TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama's defense grabbed the majority of headlines in 2011, and rightfully so. But the offense deserves recognition for doing something often overlooked in an age when offensive records are shattered like bad light bulbs - it simply produced. The offense didn't make mistakes and scored when it had to. Other than a nice ham sandwich, there's not much more a coach could ask for.

Alabama turned the ball over the third fewest times of any team in the nation, a stat valued above all by most offensive coordinators. The Tide also finished in the top 20 in third-down conversion percentage, red zone efficiency and time of possession. Considering the national storyline spun around the Tide's ineptitude on offense, you'd think these numbers were a lie.

If you believed the national fallout of the Nov. 5 showdown against LSU, you'd think Alabama's depth chart had the All-American qualities of Swiss cheese. And again, you'd be wrong. It wasn't just the defense that won Alabama's second national championship in three years.

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Alex Scarborough | email

Reporter, TideNation

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• Reporter for TideNation
• Covers Alabama Crimson Tide sports and recruiting
• Joined ESPN in 2012