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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It might be Nick Saban’s birthday, but the head coach was all business as he spoke to reporters during his Monday press conference ahead of No. 6 Alabama’s trip to No. 15 LSU this weekend. Here’s a transcript of what he said as well as my takes on what it means.
Opening statement
So we had a good work week last week. Really tried to emphasize with the players, what are you going to attach yourself to for the upcoming challenges for the rest of the season? It’s a great time to do a little self-assessment of what we need to do to get a little more consistent execution, whether it’s individual players – systematically, offense, defense, special teams. So we really need to come together as a team versus a good opponent.
Tony’s take: Saban has been calling for some self-assessment from his players for a few weeks now. The open week was a good opportunity to do that, so it will interesting to see how players respond over the next month. Alabama faces a difficult trip to LSU this week before traveling tot Ole Miss next week. If the Crimson Tide can win both those games, it will repeat as SEC West champions for the third straight year.
On LSU
And that’s obviously going to be really important for this game versus LSU, who right now is probably playing as well as anybody in the country. They’re very well-coached. This game has always got significant implications – they’re always ranked, we’re always ranked. It’s kind of a rivalry game that’s always a really important match-up. Brian Kelly has done an outstanding job there bringing his team along, improving each week. Jayden Daniels is one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country with his ability to run the ball, rush the ball. Very effective, efficient passer. They’ve got really good running backs. They’ve got a whole corps of receivers that have 20 or more catches that all do a good job in terms of getting open, catching the ball, run after catch. Very good systematic scheme on offense. Their defense is allowing, like, 21 points a game which is one of the tops in the country. They’re aggressive, they’ve got good rushers, they’re athletic. They’ve got good cover guys in the secondary, and they’ve got good skill guys on special teams. Their specialists are very, very good so very challenging game all around for us. We’re gonna have to do a great job of paying attention to detail, preparing for the game so we can get more consistent execution and play for 60 minutes in the game.
Tony’s take: This is a different LSU team than the one that lost to Florida State in the opening week of the season. The question is, how different? As Saban mentioned, Jayden Daniels is one of the best quarterbacks Alabama will face this year. The Arizona State transfer has completed 69.9% of his passes for 1,812 yards and 12 touchdowns with an interception and is also leading the Tigers with 524 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
LSU is coming off its best performance of the year as it shut out Ole Miss in the second half while finishing the game with 28 unanswered points in a 45-20 victory. While Alabama is currently favored by 12.5 points this week, the Tigers have the talent to make this game close.
On the diagnosis for Alabama’s inconsistent running game?
“Well, it obviously wasn’t very good in the last game. It needs to improve and I think there’s a couple things. We’ve got to have a little more diversity in what we’re doing as well as being able to execute it a little better on a more consistent basis.”
Tony’s takes: Alabama entered its game against Mississippi State leading the nation in yards per carry but was able to manage just 29 yards on 27 attempts during its 30-6 win over the Bulldogs. While the Crimson Tide could stand to get more creative in its run packages, it also needs more production from its backs. Outside of starter Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama’s running backs have gained 31 yards on 15 carries the past two weeks.
On the status of D.J. Dale and Jaheim Oatis?
“Yeah, I think both guys are going to start back to practice this week. We’ll kind of, you know, determine how they do during the course of the week and what their availability will be when the game comes.”
Tony’s takes: Dale and Oatis weren’t dressed out for Alabama’s win over Mississippi State with Saban describing the defensive linemen as “day-to-day.” Alabama is already thin on the defensive line as senior Justin Eboigbe is out for the season with a neck injury.
Last week, Oatis posted a photo of himself with the caption of “Be Right Back.” The freshman has been Alabama’s brightest newcomer on defense, making five starts over seven games while recording 20 tackles, including a sack, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. Dale has also played in seven games, recording eight tackles with two sacks. The
On Eli Ricks’ progress before MSU and the confidence he gained
“Yeah, I think so. I think fundamentally we worked really hard to get Eli to understand the expectation for what we want him to do, to have a good understanding of the scheme of how we’re playing and what we’re playing. I think he’s developed confidence throughout the season as he’s learned more and gotten more comfortable. I think he played well the last game, so hopefully he can build on that. But I think it’s important that he just goes into this game and bes himself and doesn’t think he has to do something fantastic just because he’s playing against a team he used to play for. I think that’s always important psychologically for guys to be able to focus on what’s in front of them and do their job well.”
Tony’s takes: After failing to see the field much on defense earlier this season, Ricks broke out against Mississippi State, allowing just one reception for 19 yards on 10 passes thrown his way while tallying four pass deflections in the process. The LSU transfer will likely retain the starting role at cornerback across from Kool-Aid McKinstry this week as he goes up against his old team. While it is sure to be an emotionally-charged game for the junior, he’ll have to keep his head during his return trip to Baton Rouge.
On the carryover from Notre Dame for Brian Kelly?
“Well, they’re always very well-coached. They’re always physical. This will be a physical game. They always have balance on offense. They’re going to run the ball. They got a very good throwing scheme. Utilizing the personnel that they have very, very well. They’ve historically played very well on defense and special teams. It’s typical of what a well-coached team usually does. They’ve gotten to the point where – and all of his teams have been this way – they don’t beat themselves. You’ve got to execute and beat them, and I think that’s got to be the focus for our team.’
Tony’s takes: It will take a while for Kelly to shape his roster at LSU. However, the first-year coach already has the Tigers looking like future contenders.
On defending mobile QBs
“Well I think it’s very challenging to play against quarterbacks who are dual-threat type of guys and this is obviously going to be a big challenge for us. I think that it’s something where the emphasis has to be on all 11 guys really doing what they need to do whether it’s pass rush lanes, whether it’s how you cover people, keeping contain of the quarterback, keep him in the pocket whether even when he steps up, you can retrace the rush so there’s a lot of elements to doing this. You just can’t rush and think you’re going to get a sack and get pushed by the quarterback and then he’s going to have lanes to run in. So all of these things are going to be real points of emphasis for us all week long so that we have a chance to contain a guy that’s a very good passer but he can also beat you with his feet.”
Tony’s take: Alabama has had mixed results against mobile quarterbacks this year. The Crimson Tide was able to keep Arkansas’ K.J. Jefferson at bay, limiting him to 155 yards and touchdown through the air and 38 more yards on the ground. Alabama had far less success against Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker as the Heisman contender passed for 385 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 56 more yards.
Daniels is the best running quarterback Alabama has faced this season and is also efficient through the air. He could give the Crimson Tide’s defense fits if it isn’t disciplined Saturday night.
On if he enjoys playing in Tiger Stadium at night
“Well it’s great. They have a great tradition there. They have a great atmosphere. It’s always challenging to play on the road in this league, anywhere you play. Obviously this is one of the more challenging places. All the more reason to have great focus and attention to detail. We can’t beat ourselves. We have to be able to have enough poise to be able to execute in this kind of environment, not let it affect us in terms of how we go about one play at a time and how we want to execute and get things done.”
Tony’s take: Alabama is already well-versed in playing on the road this season having made difficult trips to Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee. Still, few players on the Crimson Tide’s roster have experienced a full crowd in Death Valley.
On what makes Alabama’s hard to pick up for DBs and how much Eli Ricks has improved mentally
“Um well I talked about how he progressed throughout the course of the year. I don’t really think our defense is that complicated to pick up but I think it’s a challenge for any new player coming in to learn any new system. So we play zone, we play man, we play pattern match man, which is what most people play. So I don’t see why it’s more difficult. Every player develops at his own pace. Sometimes when guys played in other systems, they have to recalibrate what they already know to what they’re trying to learn. That can be a challenge for some players as well.”
Tony’s take: Saban is downplaying the difficulty of his own defense. There might be a lot of teams who practice the same concepts as Alabama, but the Crimson Tide has one of the most complex schemes in college football. That could have contributed to Ricks’ slow start this year. Now that the LSU transfer seems to have found his footing, he could provide the impact he was projected to at the beginning of the season.
On how the bye week helps renew the team’s spirit
“You never know how a bye week is going to affect a team. Hopefully it gave us a chance to get guys healthy. I think psychologically it gives you a chance to recalibrate a little bit, give you a little break but it’s still going to come down to what I said earlier. What are you attaching yourself to? That means what’s going into your head. Are you thinking about the internet and what other people think or the self-gratification you get from being productive and doing a good job. So the focus is so important, I think regardless of whether you’re coming off a bye week or playing week in and week out, to be able to sustain that, recapture it, regain it. Momentum, whatever you want to call it. It’s important to do in a game. It’s important to do in a season and it’s important to do when you come off a bye week.”
Tony’s take: This goes back to Saban’s opening statement. The open week appears to have come at a good time for Alabama as it could build off a solid win over Mississippi State while recovering from eight straight weeks of games. There was still plenty for the Crimson Tid fix, but it should have the momentum it needs to make a strong push heading into the final month of the regular season.
On how impressive it is to see LSU adjusting to Brian Kelly
“Well I think good coaching is good teaching and I think when you have good teaching, players do adapt and they do improve and they do adjust. I think the team is playing with a lot more discipline and they’re really focused on what they have to do. I think they believe in each other. I think they believe and trust in the coaching staff they have and that’s why they made the progress that they’ve made.”
Tony’s take: As stated earlier, Kelly is already off to an impressive start at LSU. Given Texas A&M’s trajectory, LSU could soon once again become Alabama’s biggest threat in the SEC West.
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