Video: Nick Saban Press Conference Ahead Of Final Scrimmage

Nick Saban held a press conference yesterday to update the media ahead of the final scrimmage this weekend as Alabama continues to prepare for the season opener in Atlanta against West Virginia.

Highlights from the press conference:

• This week is a tough week for the players. They struggled a bit Wednesday, but the week in its entirety has been good. Lots of players showing mental toughness that needs to be developed on the team.

"This week is really all about improving technique, assignments, mental errors, and making applications to different things that we are going to see throughout the course of the year. We are trying to expose them to as much as we possibly can."

• Saban wants to use the scrimmage on Saturday to give the players some “game-like” experience.

• No new injuries. Geno Smith (sprained knee) did a little bit Wednesday. Eddie Jackson had the day off. Leon Brown is doing some things but Saban has him on a pitch count where he doesn’t get broken down. Look for Brown and A’Shawn Robinson to be back next week.

• Saban says the running backs are drilling the fumble problems in practice.

"I think the better your defense is at finishing and trying to create turnovers, the more ball awareness and ball security you will develop on offense. We do the old fashioned gauntlet drill. Everyday in practice we keep ball disruptions, turnovers, caused turnovers, caused fumbles, and recovered fumbles on both sides of the ball so that every player is aware of how he is taking care of the ball."

• Not disappointed in the defense but certainly not satisfied. Saban wants more continuity than what they have now. Some of that comes from off the field decisions and some of it on the field.

"I think we have some players playing really well on defense. Cyrus Jones is having a good camp as well as Landon Collins.D.J. Pettway is doing a good job. Trey (DePriest) is getting healthy.Reggie Ragland has had a good camp. We need more guys to develop continuity on defense."

Question on Dillon Lee:

"Dillon is a very responsible player on the field. He plays multiple roles for us and has really good knowledge and experience. I think he has matured a lot and learned from his experience here (good and bad)."

• According to BamaOnline’s practice report, Lee is leading the outside linebackers through individual drills during the viewing period along with Denzel Devall.

• Saban says Jake Coker and Blake Sims will take an equal number of snaps and jokingly, Saban says that if they keep asking about it, they won’t give them any stats.

On the offensive line:

• A couple of injuries have left the Tide staff to do a bit of shuffling until the players are recovered enough to participate.

"That’s another area where injuries to Leon and Dominick Jackson (ankle)…you know those guys would have either been starters, competed to be starters. or in worse case been really good backup and provided a lot of depth.Ryan Kelly and Arie Kouandjio certainly have played well but the other two spots, we need to play with a little more intensity."

Just from hearing this team talk, to me it sounds there is definitely that togetherness that seemed to be lacking last year. Even Saban acknowledged it. The schedule lines up perfectly to give some of the younger guys time to get acclimated to the game speed. On the offensive side of the ball with a new offensive coordinator, there could possibly be some slight communication problems but our schedule should allow all of that to be ready to go when the tough SEC  play begins.

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