Alabama Football: What Nick Saban said after the Missouri game
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football coach Nick Saban surprised most college football fans when in a post-game TV exchange he said he was very pleased.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban does not speak loosely other than in the immediacy of anger. Otherwise, he weighs every word before it is uttered. Coming off the field after the Crimson Tide beat Missouri 39-10, he said he was “really pleased” in how his defense responded after giving up 31 points to Arkansas the week before.
Sharing such unqualified satisfaction is not part of Nick Saban’s persona. Known for numerous epic rants over the years, Nick is viewed as someone who is never satisfied. For Nick to give the Tide’s weaker side of the ball a boost on national television should be reassuring to Alabama football fans.
At halftime, he was more his normal self. Again in the short interval of a post-half TV exchange, Saban said,
"we’ve had the ball in the redzone three times that we did not score and had come away with a field goal. We’ve got to be able to run the ball in the redzone … Defensively … we had two third-and-longs they converted, which is a sin"
That was the Nick Saban Alabama football fans love. Giving up a first down on a third-and-long should be defined as a sin. How better to clearly define expectations for the Crimson Tide defense? Well seasoned Alabama football fans will remember Paul Bryant loved his 1961 defense, who he described as playing as though it was ” a sin to surrender a point.”
To be clear, Alabama football fans should be pleased Nick was pleased, in the post-game. But it is good to have Nick’s halftime comments as a point of balance. There may come a time this season when this defense needs to not commit a sin in a big game. We are reassured Nick will not let them forget it.
What else Nick said after the game
- Tua could have gone back in and wanted to. Has the same knee sprain he had before the game.
- “We have every confidence that Jalen has progressed as a pocket passer.” Jalen was 7-for-8 passing.
- Devonta Smith has a pulled muscle and will be “day-to-day.” The other injuries should not be an issue for the Tennessee game.
- “Saivion Smith played really well.”
- Defense did not “give up any explosive plays” and got “pretty good pressure with four” guys rushing the passer.
- Missouri “was the most physical game we’ve had.”
Nick also said he was very pleased with the atmosphere in the stadium and Dixieland Delight “was great.”
Apparently Alabama Athletic Director, Greg Byrne took no chances with the new vanilla version of Dixieland Delight. It sounded as though the sound system pumped in an assist on key points of the song, loud enough to drown out any fan not cooperating with the new lyrics.
Missouri head coach, Barry Odom was particularly complimentary of the Alabama Crimson Tide in post-game comments. Check out the tweet below.
Bama Hammer will continue review of the Missouri game through Sunday. After that, Tennessee week will have our full attention.