As pandemonium ensued inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Alabama fans and confetti descended in jubilation, every media outlet with an agenda was looking for Jalen Hurts.
Upon pressing through a crowd that consisted of coaches, players, media personnel, equipment managers and cheerleaders, Stephen Smith of Touchdown Alabama Magazine found all four specialists for the Crimson Tide – Joseph Bulovas, Thomas Fletcher, Scott Meyer and Mike Bernier – hugging and crying.
For Bernier, the walk-on punter fixed eyes on a championship newspaper for a few moments and then looked toward heaven in utter respect for his mother. If she could speak, her first sentence would be a mixture of her being proud while at the same time confirming to Bernier that as much as he loved her; he never gave up on himself.