re: JJ10 is very good, but he’s not Waddle

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Good point. They weren't better until the exact second that Saban decided to put them in the game, because in the first half, they were off-camera, developing on the sideline, and by halftime they reached the level of development where they were the better option

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Be specific here ... who are you talking about? As outlined above, the only two who may be part of this "magically developing" group you're promoting are Tua and Najee. Tua led a magical comeback, no doubt, but remember the concern with him earlier that year was a tendency to turn the ball over in practice (reportedly). And, in fact, he threw an interception early in the third quarter -- which was negated by our own interception on the following play.

(Edited to add: I was right about Leatherwood; he was in the game because starting tackle Jonah Williams got hurt. Williams, I feel obliged to add, is now in the NFL.)

Najee, as a freshman in that game, was fourth on the depth chart ... behind Damien Harris (now an NFL running back), Josh Jacobs (now an NFL running back), and Bo Scarborough (now an NFL running back). Not sure how you'd justify starting freshman Najee over any of those guys at that point in their careers.