Hey y'all, I'm taking a page from Tony's book and testing out Benny's Breakdown. This week I analyzed what Nick Saban said during his Wednesday press conference and gave my thoughts on what he talked about. Let me know what you think.
Opening statement
“We had a really interesting speaker last night, Larry Fitzgerald. He made a point that I had never really ever thought of. One of the players asked him, ‘How did you stay motivated when you had so much success for so long?” He said, ‘I love the process. I love watching film, I love to practice. I caught extra balls before practice, I ran routes with the quarterback after practice. I love the process. Then when the game came, it was really, really easy.’ That’s kind of interesting. Some of our best players, some of our really good players we’ve had here, traditionally in the past, that’s exactly how they were.
“That’s exactly how a lot of the guys on our team right now who are really good players, that’s how they are. But we need to have everybody be that way. We don’t need anybody trying to get out of drills or practicing or whatever. And love the process of what it takes not to win a game but to do the things you need to do to be able to win a game. Not to do the things … Not just think about being a starter but what do you do to be a starter? What does a starter act like? How does a starter practice? How does a starter go about being responsible to do his job?
“I think that was a really good message and I think it’s a message that, and Larry made a point of this, it’s the same thing in your life. Being a good parent, husband, doing a good job in whatever it is you do. So it was kind of interesting. I get asked a lot, and I never ever thought of this. How do you stay motivated? I never really can answer it. But I love the process. I love practicing, I like getting ready for practice, I like coaching the players on the field, trying to get them to play as good as they can be so that they have the best chance to be successful, we have the best chance to be successful, so hopefully we can get a whole team full of guys getting ready to do that.
“The only injury we have is JoJo (Earle) got a Jones fracture in his foot in practice a couple of days ago. Those things are probably 6-8 weeks. We just have to see how it goes. Hopefully, by maybe October 1st or something like that, he will be close to being ready to come back. He was doing a really, really good job. Having a really good camp. Probably the best he has been on a consistent basis. Just saw a guy that grew up and was playing with a lot of confidence. We'll miss him for a while. We want him to get well, and I'm sure he will contribute to the team at some point and time this year.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Alabama’s star-studded guest speaker list has had some big names from across the sports landscape. With the addition of Michael Phelps last week and Larry Fitzgerald on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide have prioritized hearing from the best of the best and how they approach their sport. Fitzgerald’s comes at a perfect time of the season. Saban makes it a point to preach putting the program before the individual. Wednesday’s opening statement was the perfect opportunity for the 16-year head coach to speak to players who may have strayed away from that ideology.
The news of Earle’s injury is a big blow for a wide receiver group that is essentially starting over. With Jameson Williams, John Metchie III and Slade Bolden leaving for the NFL, all eyes were on Jermaine Burton, Tyler Harrell, Traeshon Holden, Earle, Ja’Corey Brooks and others to battle for playing time. Tony wrote Harrell’s progress has gone a bit slower this fall, but Saban also highlighted Brooks as a player that could fill in for the injures Earle. Time will tell which receivers emerge from the pack, and we’ll be watching it every step of the way.
On the evolution of tight ends and how they flex out with wide receiver skills
“Well, I actually say a tight end is … back when I was coaching at the Houston Oilers, a tight end in the National Football League was a guy who put his hand in the dirt beside the tackle. If you talk to Ozzie Newsome who is a great friend and an Alabama guy, a really good player here for a long time and then in the NFL, that’s what he did. But now, a tight end is really three things. A tight end does that sometimes, a tight end flexes out and plays like a wide receiver sometimes, a tight end is in an off-the-ball position and he does a lot of things the old-fashioned fullback used to do. So it’s kind of difficult to find someone who has the skill set to do all three of those things well. We’ve had some really good tight ends around here. I’m encouraged by the guys we’ve been able to recruit, the young guys that we brought in this year. But they have to focus on their development and develop a little better understanding of the offense, but I think they have really good ability.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Similar to Earle’s injury, the loss of Cameron Latu for “multiple weeks” has strained Alabama’s depth at tight end. In his breakout 2021 campaign, Latu showed off his pass-catching ability snagging 26 catches for 410 yards and setting the single-season mark for touchdowns with eight. Despite his production, Latu doesn’t fit the mold of the new tight end. Jaleel Billingsley was cut from that cloth acting like a fourth wide receiver for the Crimson Tide.
True freshman Amari Niblack, Elijah Brown and Danny Lewis Jr. are also talented tight ends that could earn playing time with Latu out.
On how are the wide receivers have progressed since last season
“Well, I've already talked about JoJo (Earle). Ja'Corey Brooks is doing really well. Very competitive, smart, plays with a lot of toughness, very physical, doing a good job. Has got really good hands. And all the other guys, they're making progress. They're better or they're getting better. I think they're doing a pretty good, job but I think there's a lot of competition at that position between new guys, transfer guys, freshmen, old guys coming in, so be interesting to see how they do when we scrimmage on Saturday.
“You know I'm kind of different than everybody else. You know, all of these coaches we got, they want to get in the huddle and tell everybody what to do. Unless they let you get in the game and tell them what to do, we got a problem. So sometimes you gotta let the players play. So when we go to a scrimmage, we'll see what they know. We'll see how they do. How much confidence they play with and that'll go a long way for us to make an evaluation of is this guy, where is he in his development relative to being ready to play winning football for us.”
Benny’s Breakdown: As stated earlier the loss of Earle, opens up the door for the rest of the receiver room to prove they deserve to be one of the three starters. Brooks’ development at camp and his play late last season, make him an early favorite to start, but I wouldn’t count out Traeshon Holden. His 6-foot-3 frame is hard to ignore especially when Alabama gets into the redzone. Regardless of who starts, expect Alabama to implement some sort of rotation. The coaches have preached getting the best players on the field no matter the situation, and I don’t expect that to change.
On how is the defense helped by defending Jahmyr Gibbs
“I think everybody is helped by the quality of players that we have on offense and defense. Patrick Surtain would probably tell you you know I covered Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, Smitty, Jaylen Waddle, every day in practice for three years. How many guys that I played against in a game that was any better than those guys based on where they got drafted and all that and how much production they had? So I think you know iron sort of sharpens iron at every position. You know, Cam Robinson won the Outland Trophy playing left tackle round here, and the guy playing right end he won the Nagurski to Gursky, Jonathan Allen.
“They practiced against each other every day for three years. So it helps everybody get better when you have good players. Jahmyr Gibbs plays at a different speed. He breaks contain on the defense, that's good for the defense. So when we play against a good back that has great speed, you know, maybe we can keep the leverage on him better. So it not only helps Henry, it probably helps everybody on the defensive team, and I think it helps every position that players get challenged in practice, and they have to do things correctly and create good habits so they have the best chance to be successful in a game.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Gibbs wowed everyone in attendance at A-Day, when he broke off a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. His blistering speed is evident, but coaches and defenders, such as Will Anderson and Henry To’o To’o, made note of his pass-catching ability. It has made their jobs tougher at practice, but it harkens back to one of Saban’s favorite sayings: Iron sharpens iron. Gibbs is one of the most prolific pass-catching running backs in the country, and while he may be tough to stop in practice, it has only made the defense better in the long run.
On JC Latham’s progression
“Well, he's made a lot of progress. He's a lot more confident. He's very physical. I think he's got a better understanding of what he's supposed to do? Why it's important to do it that way. How are we supposed to do it. And he's playing extremely well. I'm pleased with both tackles so far in camp.”
Benny’s Breakdown: From starting as a true freshman and making 14 appearances in 2021, Latham has made tremendous strides since the onset of fall camp. It’s welcome news as Latham will look to bring stability to a shaky offensive line. If he continues to progress and has consistent performances as he did against Cincinnati, Latham could add his name alongside NFL starters such as Evan Neal, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Alex Leatherwood.
On the kicking game
“Well, we had to play inside so if we can evaluate how that looks going up in the net. I couldn't tell you, but it's been good when we've been outside. Just unfortunately, like we were outside today, but we got chased in by the storm. And we got chased in right when the kicking period was coming. So we ended up kicking in the net and I really can't, it's hard to evaluate. But in all the specialty periods and individual periods, the kicking has been good and the kickers have been really I think improved and Will is that very consistent as usual.”
Benny’s Breakdown: For the first time in a while, Alabama fans may not have to be so worried about field goals and punts. Will Reichard returns after finishing No. 5 in the nation in points scored. Along with his consistency with extra points, Reichard racked up 6,264 yards on 106 kickoffs to average 59.1 yards per boot with 59 touchbacks. He’ll look to elevate his performance to another level. If that happens, he could be hoisting the Lou Groza Award at the end of the season.
The same could not be said for James Burnip who had an average 2021 season. While he forced 23 fair catches and dropped 15 punts inside the 20-yard-line, Burnip averaged less than 40 yards per punt last season. Burnip will have to be more consistent this season as Saban stresses the importance of field position and will need to rely on his punter to achieve it.
On the progression of Chris Braswell
“Bras is a good player. He's a good rusher. He's got great first-step quickness, he can turn speed to power. He's got a much better understanding of what he's supposed to do on defense playing outside 'backer. It takes guys a little bit of time who have their hands in the dirt all the time when they're in high school and then we try to teach them how to play standing up, which is a good fit for a lot of guys. Because they're not really big enough to be defensive ends, especially at the next level.
“So if they can play outside 'backer and then they can rush on third down that creates tremendous value when they learn how to play standing up. And he has learned that and he's improved that you know the past coverage part of it. But he's a really good rusher, got great first step quickness. And look you can be quick and fast, but if you can't turn speed to power, you're never going to be an effective rusher, and he can do that really well. So I think we have three guys there right now that are really good players and outside 'backer.”
Benny’s Breakdown: When Pete Golding announced on Sunday that he’s looking to get all three outside linebackers — Will Anderson, Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell — on the field at the same time, Alabama fans perked up to listen for more. Braswell is the unknown entity of the trio as Anderson and Turner both had breakout seasons for the Crimson Tide in 2021.
Although Anderson and Turner will be tough to contain if Braswell can find his game, Alabama’s defense will become way more versatile. It will allow Golding to show off his scheme and fans will be treated to a live game of football chess on Saturdays.
On if they’re any kick and punt return standouts
Well, Jahmyr has done a really good job as a kickoff returner. I think we’re trying to develop depth behind him. JoJo did some punt returning last year, he had made a significant amount of improvement in judgment, fielding the balls and all those types of things. So, we were encouraged by that. Kool-Aid’s been back there, Jermaine Burton’s been back there. So, we’ll just have to see. The number one important thing on punt return is possession of the ball. So, we’d like to get a first down and average over 10 yards a punt return, that’s great for field position, but possession of the ball has to be the most important thing, so the guy that’s going to be the most consistent fielder is going to be the guy who has the opportunity to do it until JoJo gets back.
Benny’s Breakdown: If the loss of Earle isn’t already painful enough, get ready for it to sting a little more. Earle contributed as a punt returner last season, recording 15 punt returns for 88 combined yards, and was the favorite to lock down that crucial position again. With him sidelined, Saban said the team has tried McKinstry and Burton at that spot, but it’s too early to tell where the team will go from here.
On his evergrowing coaching tree
I’m happy for all those guys. They did a fantastic job when they were here. That’s why we had a successful team. They did a great job with their relationships with the players, teaching the players and preparing the players to play the game so that we could be successful. And it’s no surprise to me that any of them, because of their leadership qualities, they’re all very bright guys, they had a lot of success and they did a good job here for us because that’s what they aspired to be. So, I'm happy to see them have the opportunities to do it and in many cases doing a really, really good job of it so I’m happy for them. It’s not about me, I’m happy for them. We have some very good coaches on our staff now and hopefully, they’ll get some opportunities if we can continue to have success, I think that enhances that.
Benny’s Breakdown: Saban’s coaching tree is legendary at this point. With six of his assistant coaches from the 2015 team, now serving as head coaches, Saban has 13 former coaches that now lead their own programs. That number may soon increase to 14 next season as Bill O'Brien will have his name in the rumor mill as an NFL coach, or possibly another stint at the collegiate level.
On the leadership dynamics of Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr.
Well, I don’t like to compare players but one thing that the two of those guys have in common, they’re both great competitors. They might have a different personality, but when you get on the field and start playing, they’re great competitors. They prepare well, they understand what they’re supposed to do and they understand what everybody else is supposed to do. They’re trying to help other players on their side of the ball play better, especially with effort and toughness and knowing what to do and how to execute it. So, they both do that well, they have different personalities and they both have great personalities but when it comes to being competitive, they’re a lot alike.
Benny’s Breakdown: Any coach will tell you that it’s imperative for players to lead the locker room. The thought is that if a coach has to be a motivator, a team isn’t unified and therefore will not be as successful. It also helps when two of your best players not only accept that responsibility but also go through the hardship of losing in a national championship game.
Anderson made it apparent when he spoke to the media on Tuesday that because of the “participation trophy” sitting in the cafeteria, it’s an easy reminder of the job at hand. Young and Anderson are known for their extreme competitiveness and with both juniors at the helm, it will be difficult to shake Alabama’s focus going into 2022.
Opening statement
“We had a really interesting speaker last night, Larry Fitzgerald. He made a point that I had never really ever thought of. One of the players asked him, ‘How did you stay motivated when you had so much success for so long?” He said, ‘I love the process. I love watching film, I love to practice. I caught extra balls before practice, I ran routes with the quarterback after practice. I love the process. Then when the game came, it was really, really easy.’ That’s kind of interesting. Some of our best players, some of our really good players we’ve had here, traditionally in the past, that’s exactly how they were.
“That’s exactly how a lot of the guys on our team right now who are really good players, that’s how they are. But we need to have everybody be that way. We don’t need anybody trying to get out of drills or practicing or whatever. And love the process of what it takes not to win a game but to do the things you need to do to be able to win a game. Not to do the things … Not just think about being a starter but what do you do to be a starter? What does a starter act like? How does a starter practice? How does a starter go about being responsible to do his job?
“I think that was a really good message and I think it’s a message that, and Larry made a point of this, it’s the same thing in your life. Being a good parent, husband, doing a good job in whatever it is you do. So it was kind of interesting. I get asked a lot, and I never ever thought of this. How do you stay motivated? I never really can answer it. But I love the process. I love practicing, I like getting ready for practice, I like coaching the players on the field, trying to get them to play as good as they can be so that they have the best chance to be successful, we have the best chance to be successful, so hopefully we can get a whole team full of guys getting ready to do that.
“The only injury we have is JoJo (Earle) got a Jones fracture in his foot in practice a couple of days ago. Those things are probably 6-8 weeks. We just have to see how it goes. Hopefully, by maybe October 1st or something like that, he will be close to being ready to come back. He was doing a really, really good job. Having a really good camp. Probably the best he has been on a consistent basis. Just saw a guy that grew up and was playing with a lot of confidence. We'll miss him for a while. We want him to get well, and I'm sure he will contribute to the team at some point and time this year.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Alabama’s star-studded guest speaker list has had some big names from across the sports landscape. With the addition of Michael Phelps last week and Larry Fitzgerald on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide have prioritized hearing from the best of the best and how they approach their sport. Fitzgerald’s comes at a perfect time of the season. Saban makes it a point to preach putting the program before the individual. Wednesday’s opening statement was the perfect opportunity for the 16-year head coach to speak to players who may have strayed away from that ideology.
The news of Earle’s injury is a big blow for a wide receiver group that is essentially starting over. With Jameson Williams, John Metchie III and Slade Bolden leaving for the NFL, all eyes were on Jermaine Burton, Tyler Harrell, Traeshon Holden, Earle, Ja’Corey Brooks and others to battle for playing time. Tony wrote Harrell’s progress has gone a bit slower this fall, but Saban also highlighted Brooks as a player that could fill in for the injures Earle. Time will tell which receivers emerge from the pack, and we’ll be watching it every step of the way.
On the evolution of tight ends and how they flex out with wide receiver skills
“Well, I actually say a tight end is … back when I was coaching at the Houston Oilers, a tight end in the National Football League was a guy who put his hand in the dirt beside the tackle. If you talk to Ozzie Newsome who is a great friend and an Alabama guy, a really good player here for a long time and then in the NFL, that’s what he did. But now, a tight end is really three things. A tight end does that sometimes, a tight end flexes out and plays like a wide receiver sometimes, a tight end is in an off-the-ball position and he does a lot of things the old-fashioned fullback used to do. So it’s kind of difficult to find someone who has the skill set to do all three of those things well. We’ve had some really good tight ends around here. I’m encouraged by the guys we’ve been able to recruit, the young guys that we brought in this year. But they have to focus on their development and develop a little better understanding of the offense, but I think they have really good ability.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Similar to Earle’s injury, the loss of Cameron Latu for “multiple weeks” has strained Alabama’s depth at tight end. In his breakout 2021 campaign, Latu showed off his pass-catching ability snagging 26 catches for 410 yards and setting the single-season mark for touchdowns with eight. Despite his production, Latu doesn’t fit the mold of the new tight end. Jaleel Billingsley was cut from that cloth acting like a fourth wide receiver for the Crimson Tide.
True freshman Amari Niblack, Elijah Brown and Danny Lewis Jr. are also talented tight ends that could earn playing time with Latu out.
On how are the wide receivers have progressed since last season
“Well, I've already talked about JoJo (Earle). Ja'Corey Brooks is doing really well. Very competitive, smart, plays with a lot of toughness, very physical, doing a good job. Has got really good hands. And all the other guys, they're making progress. They're better or they're getting better. I think they're doing a pretty good, job but I think there's a lot of competition at that position between new guys, transfer guys, freshmen, old guys coming in, so be interesting to see how they do when we scrimmage on Saturday.
“You know I'm kind of different than everybody else. You know, all of these coaches we got, they want to get in the huddle and tell everybody what to do. Unless they let you get in the game and tell them what to do, we got a problem. So sometimes you gotta let the players play. So when we go to a scrimmage, we'll see what they know. We'll see how they do. How much confidence they play with and that'll go a long way for us to make an evaluation of is this guy, where is he in his development relative to being ready to play winning football for us.”
Benny’s Breakdown: As stated earlier the loss of Earle, opens up the door for the rest of the receiver room to prove they deserve to be one of the three starters. Brooks’ development at camp and his play late last season, make him an early favorite to start, but I wouldn’t count out Traeshon Holden. His 6-foot-3 frame is hard to ignore especially when Alabama gets into the redzone. Regardless of who starts, expect Alabama to implement some sort of rotation. The coaches have preached getting the best players on the field no matter the situation, and I don’t expect that to change.
On how is the defense helped by defending Jahmyr Gibbs
“I think everybody is helped by the quality of players that we have on offense and defense. Patrick Surtain would probably tell you you know I covered Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, Smitty, Jaylen Waddle, every day in practice for three years. How many guys that I played against in a game that was any better than those guys based on where they got drafted and all that and how much production they had? So I think you know iron sort of sharpens iron at every position. You know, Cam Robinson won the Outland Trophy playing left tackle round here, and the guy playing right end he won the Nagurski to Gursky, Jonathan Allen.
“They practiced against each other every day for three years. So it helps everybody get better when you have good players. Jahmyr Gibbs plays at a different speed. He breaks contain on the defense, that's good for the defense. So when we play against a good back that has great speed, you know, maybe we can keep the leverage on him better. So it not only helps Henry, it probably helps everybody on the defensive team, and I think it helps every position that players get challenged in practice, and they have to do things correctly and create good habits so they have the best chance to be successful in a game.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Gibbs wowed everyone in attendance at A-Day, when he broke off a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. His blistering speed is evident, but coaches and defenders, such as Will Anderson and Henry To’o To’o, made note of his pass-catching ability. It has made their jobs tougher at practice, but it harkens back to one of Saban’s favorite sayings: Iron sharpens iron. Gibbs is one of the most prolific pass-catching running backs in the country, and while he may be tough to stop in practice, it has only made the defense better in the long run.
On JC Latham’s progression
“Well, he's made a lot of progress. He's a lot more confident. He's very physical. I think he's got a better understanding of what he's supposed to do? Why it's important to do it that way. How are we supposed to do it. And he's playing extremely well. I'm pleased with both tackles so far in camp.”
Benny’s Breakdown: From starting as a true freshman and making 14 appearances in 2021, Latham has made tremendous strides since the onset of fall camp. It’s welcome news as Latham will look to bring stability to a shaky offensive line. If he continues to progress and has consistent performances as he did against Cincinnati, Latham could add his name alongside NFL starters such as Evan Neal, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Alex Leatherwood.
On the kicking game
“Well, we had to play inside so if we can evaluate how that looks going up in the net. I couldn't tell you, but it's been good when we've been outside. Just unfortunately, like we were outside today, but we got chased in by the storm. And we got chased in right when the kicking period was coming. So we ended up kicking in the net and I really can't, it's hard to evaluate. But in all the specialty periods and individual periods, the kicking has been good and the kickers have been really I think improved and Will is that very consistent as usual.”
Benny’s Breakdown: For the first time in a while, Alabama fans may not have to be so worried about field goals and punts. Will Reichard returns after finishing No. 5 in the nation in points scored. Along with his consistency with extra points, Reichard racked up 6,264 yards on 106 kickoffs to average 59.1 yards per boot with 59 touchbacks. He’ll look to elevate his performance to another level. If that happens, he could be hoisting the Lou Groza Award at the end of the season.
The same could not be said for James Burnip who had an average 2021 season. While he forced 23 fair catches and dropped 15 punts inside the 20-yard-line, Burnip averaged less than 40 yards per punt last season. Burnip will have to be more consistent this season as Saban stresses the importance of field position and will need to rely on his punter to achieve it.
On the progression of Chris Braswell
“Bras is a good player. He's a good rusher. He's got great first-step quickness, he can turn speed to power. He's got a much better understanding of what he's supposed to do on defense playing outside 'backer. It takes guys a little bit of time who have their hands in the dirt all the time when they're in high school and then we try to teach them how to play standing up, which is a good fit for a lot of guys. Because they're not really big enough to be defensive ends, especially at the next level.
“So if they can play outside 'backer and then they can rush on third down that creates tremendous value when they learn how to play standing up. And he has learned that and he's improved that you know the past coverage part of it. But he's a really good rusher, got great first step quickness. And look you can be quick and fast, but if you can't turn speed to power, you're never going to be an effective rusher, and he can do that really well. So I think we have three guys there right now that are really good players and outside 'backer.”
Benny’s Breakdown: When Pete Golding announced on Sunday that he’s looking to get all three outside linebackers — Will Anderson, Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell — on the field at the same time, Alabama fans perked up to listen for more. Braswell is the unknown entity of the trio as Anderson and Turner both had breakout seasons for the Crimson Tide in 2021.
Although Anderson and Turner will be tough to contain if Braswell can find his game, Alabama’s defense will become way more versatile. It will allow Golding to show off his scheme and fans will be treated to a live game of football chess on Saturdays.
On if they’re any kick and punt return standouts
Well, Jahmyr has done a really good job as a kickoff returner. I think we’re trying to develop depth behind him. JoJo did some punt returning last year, he had made a significant amount of improvement in judgment, fielding the balls and all those types of things. So, we were encouraged by that. Kool-Aid’s been back there, Jermaine Burton’s been back there. So, we’ll just have to see. The number one important thing on punt return is possession of the ball. So, we’d like to get a first down and average over 10 yards a punt return, that’s great for field position, but possession of the ball has to be the most important thing, so the guy that’s going to be the most consistent fielder is going to be the guy who has the opportunity to do it until JoJo gets back.
Benny’s Breakdown: If the loss of Earle isn’t already painful enough, get ready for it to sting a little more. Earle contributed as a punt returner last season, recording 15 punt returns for 88 combined yards, and was the favorite to lock down that crucial position again. With him sidelined, Saban said the team has tried McKinstry and Burton at that spot, but it’s too early to tell where the team will go from here.
On his evergrowing coaching tree
I’m happy for all those guys. They did a fantastic job when they were here. That’s why we had a successful team. They did a great job with their relationships with the players, teaching the players and preparing the players to play the game so that we could be successful. And it’s no surprise to me that any of them, because of their leadership qualities, they’re all very bright guys, they had a lot of success and they did a good job here for us because that’s what they aspired to be. So, I'm happy to see them have the opportunities to do it and in many cases doing a really, really good job of it so I’m happy for them. It’s not about me, I’m happy for them. We have some very good coaches on our staff now and hopefully, they’ll get some opportunities if we can continue to have success, I think that enhances that.
Benny’s Breakdown: Saban’s coaching tree is legendary at this point. With six of his assistant coaches from the 2015 team, now serving as head coaches, Saban has 13 former coaches that now lead their own programs. That number may soon increase to 14 next season as Bill O'Brien will have his name in the rumor mill as an NFL coach, or possibly another stint at the collegiate level.
On the leadership dynamics of Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr.
Well, I don’t like to compare players but one thing that the two of those guys have in common, they’re both great competitors. They might have a different personality, but when you get on the field and start playing, they’re great competitors. They prepare well, they understand what they’re supposed to do and they understand what everybody else is supposed to do. They’re trying to help other players on their side of the ball play better, especially with effort and toughness and knowing what to do and how to execute it. So, they both do that well, they have different personalities and they both have great personalities but when it comes to being competitive, they’re a lot alike.
Benny’s Breakdown: Any coach will tell you that it’s imperative for players to lead the locker room. The thought is that if a coach has to be a motivator, a team isn’t unified and therefore will not be as successful. It also helps when two of your best players not only accept that responsibility but also go through the hardship of losing in a national championship game.
Anderson made it apparent when he spoke to the media on Tuesday that because of the “participation trophy” sitting in the cafeteria, it’s an easy reminder of the job at hand. Young and Anderson are known for their extreme competitiveness and with both juniors at the helm, it will be difficult to shake Alabama’s focus going into 2022.
