Hey y’all, here’s a new thing I’m going to try out where I break down Nick Saban’s press conference while providing my takes on each of his answers. Let me know what you think.
"We've had some really good speakers here the last couple of nights. If you sort of boil it down to what's the message, it's all about choices. Michael Phelps spoke last night and talked about your actions speak louder than your words. You have a short window to really accomplish things as an athlete, because it's not something you can do your entire life, at least as football players. So make a commitment to doing things that you need to do on and off the field that's going to help you be successful. That's also been the message from everybody else. It comes down to choices and decisions. So the kind of choices and decisions the individuals on our team make is going to make the team what it is. We have some good pieces.
"It's kind of interesting to me that I see articles every day that, you all have decided already what kind of team we're going to have, what the expectations are for the team. I think in some ways this creates a much more difficult challenge to have players be hungry, try to prove what they can do together as a group. But it is a challenge that we're willing to deal with and hopefully we've got the right kind of leadership on our team to be able to overcome some of that so that we can avoid complacency and stay focused on doing the right things, deal with success if we have success, be able to deal with frustrations if we have failures. I think how we manage all those kind of things will determine what kind of team we really have.
"You asked me about injuries the other day. Obviously Cam Latu is the guy that you asked me about. He has a minor knee injury, he's going to be out a couple of weeks. I don't know exactly how long that is. It happened about 10 days ago. These things usually go day to day.
"We had [Isaiah] Hastings came in with an injury, we fix. He'll be back shortly probably. Elijah Pritchett tore his pec in the weight room a while back in the summer so he'll be out for a little while. Earl Little had a shoulder injury that was bothering him so we decided to fix it, so he'll be out for a little while as well. Aaron Anderson has a little knee injury but he'll probably be back in a few weeks as well. Those are kind of all the guys on our team that have issues. Four of them are freshmen.
"We're just kind of trying to get better each and every day and challenge guys to be the best they can be on a consistent basis.
Tony’s take: As usual, Saban’s opening message is just as much to his own players as it is to the media. It’s not surprising to see him stress on the mental side of the game early in camp as he looks to set the tone for his team. Saban points toward consistency, effort, mental toughness and sustainability — all pillars of Alabama’s offseason approach. He also brings up a message from gold-medalist swimmer Michael Phelps which is centered around urgency and commitment, two other qualities Saban is looking for in his players.
I’m not sure Saban actually reads the articles we write about the team, but it’s not surprising to see him shrug off the early praise this unit has received. While he didn’t use the term “rat poison,” he did mention that positive press “creates a much more difficult challenge to have players be hungry, try to prove what they can do together as a group.” Remember, this is a team that is currently putting its runner-up trophy on display in the cafeteria to remind players of last season’s national championship loss to Georgia. While Alabama might say it wants to focus on the future, Saban and the staff certainly won’t mind if its players enter the season with a chip on their shoulders.
As far as injuries are concerned, it’s interesting that Saban openly revealed the status of a few players after stating he wouldn’t give injury updates. I think this is more about controlling the information moving forward instead of letting things leak out by the press. For what it’s worth, Saban is generally open with his injury information compared to a lot of college coaches. It’s one thing I appreciate about him.
I won’t get into speculation over the extent of any of the injuries. However, when Saban says “a few weeks,” it doesn’t necessarily mean three or four. It could definitely be longer for some of these guys, particularly Pritchett and Little, who appear to have had surgery.
"Will and Bryce are great. They do a good job every day in practice. They're very focused on what they want to do, what they want to accomplish. These guys are sort of driven individuals. That's why they've had the success that they've had to this point. But I haven't seen any indications at all that they're not continuing with that same drive to be the best that they can be. They continue to set good examples for other players on the team. They're not an issue. I thnk their leadership has been very, very helpful in helping other players actually continue to make good choices and decisions so they can be successful."
Tony’s take: No surprise here. Anderson are returning team captains and will be leaders on their respective sides of the ball. Both players are perfectionists and won’t settle on last year’s success, especially following the loss to Georgia.
“Well, I think the good news is, we have competition. I can't tell you that any guy on the depth chart has sort of separated himself in terms of who's the most consistent performers, who's going to give up the fewest plays, who’s going to be the best tackler, but we do have really good competition at all those positions. Khyree Jackson, Eli Ricks battle it. Kool-Aid [McKinstry] and Terrion Arnold battle it. Jahquez Robinson has shown a lot of improvement to be a contributor at some position. I think Brian Branch could actually play corner if we needed him to. We do practice him some there. So I can't give you any like it's a horse race, who’s in the lead, who’s in second, who’s in third. That’s why we have a competition.”
Tony’s take: Following the A-Day game, Saban listed Jackson, McKinstry and Ricks as the contenders for the two openings at the cornerback position. It is interesting to see Terrion Arnold’s name thrown into the mix now. While the redshirt freshman didn’t see the field in his first season last year, he worked his way up the depth chart and is someone who coaches have been impressed with this offseason.
It’s also interesting to see Branch mentioned as someone who has spent time at cornerback. I’ve projected him to beat out Malachi Moore for the starting spot at Star. However, if Moore earns the role, Branch is too much of a talent to keep off the field.
“He's made a lot of improvement. I think that Eli sort of with the injuries that he had and the time that he was off, it was really a more difficult transition for him physically, emotionally, mentally, to come from where he was, to where he needs to get to to be a kind of player that he wants to be. And we certainly want to help him do that in every way we can. I think that sometimes when you go through all those things, it can affect your confidence a little bit because you get frustrated and struggle because you're not used to being in the kind of condition that you once were. No fault of his, but he had some difficult circumstances to overcome with the injuries and so forth. But he is making very, very good progress physically and on the field in terms of grasping the system and having a better understanding of what's required of him to be a good player.”
Tony’s take: It’s important for Saban to bring up the fact that Ricks is coming off a serious injury. Last season, the LSU transfer played in just six games before undergoing surgery to repair a shoulder injury in October. While Ricks brings five-star talent to the cornerback room, it’s still going to take some time for him to return to the level he was at before his injury.
“I think Jermaine Burton is the guy that has played with the most consistency out of the receiver group. Of course he was here in the spring, so he's a little ahead of the other guys. Tyler [Harrell] has been sort of in and out a little bit to this point. He has been able to practice on a daily basis but not 100%. I do think that he has shown that he has a lot of ability. We just need to get it channeled in the right direction so that we can use him in a way that's going to be most productive for him and for us.
“The freshmen, I think they've all showed some promise. Which ones are going to be able to sustain, that's always the most difficult thing for the younger guys on the team. They've never been through a college season. They've never been through a fall camp probably as demanding as what a college fall camp is. So we'll see who can sort of sustain and continue to grow and develop. And I think there are some guys there that could make a contribution depth wise as well.”
Tony’s take: This backs up two things I’ve heard all offseason: Burton is going to be Alabama’s No. 1 receiver, and Harrell has a little bit to go before he can be penciled in as a certified starter.
This isn’t to say Harrell won’t be special. His sub-4.3 speed will be a vital weapon in Alabama’s offense next season. However, expecting him to come in and seamlessly replace Jameson Williams is a bit of a stretch. As Saban said, if he can get his ability channeled in the right direction, he could be a productive member of the offense. It’s just probably going to take a bit of patience.
Harrell isn’t the only speedy receiver Alabama brought in this offseason. The Crimson Tide signed five freshmen at the position in five-star talent Aaron Anderson as well as four-star prospects Isaiah Bond, Kendrick Law, Kobe Prentice and Shazz Preston. Despite the fact that Alabama added two college transfers, each member of that group has the possibility of earning early playing time this fall.
“Well the plan works if the best players play. We don't have a plan to say OK this guy gets this many reps, this guy gets this many reps… This guy’s the best player, then we're going with the best player. And the next best player is going to spell him, and he'll get playing time. If somebody else can contribute in terms of a winning performance, whether that’s on special teams or in a limited role we can create for them, then we’re certainly going to try to do that.
“But it’s good to have depth at that position. It’s a position where we had significant injuries last year. Just let the guys compete. But you compete, and the guy that comes out the best is the guy that has the most opportunities. And that's just how we've always assessed the positions on our team.”
Tony’s take: Given its depth at the running back position, it’s unlikely that Alabama will have a bell-cow back as it has had with Briand Robinson Jr. and Najee Harris in recent years. Still, Nick Saban isn’t about to go around promising carries to anyone. All six of Alabama’s backs will have to fight for their role in the offense.
“It’s all about messaging. You’ve heard me say this many times before. We're trying to help our players be more successful in life in terms of sort of the psychological disposition, the mindset that they can create for themselves in terms of the habits that they create that's going to contribute to them being successful in whatever they choose to do. And realizing what they do on the field and off the field are things that I think a lot of lessons can be learned from those things that can carry over in their life.
“So when we do evaluations of who's going to speak to the team, we actually do evaluate what is their message? All these people have a message, they’ve spoken somewhere before. And if we think that's something that can impact our players and create interest in them making the choices and decisions and changes they need to make to help them be more successful, that’s how we determined who would like to visit with them.
“Sometimes it's sort of character development. Sometimes it's also behavioral issues, which all come down to choices and decisions as well that can sidetrack your chances of being successful in the future because that's also very, very important. So, understand the consequences of good and bad behavior, cause and effect— all those things are taken into consideration when we try to make an impact and influence on what’ll help these guys make better choices and decisions to have a better chance to be successful.”
Tony’s take: Alabama’s celebrity speakers aren’t just for show. As mentioned above, Saban uses preseason camp as a time to hammer home the mental side of the game while preaching the pillars of his process-based approach. He brings in guests who not only will grab his players’ attention but also who he can count on to relay the messages he wants to get across to the team.
"I am pleased with several of our guys. We've almost eliminated a lot of weight issues, which come from a scientific approach, not me looking at a guy and saying he needs to lose 10 pounds but a muscle mass/body fat correlation that helps a guy be more efficient. And I'm pleased with the way a lot of our big guys have sort of got that into balance. I think Miss Amy does a really good job of helping guys. And again, it goes back to the kind of choices and decisions you make about what you eat, when you eat it, how much you eat of certain things that can create the kind of increase of muscle mass, decrease of body fat, that makes you a more efficient player.
"When I say efficient, I'm not talking about your ability to do something once. I'm talking about your ability to sustain it for 40-50 plays in a game at the same high level. Those guys have done a good job. I think it's contributing to them being better football players. And I'm pretty pleased with the overall team impromvements that we've made from that standpoint as well as explosive movements and speed.
"I think Dave Ballou and his group have done a really good job of motivating the players to work hard in some of those areas, which hopefully will be helpful on the field."
Tony’s take: Saban is proud of Oatis’ offseaosn transformation, but I’m willing to be he’s a bit concerned about the amount of hype circulating around the freshman defensive tackle. There’s a reason why Saban spoke about the team as a whole instead of only focusing on Oatis, who he was asked about. While the massive defender will likely be a big part of Alabama’s defense in years to come, it’s unlikely he takes on a huge role this season.
"First of all, I think continuity is important. I think it's important for players A) in relationships that they have, respect and trust that they develop in the people who are trying to help them be successful. Coaching is teaching. Teaching is ability to inspire learning, so to have that respect and trust, I think, is beneficial for all players. We've had a lot of changes here in leadership positions. We've made pretty good transitions in that regard.
"But I think to have the continuity on the staff enables you in the offseason to do a better job from a quality control standpoint of evaluating, what did we do last year? How could we make it better? And I think that's really, really one of the most important things that we can help ourselves systematically with. So player relationships, systematic implentation of the system, how we can do it better from a year ago. All those things, I think, contribute in a positive way.
"All the new coaches that we have... Eric Wolf [Wolford] is really a good offensive line coach. I think he's developed really good relationships with the players. I like the progress that we've made in the offensive line.
"Coach Cox is probably one of the brightest young guys that we've seen in a while, so we're glad to have him on the staff.
"T-Rob has got a really good relationship with the players. They relate to him really well. He's done a good job of learning the system. Having Charles Kelly there, too, in the secondary has been beneficial.
"And I think Coleman has done a really, really good job with special teams. His energy and enthusiasm and getting players to buy into playing special teams is one of the most important things that you do. Plus, I think we've improved ourselves systematically. So I think all the additions on the staff have been a real plus for us."
Tony’s take: Alabama brings back six assistants from last season while adding four fresh faces to the staff. That’s a nice mix as it creates stability while ensuring that things don’t get too stale.
Saban had nice things to say about each of his new assistants, but it’s worth pointing out that he mentioned Eric Wolford first. The first-year offensive line coach is certainly shaping up to be a home-run hire.
"I think that we've always, and I think our players have done a good job of this _ we've had so many new guys come into the program. Even back in the years, how many freshmen have we had contribute to the success of our team? I mean, when we won a national championship in 2017, there were six freshmen on the field when we won the game in overtime. All three receivers. Leatherwood was playing left tackle. Najee Harris was playing tailback. Tua was playing quarterback.
"So we've always promoted for our current players to embrace new players. And I think our players want to win and our players understand that when we bring players in and they help them in the transition, that it actually enhances our chances of being successful. And I think our players have done a really, really good job of that. So everybody wants to play. Competition, I think, is a good thing in terms of helping everybody get better, because it makes everybody better. Not only the guys you're competing against at your position, but also what kind of guys do they have that you go against every day?
"That helps guys develop tremendously. Our players have a pretty good respect for that, and they've always sort of embraced guys coming in to the program. And the guys that we've brought in so far, they've done a really good job of buying into the principles and values of the organization. So it was easy for all of us to respect and trust them in terms of how they can contribute and what they can do."
Tony’s take: Alabama has always preached that iron sharpens iron. That’s only heightened in today’s transfer era where the team can bring in players to instantly fill in areas of need. Competition has always served the Crimson Tide will, and Saban doesn’t think that will change moving forward.
Opening Statement
"We're obviously very excited about the challenges of the season, but even more excited about what you have to do to try to develop a team, a team that can play with consistency, guys that can go out there and give the kind of effort, play with the kind of mental toughness, ability to sustain, execute, do their job together as a unit and have the kind of team chemistry that promotes the togetherness that you want on a team so that you can be successful. And the next challenge is, can you sustain that?"We've had some really good speakers here the last couple of nights. If you sort of boil it down to what's the message, it's all about choices. Michael Phelps spoke last night and talked about your actions speak louder than your words. You have a short window to really accomplish things as an athlete, because it's not something you can do your entire life, at least as football players. So make a commitment to doing things that you need to do on and off the field that's going to help you be successful. That's also been the message from everybody else. It comes down to choices and decisions. So the kind of choices and decisions the individuals on our team make is going to make the team what it is. We have some good pieces.
"It's kind of interesting to me that I see articles every day that, you all have decided already what kind of team we're going to have, what the expectations are for the team. I think in some ways this creates a much more difficult challenge to have players be hungry, try to prove what they can do together as a group. But it is a challenge that we're willing to deal with and hopefully we've got the right kind of leadership on our team to be able to overcome some of that so that we can avoid complacency and stay focused on doing the right things, deal with success if we have success, be able to deal with frustrations if we have failures. I think how we manage all those kind of things will determine what kind of team we really have.
"You asked me about injuries the other day. Obviously Cam Latu is the guy that you asked me about. He has a minor knee injury, he's going to be out a couple of weeks. I don't know exactly how long that is. It happened about 10 days ago. These things usually go day to day.
"We had [Isaiah] Hastings came in with an injury, we fix. He'll be back shortly probably. Elijah Pritchett tore his pec in the weight room a while back in the summer so he'll be out for a little while. Earl Little had a shoulder injury that was bothering him so we decided to fix it, so he'll be out for a little while as well. Aaron Anderson has a little knee injury but he'll probably be back in a few weeks as well. Those are kind of all the guys on our team that have issues. Four of them are freshmen.
"We're just kind of trying to get better each and every day and challenge guys to be the best they can be on a consistent basis.
Tony’s take: As usual, Saban’s opening message is just as much to his own players as it is to the media. It’s not surprising to see him stress on the mental side of the game early in camp as he looks to set the tone for his team. Saban points toward consistency, effort, mental toughness and sustainability — all pillars of Alabama’s offseason approach. He also brings up a message from gold-medalist swimmer Michael Phelps which is centered around urgency and commitment, two other qualities Saban is looking for in his players.
I’m not sure Saban actually reads the articles we write about the team, but it’s not surprising to see him shrug off the early praise this unit has received. While he didn’t use the term “rat poison,” he did mention that positive press “creates a much more difficult challenge to have players be hungry, try to prove what they can do together as a group.” Remember, this is a team that is currently putting its runner-up trophy on display in the cafeteria to remind players of last season’s national championship loss to Georgia. While Alabama might say it wants to focus on the future, Saban and the staff certainly won’t mind if its players enter the season with a chip on their shoulders.
As far as injuries are concerned, it’s interesting that Saban openly revealed the status of a few players after stating he wouldn’t give injury updates. I think this is more about controlling the information moving forward instead of letting things leak out by the press. For what it’s worth, Saban is generally open with his injury information compared to a lot of college coaches. It’s one thing I appreciate about him.
I won’t get into speculation over the extent of any of the injuries. However, when Saban says “a few weeks,” it doesn’t necessarily mean three or four. It could definitely be longer for some of these guys, particularly Pritchett and Little, who appear to have had surgery.
On Will Anderson and Bryce Young avoiding complacency
"Will and Bryce are great. They do a good job every day in practice. They're very focused on what they want to do, what they want to accomplish. These guys are sort of driven individuals. That's why they've had the success that they've had to this point. But I haven't seen any indications at all that they're not continuing with that same drive to be the best that they can be. They continue to set good examples for other players on the team. They're not an issue. I thnk their leadership has been very, very helpful in helping other players actually continue to make good choices and decisions so they can be successful."
Tony’s take: No surprise here. Anderson are returning team captains and will be leaders on their respective sides of the ball. Both players are perfectionists and won’t settle on last year’s success, especially following the loss to Georgia.
On the competition at corner spots
“Well, I think the good news is, we have competition. I can't tell you that any guy on the depth chart has sort of separated himself in terms of who's the most consistent performers, who's going to give up the fewest plays, who’s going to be the best tackler, but we do have really good competition at all those positions. Khyree Jackson, Eli Ricks battle it. Kool-Aid [McKinstry] and Terrion Arnold battle it. Jahquez Robinson has shown a lot of improvement to be a contributor at some position. I think Brian Branch could actually play corner if we needed him to. We do practice him some there. So I can't give you any like it's a horse race, who’s in the lead, who’s in second, who’s in third. That’s why we have a competition.”
Tony’s take: Following the A-Day game, Saban listed Jackson, McKinstry and Ricks as the contenders for the two openings at the cornerback position. It is interesting to see Terrion Arnold’s name thrown into the mix now. While the redshirt freshman didn’t see the field in his first season last year, he worked his way up the depth chart and is someone who coaches have been impressed with this offseason.
It’s also interesting to see Branch mentioned as someone who has spent time at cornerback. I’ve projected him to beat out Malachi Moore for the starting spot at Star. However, if Moore earns the role, Branch is too much of a talent to keep off the field.
On Eli Ricks
“He's made a lot of improvement. I think that Eli sort of with the injuries that he had and the time that he was off, it was really a more difficult transition for him physically, emotionally, mentally, to come from where he was, to where he needs to get to to be a kind of player that he wants to be. And we certainly want to help him do that in every way we can. I think that sometimes when you go through all those things, it can affect your confidence a little bit because you get frustrated and struggle because you're not used to being in the kind of condition that you once were. No fault of his, but he had some difficult circumstances to overcome with the injuries and so forth. But he is making very, very good progress physically and on the field in terms of grasping the system and having a better understanding of what's required of him to be a good player.”
Tony’s take: It’s important for Saban to bring up the fact that Ricks is coming off a serious injury. Last season, the LSU transfer played in just six games before undergoing surgery to repair a shoulder injury in October. While Ricks brings five-star talent to the cornerback room, it’s still going to take some time for him to return to the level he was at before his injury.
On summer additions at wide receiver
“I think Jermaine Burton is the guy that has played with the most consistency out of the receiver group. Of course he was here in the spring, so he's a little ahead of the other guys. Tyler [Harrell] has been sort of in and out a little bit to this point. He has been able to practice on a daily basis but not 100%. I do think that he has shown that he has a lot of ability. We just need to get it channeled in the right direction so that we can use him in a way that's going to be most productive for him and for us.
“The freshmen, I think they've all showed some promise. Which ones are going to be able to sustain, that's always the most difficult thing for the younger guys on the team. They've never been through a college season. They've never been through a fall camp probably as demanding as what a college fall camp is. So we'll see who can sort of sustain and continue to grow and develop. And I think there are some guys there that could make a contribution depth wise as well.”
Tony’s take: This backs up two things I’ve heard all offseason: Burton is going to be Alabama’s No. 1 receiver, and Harrell has a little bit to go before he can be penciled in as a certified starter.
This isn’t to say Harrell won’t be special. His sub-4.3 speed will be a vital weapon in Alabama’s offense next season. However, expecting him to come in and seamlessly replace Jameson Williams is a bit of a stretch. As Saban said, if he can get his ability channeled in the right direction, he could be a productive member of the offense. It’s just probably going to take a bit of patience.
Harrell isn’t the only speedy receiver Alabama brought in this offseason. The Crimson Tide signed five freshmen at the position in five-star talent Aaron Anderson as well as four-star prospects Isaiah Bond, Kendrick Law, Kobe Prentice and Shazz Preston. Despite the fact that Alabama added two college transfers, each member of that group has the possibility of earning early playing time this fall.
Thought process behind spreading carries at RB
“Well the plan works if the best players play. We don't have a plan to say OK this guy gets this many reps, this guy gets this many reps… This guy’s the best player, then we're going with the best player. And the next best player is going to spell him, and he'll get playing time. If somebody else can contribute in terms of a winning performance, whether that’s on special teams or in a limited role we can create for them, then we’re certainly going to try to do that.
“But it’s good to have depth at that position. It’s a position where we had significant injuries last year. Just let the guys compete. But you compete, and the guy that comes out the best is the guy that has the most opportunities. And that's just how we've always assessed the positions on our team.”
Tony’s take: Given its depth at the running back position, it’s unlikely that Alabama will have a bell-cow back as it has had with Briand Robinson Jr. and Najee Harris in recent years. Still, Nick Saban isn’t about to go around promising carries to anyone. All six of Alabama’s backs will have to fight for their role in the offense.
On fall camp guest speakers
“It’s all about messaging. You’ve heard me say this many times before. We're trying to help our players be more successful in life in terms of sort of the psychological disposition, the mindset that they can create for themselves in terms of the habits that they create that's going to contribute to them being successful in whatever they choose to do. And realizing what they do on the field and off the field are things that I think a lot of lessons can be learned from those things that can carry over in their life.
“So when we do evaluations of who's going to speak to the team, we actually do evaluate what is their message? All these people have a message, they’ve spoken somewhere before. And if we think that's something that can impact our players and create interest in them making the choices and decisions and changes they need to make to help them be more successful, that’s how we determined who would like to visit with them.
“Sometimes it's sort of character development. Sometimes it's also behavioral issues, which all come down to choices and decisions as well that can sidetrack your chances of being successful in the future because that's also very, very important. So, understand the consequences of good and bad behavior, cause and effect— all those things are taken into consideration when we try to make an impact and influence on what’ll help these guys make better choices and decisions to have a better chance to be successful.”
Tony’s take: Alabama’s celebrity speakers aren’t just for show. As mentioned above, Saban uses preseason camp as a time to hammer home the mental side of the game while preaching the pillars of his process-based approach. He brings in guests who not only will grab his players’ attention but also who he can count on to relay the messages he wants to get across to the team.
On Jaheim Oatis weight loss transformation
"I am pleased with several of our guys. We've almost eliminated a lot of weight issues, which come from a scientific approach, not me looking at a guy and saying he needs to lose 10 pounds but a muscle mass/body fat correlation that helps a guy be more efficient. And I'm pleased with the way a lot of our big guys have sort of got that into balance. I think Miss Amy does a really good job of helping guys. And again, it goes back to the kind of choices and decisions you make about what you eat, when you eat it, how much you eat of certain things that can create the kind of increase of muscle mass, decrease of body fat, that makes you a more efficient player.
"When I say efficient, I'm not talking about your ability to do something once. I'm talking about your ability to sustain it for 40-50 plays in a game at the same high level. Those guys have done a good job. I think it's contributing to them being better football players. And I'm pretty pleased with the overall team impromvements that we've made from that standpoint as well as explosive movements and speed.
"I think Dave Ballou and his group have done a really good job of motivating the players to work hard in some of those areas, which hopefully will be helpful on the field."
Tony’s take: Saban is proud of Oatis’ offseaosn transformation, but I’m willing to be he’s a bit concerned about the amount of hype circulating around the freshman defensive tackle. There’s a reason why Saban spoke about the team as a whole instead of only focusing on Oatis, who he was asked about. While the massive defender will likely be a big part of Alabama’s defense in years to come, it’s unlikely he takes on a huge role this season.
Continuity at the coordinator spots, four new assistants
"First of all, I think continuity is important. I think it's important for players A) in relationships that they have, respect and trust that they develop in the people who are trying to help them be successful. Coaching is teaching. Teaching is ability to inspire learning, so to have that respect and trust, I think, is beneficial for all players. We've had a lot of changes here in leadership positions. We've made pretty good transitions in that regard.
"But I think to have the continuity on the staff enables you in the offseason to do a better job from a quality control standpoint of evaluating, what did we do last year? How could we make it better? And I think that's really, really one of the most important things that we can help ourselves systematically with. So player relationships, systematic implentation of the system, how we can do it better from a year ago. All those things, I think, contribute in a positive way.
"All the new coaches that we have... Eric Wolf [Wolford] is really a good offensive line coach. I think he's developed really good relationships with the players. I like the progress that we've made in the offensive line.
"Coach Cox is probably one of the brightest young guys that we've seen in a while, so we're glad to have him on the staff.
"T-Rob has got a really good relationship with the players. They relate to him really well. He's done a good job of learning the system. Having Charles Kelly there, too, in the secondary has been beneficial.
"And I think Coleman has done a really, really good job with special teams. His energy and enthusiasm and getting players to buy into playing special teams is one of the most important things that you do. Plus, I think we've improved ourselves systematically. So I think all the additions on the staff have been a real plus for us."
Tony’s take: Alabama brings back six assistants from last season while adding four fresh faces to the staff. That’s a nice mix as it creates stability while ensuring that things don’t get too stale.
Saban had nice things to say about each of his new assistants, but it’s worth pointing out that he mentioned Eric Wolford first. The first-year offensive line coach is certainly shaping up to be a home-run hire.
Biggest challenge for integrating transfers
"I think that we've always, and I think our players have done a good job of this _ we've had so many new guys come into the program. Even back in the years, how many freshmen have we had contribute to the success of our team? I mean, when we won a national championship in 2017, there were six freshmen on the field when we won the game in overtime. All three receivers. Leatherwood was playing left tackle. Najee Harris was playing tailback. Tua was playing quarterback.
"So we've always promoted for our current players to embrace new players. And I think our players want to win and our players understand that when we bring players in and they help them in the transition, that it actually enhances our chances of being successful. And I think our players have done a really, really good job of that. So everybody wants to play. Competition, I think, is a good thing in terms of helping everybody get better, because it makes everybody better. Not only the guys you're competing against at your position, but also what kind of guys do they have that you go against every day?
"That helps guys develop tremendously. Our players have a pretty good respect for that, and they've always sort of embraced guys coming in to the program. And the guys that we've brought in so far, they've done a really good job of buying into the principles and values of the organization. So it was easy for all of us to respect and trust them in terms of how they can contribute and what they can do."
Tony’s take: Alabama has always preached that iron sharpens iron. That’s only heightened in today’s transfer era where the team can bring in players to instantly fill in areas of need. Competition has always served the Crimson Tide will, and Saban doesn’t think that will change moving forward.
