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NEW ORLEANS — Nick Saban spoke to reporters Friday for the final time before No. 5 Alabama’s Sugar Bowl matchup against No. 9 Kansas State on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT inside the Caesers Superdome. Here’s a transcript of what he said as well as my takes on what it means.
Opening statement
“First off, I would like to wish everybody a Happy New Year. Great time to have gratitude for the year we just had, and looking forward to the next year. And I would also like to thank all the people involved with the Sugar Bowl for the opportunity to play in a great, traditional bowl game and for the hospitality that they've offered our players.
“I think games like this are about the players, and it certainly has been a great experience for our players to be a part of the Sugar Bowl in the city of New Orleans. So we appreciate that more than you know.
“The players that we have here are sort of representative of our team and what our team is all about in terms of what we want to accomplish, what we want to do to help people be more successful in life, because of the character and attitude that they sort of develop as a college student to create value for their future.
“I've been pleased with what our players have done in preparation for this game, as well as how they've represented the University of Alabama while here at this game. We have an opportunity to play a really, really good team.
“Kansas State is probably playing as well as anybody in the country at the end of the season this year, winning the Big 12 title, as well as beating a playoff team to do it.
“So this is going to be a tremendous challenge for our team, and something that I think if you're a great competitor, you always welcome the opportunity to play in big games against great teams. So preparation has been good and the attitude has been good for our players, so hopefully it will turn up on the field in the way we play.
Tony’s take: My biggest takeaway from Saban’s opening statement is how happy he seems with the players who have elected to play in the Sugar Bowl. From everything Saban and the players have said this week, it appears the team is locked in for Saturday’s matchup. That’s rare for a non-playoff game in today’s age, and I think Saban has a special appreciation for that.
On the difference between teams that can close games and teams that can’t
“I think that's kind of a tough question, because I think if you can stay focused on the moment — there was an old statement that I read once that Michael Jordan said: When I play at the end of a game, I never change. I just stay focused on what I have to do on that particular play and that particular moment, and I take advantage of the fact that other people change.
“So saying all that to say this, some people have the ability to do that because they have the maturity as a competitor that allows them to stay focused on what they need to do in that moment. It's not the circumstance of the moment. It's how they respond and being able to stay focused in that moment to make plays.
Tony’s take: If Alabama woud have done a better job at closing out games against Tennessee and LSU, it would be playing in a College Football Playoff on Saturday instead of the Sugar Bowl. The question now is how Alabama’s players will learn from those mistakes moving forward. That’s likely something we’ll see next season, but Saturday’s matchup against Kansas State could also go down to the wire depending on how things play out.
On what has made this bowl week so enjoyable
“Well, we've been in the playoffs so many times here in the last 10, 12 years. There's only been a few occasions where we have a circumstance where we haven't gotten in the playoffs. And I think it's more challenging when that's sort of a goal for what the players work for all year long and came up short to sort of recenter.
“Your circumstance doesn't really define who you are. It kind of reveals who you are in terms of how do you respond to the challenge that we have and the circumstance that we're in.
“So it's always a little more challenging, but I think that our players have had the right disposition and the right mindset about how they've approached it.”
Tony’s take: As I stated before, Saban is pleased with how his players have approached bowl prep. College football is changing dramatically, but it’s got to be nice for Saban to see some of the principles his program has been built on are still standing.
On if he enjoys coaching in the Sugar Bowl
“Well, I think that the big thing for me is, not me personally in terms of how I enjoy it, but the fact that the players get a lot of positive self‑gratification for having the opportunity. I think that's what bowl games are all about.
‘It's one of the great things about college football, is if you have a good season and you get rewarded by going to a first‑class quality bowl game like the Sugar Bowl, that's a great experience for the players.
“And I think my enjoyment comes from seeing them having the opportunity not only to play a great team, but also have some time to enjoy and have an experience that they have surrounding the bowl game.”
Tony’s take: Nick Saban is allowing his players to go out and experience New Orleans after finishing their team duties for the day. So far, players have done a good job of enjoying the sights while not getting into trouble.
On not having any opt-outs
“Well, I think it speaks volumes of the character of the players on your team who choose to play, because they've been great leaders of the team. They've been great contributors. They've set a good example for their teammates. They care about their teammates.
“They've been somebody that the players on the team can emulate by the example they set and how much they care to try to help them be successful for their benefit.
“And I think it's a great example that the best way to create value for yourself as a player is to play football. A lot of people say, I'm getting ready for the NFL. What you're really saying is you're getting ready for the combine. A lot of things you do at the combine are irrelevant to what you do playing football.
“And that's why some people get drafted in the sixth round, because maybe they didn't do such a good job at the combine, but there's some really significant things that they can do to play their position.
“I use the example of Tom Brady, who didn't run fast at the combine, didn't jump high, didn't bench press a lot, didn't do all of the things that they measure at the combine, but he can play quarterback.
“I think the way I try to approach it with our players is, the best thing you can do to create value for your future is to play really well against really good teams. And I think that's what our players have an opportunity to do. I'm very pleased that they chose to do this.
“But I think we have a responsibility and an obligation to take out as much risk as possible in terms of how we ensure the players so they don't have to do it with a lot of concern.”
Tony’s take: Saban has used the NFL Combine example several times this week, so it’s likely one he gave to his players as well. While injuries play a factor in player’s decisions, the opportunity to show out in a bowl game against quality competitoin can be beneficial to draft stock.
Do you think the 12‑team playoff is the fix that the college game needs?
“When you say fix, I don't know — what's broke? Let's talk about what's broke first, and that will determine whether a 12‑team playoff fixes it. What's broke?”
A lot of players not playing.
“Even though we didn't have any opt‑outs, we have 10 guys that got in the transfer portal. I gave them all the opportunity to play in the game if they wanted to and they didn't. So I don't know if that's a good thing for player, not to have to stay committed to their team for the entire season.
“So there's a lot of things in college football. I think that the transfer portal has created a real challenge for all of us in terms of how to manage rosters. Name, image, and likeness is something I think is great for the players, if we keep it in the concept of them being able to do that, and we start using it to get guys to come to certain schools based on how much money they can make.
“I'm not sure that's the reason you go to college is to create value for your future. So that's going to trickle down into high schools, in terms of some guy is going to say I'm not going to play for my team in high school because I'm going to get this much money to go somewhere to go to college.
“So I think those things are much greater issues that need at least some parameters. And I think that having the 12‑team playoff — I said this when we went to a four‑team playoff — it will minimize the importance of bowl games to some degree, and hopefully the bowl games will still be a part of the 12‑team playoff to some degree.
“I think from a fan perspective, there will be 20 teams people will be interested in towards the end of the season, because there will probably be that many teams that have an opportunity to get into the playoffs. And it seems from your standpoint, from a media standpoint ‑‑ I don't mean this in a negative way. All the focus and all the emphasis is on the playoffs and who has the opportunity to win a national championship.
“So how that gets implemented, I'm not sure. But I think from a fan perspective, that probably is a good thing. But I also think that fans relate to players, and if players don't have a commitment to a team, that's going to impact how fans relate to a team as well, I think.
“So all these things are probably issues that need to be addressed in the future. I'm not sure what the solutions are, but I'm sure there's people in positions, whether it's conference commissioners or even the federal government, because some of these things have been created by laws and lawsuits. And there's a lot of good in them, but there's also some guidelines that we probably need to institute.”
Tony’s take: It was interesting to hear that Saban provided transferring players the opportunity to play in the bowl game. It’s got to be frustrating for the team for players like Javion Cohen, who started 11 games, to opt out instead of waiting until the end of the season to announce his transfer to Miami. That being said, I think Alabama has moved on from its departures and should be fine for Saturday’s game.
As for the extended playoff, Saban has maintained that it will continue to diminish the bowl games. That being said, that’s just what college football is evolving into these days.
On the message sent by Will Anderson Jr. and Bryce Young by playing in the Sugar Bowl
“I think it goes back to a simple question: Why did you come to Alabama? If you came to Alabama because you wanted to be the best you could be as a person, a student, and a player, which is what we try to promote in the program, then this is just another opportunity for you to have a chance to do that in a very competitive situation against a very good team.
“But I do think it sends a very positive message to teammates when the leaders of the team — both guys are captains. One guy is the most inspirational player voted by his teammates. One is the most valuable player voted by his teammates.
“That they choose to continue to be a part of the team and put the team first, I think it sends a significant message to all players on our team in terms of the kind of commitment that they have and the example that they set in a positive way for what you can accomplish and what you can do.
Tony’s take: Wow, what an original question! By now we all get it. Will Anderson and Bryce Young are great guys and amazing leaders. What they are doing by playing in this game is really cool, and the team respects them for it.
On 5-foot-6, 175-pound Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn
“I think pound for pound, he's probably one of the best players, greatest competitors, toughest guys.
“So when we say we have parameters, that's all that it means. It doesn't mean that there's not an exception to every rule. You can say a cornerback needs to be 6‑foot tall, but there are guys who are 5'10" and 5'9" who go to the Pro Bowl.
“It's a parameter. It's not a killer. And there's a lot of things that you look at, whether it's what are the things you do well to play your position? What are the critical factors? What's the criteria? And the size, the speed part of it is just one part of that.
“Character and intelligence and all those things are a big part of how you evaluate players. And there's no one that we play against all year long that has better competitive character than the guy you just mentioned.”
Tony’s take: Alabama doesn’t typically feature 5-foot-6 backs, but that doesn’t mean Saban can’t appreciate Deuce Vaughn’s game. The speedy Kansas State running back has run for 1,425 yards and eight touchdowns this season while adding 378 yards and three more scores through the air.
On the challenges of roster management due to the early signing period and transfer portal
“Well, I think roster management is difficult year‑round, because what's going to happen after this game? What's going to happen in the end of April? The players can basically change any of these windows.
How many do you know are going to do it or you think might do it? And how do you replace them? It's difficult year‑round, not just now.
But when we started and said we're going to have an early signing period, many people said, including myself, that that would become the signing period or signing date, which it really kind of has. So there's only a few guys left out there that are going to make a decision in February.
So I don't think it's a bad thing. But we also had to move the whole recruiting calendar up because of that to have guys visiting in the summertime and more guys visit during the season.
So the normal time when people used to visit, December and January, is almost obsolete in terms of ‑‑ we may have one player that's going to visit in January as of right now. I'm talking about high school players.
So it is what it is. You have to be able to adapt to all these things if you're going to continue to be successful. And that's what we've tried to do.”
Tony’s take: Saban has spoken about this topic several times in the past. The last statement in his response sums up his approach the best: “It is what it is.” Saban has done a decent job adapting to the changes in college football and should continue to do so moving forward.
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