TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Following back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, Nick Saban is calling for his team to keep its foot on the gas.
No. 8 Alabama will hit the road this week as it travels to Kentucky for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff Saturday inside Kroger Field. The Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 in the SEC) is a 10.5-point favorite over the Wildcats (6-3, 3-3) and can clinch the SEC West with a win.
Monday, Saban started the week by speaking to reporters about the matchup. Here’s a transcript of what he said as well as my takes on his comments.
Opening statement
“No new thoughts after watching the LSU game. It was probably the most complete game we’ve played all year, especially with the way we executed in the second half. I thought, offensively, we controlled the line of scrimmage, we had great balance, Jalen (Milroe) played really well, obviously, being the player of the week.
“But I think this team has created an opportunity for itself, so everybody has to make a choice. What do you want to do? To prepare and continue to play at the level we’re capable of playing at and continuing to improve. I don’t think this is a time for anybody to be complacent. I know that even Sunday morning when I got up, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m tired,’ but you’ve got to go, man. You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to keep grinding. You’ve got to keep focused on what you have to do to get better and prepare for the next game.”
Tony’s take: The LSU game was taxing for Alabama, both mentally and physically. It would be easy for the Crimson Tide to coast into this weekend’s game at Kentucky, especially with it being an early kickoff. Still, it’s important that Alabama doesn’t take a step back and ruin its recent momentum.
On Kentucky
“Kentucky is a completely different kind of team than what we played against a week ago and what we did last week is not going to have any impact on what we do this week. They’re tough, they’re physical, they’re well-coached. Coach [Mark] Stoops does a really, really good job with his team, in terms of the competitive character that they play with and the intangibles that they have.
“They’re 6-3. They’ve got some really explosive players on offense. The quarterback has played really well for them. They’ve got great balance on offense. Their defense is tough and physical and really well-coached in terms of what they do. Barion Brown is a really good returner.
“They’ve got lots of good players. It’ll be a challenging preparation, for both sides of the ball.”
Tony’s take: Unlike last week, this one won’t be a shootout. Kentucky doesn’t have anything close to LSU’s top-ranked offense. However, the Wildcats have been able to grit out six wins thanks to a respectable defense and balanced attack.
N.C. State transfer Devin Leary was one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the transfer portal last offseason. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt transfer Ray Davis is one of the SEC’s top running backs, averaging 6.1 yards per carry while racking up 903 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
It’s going to take a lot for Kentucky to upset Alabama. But if the Tide isn’t careful, the Wildcats have the pieces to create a frustrating afternoon.
On if he has an injury update on Deontae Lawson and Jaylen Key
“No, I don’t, really. We prepare to play in this game because both guys had injuries that are day-to-day, in terms of what they’re going to be able to do. It’s not just a matter of whether they’re going to ready to play in the game, but can they practice enough to be ready to play in the game. That’s going to be day-to-day. Both guys, I would say, are questionable. I don’t know what they’re going to be able to do day-to-day.”
Tony’s take: Lawson injured his ankle against LSU while Jaylen Key injured his quad. Saban’s comments make it sound like the duo might be physically able to play this weekend but will likely be held out. That could change based on how the two progress this week. However, Alabama has capable replacements at both positions, and it might make more sense to ensure that Lawson and Key are at 100% for tougher tests down the road.
On Jam Miller and Kendrick Law both being involved more in the offense
“K-Law has been a significant player for us all year long, especially on special teams, and he’s had some role on offense. We did expand that role a little bit. Guy’s a great competitor, a really hard worker. He has a skill set that, I think, can be utilized offensively, and I think we’re starting to use that.
“Jam has played really, really well all year long. Jase (McClellan) has played a lot of football this year and is a little bit banged up, so those guys have gotten more reps in practice, so I wanted to give him and Roydell (Williams) a little more time in the game, and both guys came through and did a really good job.”
Tony’s take: I love the added wrinkle of putting Kendrick Law in the backfield and using him for short passes in open space. His blend of toughness and agility makes him a nightmare for opposing linebackers in coverage. First-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has found interesting ways to get Law the ball the past two games, and I expect that to continue moving forward.
My favorite play of the game might have been the handoff to Miller out of what looked like was going to be a quarterback sneak. Like Law, Alabama is finding creative ways to get Miller the ball.
What do you remember about the 2002 game, when you were at LSU, and Kentucky with the Hail Mary?
“Look, I remember we didn't play very well. I remember they poured Gatorade on the coach, already. I remember there was about a 30-mile-an-hour wind that we had at our back. The guy threw the ball and it just kept going and going and going, and their guys misjudged the ball and tipped it, and Devery Henderson caught it and ran it for a touchdown. That's basically what I remember.”
Tony’s take: The game Saban is being asked to recall is the “Bluegrass Miracle” where LSU beat Kentucky 33-30 on a last-second Hail Mary pass. It might be a lot to ask a 72-year-old Saban to remember a game from more than 20 years ago. Then again, that’s a moment the head coach will likely never forget.
On if the offense is becoming more complex on its own or due to Jalen Milroe’s maturity
“I think that it's probably a combination of both. I think as Jalen gets more comfortable, more confident, he's reading and seeing things so he can actually do a little more and do some different things. But I also think the rest of the guys around him are getting more comfortable and executing better. So all those things contribute to us being able to do a few things we can take advantage of. That's different every week, in terms of what kind of defense are you playing and what do they do and how can you try to take advantage of it.”
Tony’s take: I feel like the offense becoming more complex has helped Milroe’s maturity. Adding in wrinkles in the short passing game has spread out opposing defenses and allowed Alabama to move the ball better on the ground. I think we’ve seen some serious growth from Rees after what was an underwhelming first half of the season in terms of playcalling.
On how Ja’Corey Brooks has handled his limited role
He's done a great job. He's done a great job on special teams. He's been a little hurt which has contributed to his role, to some degree, but he's been great. He's done a great job on special teams. He's done everything we've asked him to do. When he's gone in the game, he's done a really good job of doing what he needs to do. He got his shoulder banged up, which has been a little bit of an issue for him all year, in the game, so we'll see how it goes this week as well.
Tony’s take: Brooks left the game against LSU and was seen on the sideline with his left arm in a sling. That’s the reason this question is being asked.
After pulling in 39 receptions for 674 yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns last year, Brooks has just three catches this season — a 2-yarder against Ole Miss, a 3-yarder against Mississippi State and a 25-yarder against Arkansas. I doubt he plays much against Kentucky, but I also doubt many Alabama fans will notice.
On DeVonta Smith’s status
“He's actually getting to the point where he's able to do dry-land running. I think he's gotten up to like 80% or something like that. He’s getting closer but we just have to wait and see. That's kind of day-to-day too.”
Tony’s take: After competing for one of the starting safety positions this offseason, Smith has yet to play for Alabama this season due to a foot injury. It doesn’t sound as if the junior is going to make much of an impact for the Crimson Tide this year.
On what Malachi Moore brings in terms of energy and versatility
“Malachi is a great leader but he's also very smart. He's got lots of experience, he understands the system of what we do. I think he really helps the other guys with adjustments that we need to make in the game. He's been invaluable. He's played well and I think he's helped everybody around him play better.”
Tony’s take: Moore’s versatility was big for Alabama against LSU, as he spent some time at deep safety after Key left the game with an injury in the first quarter. Moore typically plays in the slot at Alabama’s STAR position, but he spent the spring at deep safety. His leadership and knowledge of the defense make him one of the Tide’s most valuable players.
On the job Kevin Steele has done adjusting the defense in games
We all contribute to trying to make adjustments in the games. Kevin's done a really good job. He's in the box, so he has a really good perspective of what we didn't do correctly, what we need to fix. What's not working, what might work better. But I think we also do a great job on the sidelines of showing the players the series before. The first series of the second half was not a good one for us, but we actually played better toward the end of the game. But I think we need to have a little more consistency.
The drive right before the half was not great. The first drive of the second half was not great, but I thought we played really, really well after that. But we're getting a lot of stuff, man. A lot of multiples that players have to adjust to, and we want to do more things, but make it simpler for the players, so we can actually do these things, and be able to adjust to all the stuff we're seeing, so they're confident we can make the adjustments we need to make.
Tony’s take: Saban doesn’t want to give Kevin Steele all the credit, but the defensive coordinator does deserve some serious praise. Over Alabama’s last seven games, it has allowed just 35 combined second-half points. During that span, Arkansas was the only team to score more than once against the Tide after halftime. After allowing LSU to have its way on offense in the first half, Alabama held the Tigers to 7 points and 155 total yards after the break, stopping them on their final four possessions.
On his thoughts of Dallas Turner’s hit on Jayden Daniels
I don't know if there is a technical coaching point. You always tell the players you want them to see what they hit. He hit the guy sort of in the chin, so it wasn't like a direct hit or an intentional hit to the head. It was a really good hit, but unfortunately, his helmet did slide up and hit the guy. It's a foul if you hit the quarterback in the head. It's going to get called all the time. And we just want to have him keep his eyes up and see what he hits and hopefully target down a little bit so it doesn't happen again.
Tony’s take: I don’t get the uproar from this call. As Saban pointed out, Turner wasn’t targeting Daniels' head and did not have dirty intentions on the play.
Could it have been called for targeting? Sure. Turner didn’t need to follow through like he did, and his helmet did slip up toward Daniels' head, which generally leads to a targeting call.
Would it have mattered? Not one bit. Turner getting called for targeting wouldn’t have made Daniels less concussed. While a targeting call would have ejected Turner from the game, Alabama already had a two-touchdown lead and would have handled a Daniels-less attack without its star edge rusher.
Turner would have also been suspended for the first half of this week’s game against Kentucky. However, I don’t think that would have a huge impact on Saturday’s outcome either.
