Because the new sports drama National Champions centers around college football player LeMarcus James' efforts to fight for players' rights and completely change the system of college sports, all of the characters involved in the story attempt to use their intelligence to outsmart each other and secure a victory for the side that they believe in.
Some of the characters demonstrate their intelligence through their strategic manipulation of the situation, like Katherine and Coach Lazor, while other characters use their intelligence to organize and execute the incredibly bold plan to boycott the national championship game, like LeMarcus and Elliot.
Bailey Lazor
Bailey Lazor is one of the few characters in the movie that is not really caught up in either side of the boycott. She makes most of her decisions based more on emotion than logic, as she feels neglected and taken for granted in her marriage.
She does not pick up on any of the clues that Elliot has been helping LeMarcus and ends up badmouthing LeMarcus in front of Elliot. This reveals that she does not fully understand the situation and leads to a fight that ends their affair.
Emmett Sunday
As LeMarcus' right-hand man, Emmett is a critical part of the plan, executing a lot of the legwork and preparation. While he may not be the smartest character in the film, his skills perfectly complement those of LeMarcus.
Emmett is a fairly simple and straightforward character. He is not interested in formulating schemes or manipulating people the way that other characters are, and instead is upfront with his intentions. He does not demonstrate the same intellect or cunning as others, but his sincere personality makes him one of the best characters in the movie.
Mike Titus
As an NCAA official, Mike Titus is tasked with fighting to maintain the current status quo while convincing LeMarcus to end the boycott so the game can go on without any disruptions. He is a cold ad calculated character who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his interests.
While he is not able to convince LeMarcus to make a deal and play, he does manage to use Katherine to leak information and start rumors in order to break up the boycott and get the other players on the field, at least partially accomplishing his goal.
Coach Dunn
As the Defensive Coordinator for one of the best football coaches in the country, Coach Dunn clearly must possess a brilliant football mind to earn a prominent position on such a prestigious staff. But beyond his knowledge of the Xs and Os, he also demonstrates an emotional intelligence when he is offered the opportunity to take over the team if he is willing to go against the boycott.
While he could take this career shortcut, he is smart enough to know that is better off standing by his players and earning his opportunity down the road. On and off the field, he is a smart character who avoids putting himself in a bad position.
Coach James Lazor
Brought to life in a brilliant performance by J.K. Simmons, Coach Lazor is a football genius who has elevated his program to unprecedented heights. He is a brilliant leader who is able to galvanize his team with a rousing speech when they are on the verge of falling apart.
However, for all the smart things he does, Coach Lazor also makes a couple of bad mistakes. He gets himself in trouble at a press conference when he makes a horrible analogy involving slavery. He also demonstrates a lack of emotional sense as he overlooks his wife and walks out on LeMarcus, choosing football over relationships. He is clearly clever, but his singular focus leads him to make some bad choices.
Elliot
While National Champions centers around college football, it is a movie that non-sports fans can appreciate, as it is really about organized labor. Elliot is one of the biggest driving forces behind the plan, helping LeMarcus formulate and execute the boycott.
As a professor of organized labor, Elliot is well educated on the subject. He is able to use this knowledge to help put together an incredibly high-profile boycott that starts a movement, proving that his academic intellect transfers to the real world as well.
LeMarcus James
As the best football player in the country, LeMarcus James demonstrates great astuteness on the field. He is even able to perfectly recall all of the details of the play in which Emmett got injured, remembering the details better than Emmett can. But LeMarcus proves he is even smarter off the field by leading the boycott.
With relevant literary references and Biblical allusions, he uses his education to cast the vision of the movement and rally support. He is an incredibly bright character who is able to organize all of the moving parts to pull off his plan and potentially start a revolution in college sports.
Katherine
The only character in the film who is able to match LeMarcus' drive and intelligence is Katherine, who even manages to be a step or two ahead of him at times. She believes in her mission and is able to use her brain to compromise LeMarcus' reputation, such as when she tracks down his MRIs.
For most of the film, she is able to keep her emotions and personal views hidden, acting solely on logic and understanding. She is a worthy opponent to LeMarcus, tricking him into meeting with her and blindsiding him with information she plans to leak. As a former scholarship athlete, she was able to use her time at Duke to gain an education that would help her become the smartest character in the movie.