NICK SABAN SPEAKS

NICK SABAN SPEAKS

Alabama wrapped up its second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday. Due to weather conditions, the scrimmage was held inside the Hank Crisp practice facility. As usual, the scrimmage was closed to the media. Coach Saban provided some comments to the media following the scrimmage. Here are some highlights of his comments.

• I guess it was pretty obvious that we did not have any choice. After eleven years we had to go inside for a scrimmage. I also think it’s an opportunity for our players. Sometimes you get rain delays. At Missouri a few years ago we had one for over an hour. Players have to be able to respond and react to things like this.
• I do think there was some improvement in terms of how we played versus last week. Really hard to know, because the two things that we really want to evaluate is how many mental errors do you make, how many unforced errors do you have, how many missed tackles do you have on defense. These things can be sort of terminal in terms of you can’t have have those kinds of mistakes, because the other team is basically getting a free pass. They’re not doing anything to earn what they get. I do think that we made some improvement in that area. But I also think that we need to continue to improve, especially with some of our younger players who still don’t have the sense of urgency that you need to be able to go up and play when it comes to just doing their job.
• We’ve won a lot of games around here being sort of relentless, competitive, overcoming adversity, keep playing the next play. Sort of have the mindset with tremendous intangibles. That is something that we have to earn and we have to keep growing and build on as a team That’s something that we definitely want to finish the spring with. There are some teams that look it like we have two days left and then A-Day, so let’s just take it easy and try to endure the practice. I want every player to go out there with the attitude that they want to get to benefit them as players and also to benefit their unit and our team.
• Tua had a little setback yesterday with his hand. Doctors are trying to evaluate the the best course of action and what we will do with him the remainder of the spring. I can’t tell you any more. He didn’t take any snaps today. We are going to try to protect this thing and make sure this thing is not going to be an issue in the fall.
• We hate it very much when any player that we had here did a great job for us here at Alabama, great job in terms of how he represented our university, how he represented our program, the contribution he made to the program. We have a player, Reuben Foster, that has legal issues. I don’t think I’m in a position to comment, because I don’t know the details or the facts. One of the things we try to teach our players here is that there are consequences for good and bad behavior. But we are going to remain supportive and help our player every way we can. We don’t condone this kind of behavior and certainly don’t want our players to have these kind of issues or the victims to suffer any at all. I can’t say any more than that.
• I think it’s worked out great (having Mike Locksley as offensive coordinator and Dan Enos as quarterbacks coach). I think the quarterbacks are getting a lot more immediate attention, self-gratification. I think the best way to coach is when somebody makes a mistake or a good play is to get immediate feedback. That is the best way to learn. With the advent of up tempo offenses, players don’t get coached as much between plays, because they have to go get lined up to get the signal for the next play. I think Mike and Dan get along really, really well. Both have been successful in the past. And I think both have a lot of respect for each other. I think it’s worked out fine.
• I think Mac Jones has made a lot of improvement. He’s a guy who has to mature. He’s very competitive. When you are a quarterback, how is what I am doing affecting my unit? So when things don’t go well, you can’t always show your emotions, show your disappointment. You have to be positive…we’re going to get them on the next play. That’s the part of his leadership we have to continue to work on. He’s made more and more good plays. We feel really good about his development. We are just trying to get him to focus on being the best player he can be. The position he is in, he’s not far from having to play.
• Jalen Hurts has had a really good spring from the standpoint we have really have tried to focus on continuing to help him to develop confidence in the passing game. He has shown signs of being able to do that.. We want to continue to work on that. Sometimes you can’t just think about making plays. You have to sort of make plays based on how they are designed and have some faith, trust and confidence in the people that are playing with you, that if you go through your progressions, that is going to give us the best chance to make some explosive plays in the passing game. And when it breaks down, then you use your athletic ability to make up for it. I think he’s done much better at that this spring.
• Trevon Diggs (ankle) been able to practice all week. I think he’s a lot more confident this year in terms of understanding what he’s supposed to do. As long as he stays focused and doesn’t like just start staring at the quarterback and not doing what he’s not supposed to do, which a lot of these guys made a lot of plays with their eyes in high school. But when you’re in man to man, you have to watch your man. You can’t cover you’re man if you’re not looking at him. That’s not the time to make plays with your eyes. So we continue to try to train our guys as to when you can make plays with your eyes and when you have to focus on the things you have to focus on to do your job in that particular coverage. He’s gotten better at that. I think he can be a very, very good player for us. I’m encouraged by the progress he’s made.