TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Game week has finally arrived. Nick Saban held off on a depth chart Monday, but he did field several questions about Alabama’s roster heading into Saturday’s season opener against Middle Tennessee State.
Here’s a transcript of what Saban had to say as well as my takes on what it means.
Opening statement
“I'm sure that our team, players are all looking forward to the challenges of the season. I think the biggest challenge for our team is to create an identity for this team, to prove that you can be a dangerous team, to prove that you have the energy, focus and enthusiasm not just to win a game but to beat the other team. And there is a difference in that, and I think that difference primarily is the way you compete, the way you play, the relentless competitive attitude that you have for 60 minutes in a game to play to a standard, your standard. Not let the scoreboard or anything else determine what your performance level is. That's something that I think this team has to prove that it can do.
“Middle Tennessee, they won eight games last year. They beat a Top 25 team in Miami. They won a bowl game against San Diego State. Rick Stockstill's been there for a long time. He's done a really good job. They've got a great offensive scheme in terms of how they do things, the problems that they create. So it's going to be challenging for our players from that standpoint.
“They're a very aggressive defensvie team. A lot of stunts. A lot of blitzes. A lot of negative plays. So it's a very challenging preparation for our offensive team. And they're sound and solid and do a great job on special teams. So this is a challenging team for us to play but again, we're concerned about how do we establish an identity for our team in terms of how we compete and how we play, regardless of who we might play.”
Tony’s take: This is a typical Saban opening statement heading into a matchup against an overmatched opponent. Middle Tennessee State won eight games and upset Miami last season, but no one really expects the Blue Raiders to give Alabama much of a game this weekend. Instead, Saban is focused on his players playing up to the teams’ standard in order to get everything clicking heading into a much more difficult matchup against Texas in Week 2.
On the depth chart (or lack thereof)
“I know that your No. 1 focus is not on the game, it's on the depth chart. Look, there's a lot of competition on the team and when we put a depth chart out, you all think that's like final. Like this is etched in stone and it's going to be this way forevermore, just because we come out of fall camp and that's where it is. But it creates a lot of distractions on our team. It creates a lot of guys thinking that, well, this guy won the job now and I'm not going to play or whatever. And quite frankly, we don't need that.
“I want all of our players to continue to compete, to continue to compete for playing time, to try to play at the highest level. And I don't want anybody on our team to think that they're a backup player or whatever. The depth chart kind of does that. I think most of the players on our team know who should start in the game and who shouldn't start. But that's something that they do day to day in terms of the way they compete and the way they play. And nobody's entitled to play just because we put it on a piece of paper and say this is the way it is today.
“I apologize for that, but it is what it is.”
Tony’s take: This is the first time during the Saban era that Alabama hasn’t distributed a depth chart heading into the first game week. There’s no rule requiring the head coach to release a depth chart, but this is an incredibly soft move by Saban.
If releasing a depth chart really caused that many problems, why has Alabama done it the past 16 years? Saban is the best head coach in college football. Was he just blind to this distraction for the better part of two decades? Is Alabama in that much trouble that it is worried about showing its hand too early against MTSU?
As for distractions, here’s what starting (at least we think so) center Seth McLaughlin said when asked about previous depth chart releases.
“I don’t think it distracts us at all because what we put out there may not be exactly what we’re going to have on the first [game] day. I think game-by-game Coach Saban is going to put the guys out there who puts us in the best situation to win. Whatever that says, that’s what it’s going to be.”
On progress from the safeties
Caleb's done a really good job. I know he's a young player but he's done a really good job. He's smart. He's bright. He understands football very well. Jalen Key has done a really good job. He's got a lot of experience. Even though he hasn't played here, he's played other places in a very similar system. Those two guys have done a good job. Malachi can play safety or Star.
Smitty's been out with his foot for a while and we certainly think that he would be in the mix if he were healthy. Kristian Story is a dependable guy at the position. So that's kind of where it's at right now.
Tony’s take: At least we got a bit of a depth-chart reveal in the secondary. Based on Saban’s remarks, I’d expect Alabama’s first-team nickel unit to look like this:
CB — Kool-Aid McKinstry
CB — Terrion Arnold
STAR — Malachi Moore
S — Caleb Downs
S — Jalen Key
On MTSU’s secondary
I think they play really well. They get a lot of turnovers. But they create a lot of pressure. They're a pressure defense and they put a lot of pressure on their secondary and the corners have played very well, whether they've played off or played man to man and press. Their safeties are very aggressive and make a lot of plays.
I think there's a little bit of big-little that goes with this team, if you look at the statistics of the way they play. They make a lot of plays on defense when it comes to negative plays that they create, turnovers that they get. But they've also given up plays. And I think you've got to have lots of patience. You've got to have a good plan in terms of trying to minimize how much they can create negative plays but also maximize taking advantage of making some explosive plays.
Tony’s take: “Alabama’s quarterback battle will be on center stage Saturday, so it’s worth knowing a little bit about what the Tide’s passers will be up against.
“Middle Tennessee has a few decent defensive backs, including seniors Tra Fluellen and Teldrick Ross. However, it’s worth noting the Blue Raiders finished ranked 129th out of 131 Division I teams, allowing 292.7 passing yards per game last season.”
On OL playing a dominant brand of football
“Well, I would say that's up to them. They want to be dominant and physical— that’s part of the identity we’re trying to create and want to create at every position, not just the offensive line.
“To be able to have balance on offense, you’ve got to be able to control the line of scrimmage. You get moving up front and play physical. But it’s the same thing in the passing game. You’ve got to be able to protect the quarterback so you can make plays in the passing game. So we always want to be physical. We always want to be dominant. We want to be that on the defensive line. We want to be that on the offensive line. And style of play can determine that to some degree, but having balance and being able to do both those things I think is a critical factor.”
Tony’s take: Saban’s comment here is reminiscent to the one he made about the quarterback battle when he its up to Alabama’s passers to separate themselves in the competition.
Talk is cheap. It’s one thing to express a desire to be more physical up front. Saban wants his unit to back it up on the field. Alabama should have all the pieces to do just that. It will be up to the players to create that type of identity fro themselves.
On challenges of the MTSU passing game
“I think the multiples of formations that they give you whether it’s empty, four open, wide outs, all kinds of things are gonna put guys… you know, at some point, you’re going to have to play guys man-to-man. And your guy’s gotta win. You can’t give up explosive plays. So I also think you’ve got to mix it up, and sometimes when people spread you out, you got to play maximum coverage. Sometimes you got to play maximum pressure. But whenever, you have to be able to execute, so that you're not giving up explosive plays.
“Turnovers and explosive play ratio— those are the two most critical factors in winning and losing games. So, I think you’ve got to be patient. These guys are gonna go no huddle. They’ll go fast at times. Players have got to be able to get lined up and execute and not let that affect their rhythm and how they play.
“And they did make a lot of explosive plays against Miami last year, and that's something that we're always trying to take away. And that's going to be a challenge for our guys in the back end. When you give up explosive plays, it's usually all 11 guys. Sometimes you lose the pass rush lane and the quarterback scrambles, throws a big one, whatever. So everybody's got to do their job to eliminate the other team's ability to make explosive plays.”
Tony’s take: Who says the media isn’t interested in this weekend’s matchup? By my count, that’s two questions on MTSU as opposed to one about the depth chart (the secondary one).
The Blue Raiders made several big plays in their 45-31 victory over Miami last season. However, Alabama should be ready for whatever MTSU throws at it Saturday.
On the defense blitzing
“We've done a pretty good job with the pressures so far, containing the quarterback. Not necessarily thinking just because you pressure, you want to sack the quarterback. Because the worst thing that can happen when you pressure is somebody gets pushed by. If you get pushed by the quarterback, you’re playing with 10 guys. So you asked me how much of it is instinctive and how much of it is… I don’t care what position you play, at some point in time, instincts take over.
“Just like defensive back. OK, the ball’s coming. I can intercept it. I can swat and hook it. I can break down and tackle the guy. It all depends on how fast the ball’s getting there and what your position is. How much is that coaching, and how much is that instinct?
“So if I’m pass rushing, and I try to speed rush a guy, and he soft sets and pushes me by, how much of that is ability, and how much of that is lack of instincts? If a guy soft sets, you should bull rush him, power rush him. You won’t get pushed by the quarterback. Not the time to try and make a sack. When do you use your hands? When do you use what pass rushing move? It’s like a wrestler. When do you use what move? The same thing when you're playing defensive line or offensive line. When you’re using your hands, you’ve got body position. You’ve got a guy off balance one way, and how’re you going to push him another way?
“So we try to teach guys all those things. But when it comes to fastball application, it's no different than the baseball analogy. I use it with the players all the time. I say, ‘You just swung at a pitch over your head.’ Everybody understands. It’s like, what are you doing? These guys in the Major Leagues do it— a ball four feet outside, slider, swinging at it. Look bad doing it.”
Tony’s take: There might not be a team with more talent in the front seven than Alabama. However, the Tide’s pass rushers still need to play with discipline and make the right decision based on the situation. A lot of that is instinctual, but it’s also something you can improve through coaching and practice.
On fan support
"We've always had great fan support regardless of where we played regardless. There's always been great enthusiasm. I think our fans are a big part of the team. The atmosphere they create during games is something that's part of the tradition around here that makes guys wanna play here, whether they're recruits coming to see the game or whether they're players on the field. It's always important. This game is important to us. It's important for this team to create an identity and the fans can have a significant impact on that with their energy and enthusiasm."
Tony’s take: Finally, the question y’all have been waiting on. I know I’ve been eager to hear what Saban has to say about fan support. I just don’t know how we waited until 10 minutes into the press conference to get the question in.
On J.C. Latham
"JC's played really well. He's shown a lot of maturity. He's become a leader, of sorts, of the offensive line. Physical guy, plays with a lot of toughness. We've tried to eliminate penalties and being able to stay focused on doing the right things with the offensive line and with JC. He's done a pretty good job of taking those challenges and trying to implement them in a way that's gonna be a positive thing for a team."
Tony’s take: Latham might be the first Alabama player taken in next year’s NFL draft, but he’s just as valuable to the Crimson Tide off the field as he is on it. He was one of Alabama’s three representatives during SEC Media Days and is a favorite to become one of the team’s permanent captains this fall.
On Jalen Milroe
"I think Jalen has made a significant amount of improvement. I think he's more comfortable in the pocket. He has more confidence in the way he executes and the way he plays. He's been more consistent in the way he's played and I think that's going to be the key of the drill for him to be able to maintain that consistency in every practice so that he is developing the kind of habits that are going to carry over in the game and help him be successful."
Tony’s take: All signs point to Milroe earning the start Saturday, so it’s encouraging to hear Saban speak about his improvements in the pocket. We’ve seen what the dual-threat quarterback can do with his legs. If he’s able to significantly increase his consistency as a passer, he has the talent to take the SEC by storm.
On Jah-Marien Latham
"Um, he's done a really good job, you know? He's been hurt a little bit on and off since he's been here. He's gotten a little bigger, he's gotten a little stronger. He's very good athlete. I think he's more confident in terms of learning the defense, making less mental errors. I think it's important to him. I think he's showing a lot of maturity in the way he's developed and progressed so I think he's a guy that can make a significant contribution for us up front."
Tony’s take: This was a bit of a random question. Still, Latham, a redshirt junior, should be able to provide experience and depth to Alabama’s defensive line this fall.
On if he expects to use multiple QBs against MTSU
"I don't have any expectations for that right now. I mean, we're going one day at a time. We're repping the players and regardless of what happens in this game, it's the same thing that I told you guys before. Just because whoever starts in the first game, that doesn't mean you don't have to continue to compete and play throughout the season because the competition doesn't end with the first game, at any position, including quarterback so. My expectation is what can we do to get them better today so we can play better the next day and the next day and then when the game comes we'll be playing as well as we need to be playing to create value for themselves as players as well our team to be able to have success."
Tony’s take: OK, sure. I highly doubt Saban doesn’t know whether or not he’ll use multiple quarterbacks this weekend. I have zero doubt he doesn’t want to talk about it, though.
