit that he shouldn’t go to Alabama because he won’t play.

Nick Saban may play more freshmen than any coach in the nation.

“We’ve always played a lot of freshmen,” Saban said. “I think the expectation has changed through the years as to how rapidly some freshmen, who have the maturity, physically and emotionally to be able to sustain the season and have the ability to focus and develop and improve, can make a contribution to your team.

“My obligation to our team is to play the best players, so I don’t care what grade they’re in, where you’re from or what the mailing address is, that’s kind of what we do. If they’re better than someone else we’re going to give them every opportunity to play.”

Ask Jalen Hurts. In 2016, he became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama since Vince Sutton in 1984 and set the Crimson Tide record for passing yards in a game by a freshman in that same game.

Ask Williams. That same season he started his first game with the Crimson Tide at right tackle, and then slid over to the left side as a sophomore.

Ask … well, you get the idea.

But then there’s what those six did in the biggest game of their lives, and handled it like it was just another Saturday. If their performances didn’t have you shaking your head in disbelief you know that’s exactly what the other coaches in the SEC were doing.

“I thought those six guys made a huge difference in that game,” Saban continued. “I think the way that our team turns over at Alabama, because we’ve had, I think, 29 guys go out early for the draft in the last seven or eight years, it creates more opportunity for young guys to play.”

It’s time to completely bury the negative notion that Alabama’s depth chart is so loaded that incoming players have to wait years for their chance to play because it’s simply not true. Maybe they have to be patient to start, but not to get on the field.

Alabama played 17 true freshmen last season.

In alphabetical order: linebacker Christopher Allen, linebacker VanDarius Cowan, long-snapper Thomas Fletcher, Harris, tight end Kedrick James, Jeudy, Leatherwood, defensive back Xavier McKinney, linebacker Dylan Moses, defensive lineman LaBryan Ray, running back Brian Robinson Jr., Ruggs, Smith, Tagovailoa, tight end Major Tennison, offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr. and defensive back Daniel Wright.

Only four teams played more true freshmen in 2017: Illinois (22), LSU (20), Tennessee (19) and Texas A &M (18). They went, respectively, 2-10, 9-4, 4-8 and 7-6. The former two programs had relatively new coaches and the latter two have since been replaced.

But the Crimson Tide has on average played more than 11 true freshmen during the Saban era. Add in redshirt freshmen and it’s just under 20 per season.

Alabama Freshmen Players (2007-17)

Season True/Redshirt

2007 7/8

2008 16/8

2009 8/7

2010 7/13

2011 7/9

2012 11/11

2013 14/10

2014 11/5

2015 12/9

2016 13/7

2017 17/7

Totals 123 (11.2 avg.)/94 (8.5)

Moreover, since Saban arrived in 2007 no program has had more Freshman All-Americans than Alabama. With the Crimson Tide not having a selection by the Football Writers Association of America during the last two years, Florida State, Michigan State and Oklahoma have managed to tie it with 10, while USC is right behind them with nine.

Alabama's FWAA Freshman All-Americans, 2007-17

2007 Rolando McClain

2008 Julio Jones and Dont'a Hightower

2009 Barrett Jones

2010 C.J. Mosley

2011 None

2012 Amari Cooper

2013 None

2014 Cam Robinson and JK Scott

2015 Calvin Ridley and Marlon Humphrey

2016 None

2017 None

Of course, other Crimson Tide players were named Freshman All-Americans by different services including Minkah Fitzpatrick (Sporting News) and Williams (ESPN and USA Today), while Hurts was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2016.

With Alabama not having the consensus top recruiting class for the first time since 2010, it’ll be interesting to see of the numbers dip some this fall.

But don’t count on it.

Saban’s going to need some freshmen defensive backs to step in and play from day one. Eyabi Anoma could contribute immediately as a pass-rusher and considering the depth issues everyone in the defensive front seven better be ready to play.

And that’s just the defense.

“From the moment you get on campus you’re expected to play to a standard,” running back Damien Harris said about why freshmen aren’t treated any differently at Alabama.

“The expectation is the same,” offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher said. “We kind of said that from day one, this isn’t high school any more. If you’re going to be on the team you’re going to contribute.”