Alabama Football: Adequate – Not Elite … Potentially Elite?
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football completed its 2017 spring season Saturday. Nick Saban categorized the 2017 team as “adequate” and “not elite” and cautioned the Tide opens the season against an elite team in FSU.
Alabama football, not elite in 2017? That is not what Nick Saban said. What he did say compliments of rolltide.com:
"“I don’t think that we’re an elite team right now. I think we’re kind of an adequate team. I don’t mean that in a negative way because I think we’ve come out of the spring in a lot of years where we don’t have an elite team. It’s how the team responds through the summer and fall camp because we’re going to play an elite team in the first game. What kind of commitment each guy makes to being an elite player, affecting himself in a positive way, and affecting his unit in a positive way is going to determine how we all affect our team in a positive way which ultimately will lead to what kind of team we really have.”"
As always, when Nick speaks it behooves fans, players, and opponents to pay attention. Saban does not choose words casually. Sometimes, interpretation of Nick’s statements is enhanced by defining to whom his words are aimed.
Saturday’s post-scrimmage comments appear to be directed to his players. Saban is a masterful communicator. So masterful is his talent with the spoken word that his proficiency fuels his public persona as calculating and obsessive.
He is calculating and obsessive and much more. He is also a thoughtful and honest communicator. An example is his often repeated but insightful admission that he hates losing more than he loves winning. Which explains his almost total inability to enjoy a win, any win. Why? Because after every win comes another game. If you really, really hate to lose so much that it drives you forward – there is no time to waste in preparing for that next game and avoiding a potential loss.
Alabama Crimson Tide Football
So Saturday afternoon, Nick Saban was not bemoaning or obsessing or fuming that the 2017 Crimson Tide is not elite. He was preparing to not lose the next game.
At the end of the 2017 season, if it results in another national championship, Nick Saban might succumb to an immediate post-game question about the elite status of the 2017 team. He will not do so before then unless to serve a clear purpose.
Nick Saban knows the 2017 Alabama football team is filled with talent. Most of that young talent is still in the Alabama football acclimation process of learning recruiting stars and reputation now means nothing.
At Alabama, all that matters is the next rep, the next drill, the next play – each one requiring total focus and complete concentration.
Elite individual players do not win football championships. Teams win championships and when they do, others decide if those teams were elite.
Of course, Nick will be quite happy if his comments persuade any Seminoles that FSU is already elite.
Compliments off rolltide.com here is a list of all the Alabama football winners of spring awards:
Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award – Rashaan Evans, Hale Hentges
Jerry Duncan “I Like to Practice” Award – Keith Holcombe, Jamar King, Irv Smith
Billy Neighbors Defensive Lineman Award – Johnny Dwight, Da’Ron Payne
Paul Crane Offensive Lineman Award – Ross Pierschbacher, Jonah Williams
Bobby Johns Defensive Back Award – Anthony Averett, Ronnie Harrison
Johnny Musso Offensive Back Award – Josh Jacobs
Ray Perkins Receiver Award – Calvin Ridley
Woodrow Lowe Linebacker Award – Anfernee Jennings
Derrick Thomas Community Service Award – Josh Casher, Miller Forristall, JK Scott
Bear Bryant Outstanding Non-Scholarship Award – Bo Grant, Austin Johnson, Donnie Lee, Zavier Mapp, Jacob Parker, Daniel Powell
Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award – Raekwon Davis, Trevon Diggs, Terrell Hall, Najee Harris, Dylan Moses, Brian Robinson, Tua Tagovailoa
Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award – Tony Brown, Lester Cotton, Robert Foster, Xavian Marks, TJ Simmons, Quinnen Williams, Matt Womack
Mal Moore Leadership Award – Shaun Dion Hamilton, Jalen Hurts, Bo Scarbrough
Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award – Bradley Bozeman, Minkah Fitzpatrick
Dwight Stephenson Lineman of the A-Day Game Award – Raekwon Davis
Dixie Howell Memorial Most Valuable Player of the A-Day Game Award – Jerry Jeudy
Next: 30 Amazing People Built By Bama
Between now and fall camp in August, we’ll serve up every meaningful bit of information and knowledge available on Alabama football. And we’ll cover news from other Crimson Tide sports, in and out of season. Hang in there with us and we’ll all get through the long annual gap between A-Day and Fall practice. RTR Forever!