I will never watch the game again, but I put my thoughts on the reasons for the loss in Jess's post-game analysis thread. You lost because you got out coached. It was not poor execution of a good game plan - it was a poor game plan on Alabama's part combined with a perfect game plan by Dabo.
Saban sits in every meeting. He knew the game plans on offense and defense. He knew what you were going to do. Somehow no one on your staff was able to predict what Clemson would do. Your game plans assumed that they would just keep doing what they had been doing all season. When that proved to be incorrect, it took you too long to adjust.
Out prepared, out coached during the game. What will Saban do to ensure that this never happens again? I have no idea. Better analysts to self-scout? Better coordinators to turn analyst data into a game plan? Better coaches to implement the game plan? Better players at certain positions to perform on the field? A mixture of all of this?
I expect that Alabama will be in the hunt next year. You will play with a chip on your shoulder. You will get a little meaner. Heck, you might even act a little hungry for the first time in a while. But if you can't correct these problems, you will struggle with Dabo. He knows what you are doing, how you are doing it and why you are doing it that way.
Saban needs to adjust, and he will. I am interested to see how.