Reece Davis Interview With Nick Saban
College GameDay host Reese Davis interviewed Alabama head football coach Nick Saban this morning. He brought up Saban's record in "so-called payback revenge games", which is 9-1 at Alabama. He asked Saban, "How do you see a team during preparation for a team that they lost to the year before?"
Saban answered, "Well, you know, I think this is about this year's team, really, and I think that all the players remember what happened last year. And I think, you know, they remember the give and the take. They remember what they gave away with the mistakes that they made. They remember the things that they did well...and they know how they need to correct that to be able to play well this year. And I think that's the kind of game it's going to be today."
Davis then moved to the QB situation and asked, "How do you see the quarterback rotation, if there is one, playing out tonight against Ole Miss?"
Saban's response was pretty much as expected with, "Well, we're going to do the best thing for our team. And I think both guys have contributed in a positive way, and I think both guys are very capable. We're confident in both guys, and I think when the guys get the opportunity they gotta go in and take advantage of it."
Kirk Herbstreit then asked, "Coach, when you look at your offense and their defense, what's a factor in this game, no matter who the quarterback is, in being able to be consistent and put points on the board?"
"I think the most important thing against Ole Miss is we have to be able to execute," Saban said. "You know, execution gives you rhythm. Rhythm gives you momentum. That's really important on offense. But controlling the line of scrimmage, for us, the kind of team we are, is probably the most important thing. Because it means we can run it effectively, makes the play-action game a little better, helps the quarterback back in the pocket when you do have to drop back...because this is a very fast, athletic team."
Herbie then asked about Alabama's approach to this uptempo Ole Miss offense tonight. Saban answered, "You know we've really tried to improve our approach, and it's helped a lot now that our team goes tempo, so we have a better chance to prepare against it because we can practice against it more often. It's a more realistic picture. It's very difficult to get the scout team to give you that kind of look. But I think the big thing in this game is going to be is how we control Ole Miss' big plays. And I think that's going to take a lot of execution in the secondary, but our front's going to have to do a good job of stopping the run so that we create positive situations that dictate the down distance."
Saban later said how important it was to respond the right way in a big game like this, especially against a team in which you didn't have success last year. "This is a huge challenge. It's going to tell a lot about who we are and how we respond today," he commented.
When asked about the revenge factor, and the emotions the players have concerning last year's loss to Ole Miss, Saban said, "...no question about the fact that it is real. I don't think there's any question about the fact that it affects the players, but the emotion of the game will take care of itself. The execution in the game is what's going to make a difference to me in how we perform. And I think both those things (emotion and execution) are going to have to be in balance for us to play tonight."
Then when asked if a brawl broke out at the Coach's Convention who would he pick as the one head coach he would want on his side. After the laughing and joking were over, Saban said based on pure coaching ability it would Urban Meyer.
Alabama vs Ole Miss. Game time tonight is 8:15 p.m. CT.
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Ole Miss Going With Superstition
No. 2 Alabama Hosts No. 15 Ole Miss Tonight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
1988.
That was the last time that the University of Mississippi football team beat the University of Alabama football team in Tuscaloosa.
Impressive.
As if the practice and hard work put in this week weren't enough, Ole Miss has decided to give their mojo and little hudu. When Johnny Reb comes marching into Bryant-Denny Stadium he won't quite be going back to the Civil War era, but he will be going back to 1988 to don the uniforms of the last team to beat Bama in their own yard.
We've already heard how impressive this Ole Miss offense and defense are. We've already heard how many are blaming Bama for the suspension of one of their star-players, Laremy Tunsil (or in the very least causing the delay in an NCAA decision that could allow him to play). We've heard how they look at this as more of a revenge game than we do. Now we hear how superstitious the Rebs are.
Ole Miss football announced yesterday they would be wearing the throwback uniforms for today's game. Any little edge, I guess.
This will be the biggest test either team has faced so far this young season. No. 2 Alabama and the No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels open the 2015 Southeastern Conference slate. The winner will be declared a contender. The loser will be decried a pretender.
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban said, "If you're a great competitor, you love to play in games like this."
Which quarterback starts for Bama tonight? And which "game" QB will we see...the Wisconsin-Bama QBs who seemed more in control despite it being the opening game, or the MTSU-Bama QBs who seemed to digress a bit against inferior competition?
And how will the Tide secondary hold up against the offensive onslaught sure to come from the Ole Miss hurry-up spread offense?
These and other questions are sure to be answered very shortly.
Alabama and Ole Miss take the field tonight at 8:15 a.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Heather Cox on the call.
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Bama Women's Golf Leads Mason Rudolph Championship
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama women's golf team leads after the first round of play in the Mason Rudolph Championship in Franklin, Tennessee yesterday. Bama leads a field of 17 with a six-under par 282 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club South Course.
Sophomore Lakareber Abe was the Tide's best yesterday with six birdies for a five-under 67. She is second in the individual standings. Freshman Cheyenne Knight carded a three-under 69 with four birdies.
Senior Janie Jackson finished with a 72, and senior standout Emma Talley contributed with a two-over par 74 on the day. Just missing out on her round being counted is junior Cammie Gray with a three-over par 75.
Tee time for Bama today is 9:45 a.m. CT. They will be grouped with Northwestern and Georgia.
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Men's Golf
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Severe weather rolled in to cut short the opening round of the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitation Golf Tournament yesterday. The No. 24 University of Alabama men's golf team shot an overall 13-over par 293 yesterday. With several teams still on the course when the bad weather struck, those will have to complete their round this morning at 8 a.m. CT. The second round will begin shortly after round one is complete. The tournament is taking place on the Olympia Fields Country Club North Course.
The No. 3 Florida State Seminoles (273) was leading the 15-team field when the bad weather caused play to be suspended. No. 13 Stanford (281) was second, followed by No. 19 Oklahoma State (282) and host team No. 1 Illinois (282) tied for third, and No. 11 Arizona State finishing out the top five.
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Tide Tennis Takes Three
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Crimson Tide ladies tennis team took three wins yesterday evening at the Baylor Invitational. It was freshman newbie Andie Daniell coming through with wins in both her singles and doubles match. Senior Natalia Maynetto picked up Bama's third win of the day in singles.
In that doubles win for Daniell, she was partnered with sophomore Aryn Green to beat Ohio State's Anna Sanford and Grainne O'Neil with a final 8-4 score.
Alabama plays again this afternoon at 2 p.m. CT and conclude at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday.
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Bama Bounces Back
Volleyball Takes 4-Set Win Over Northern Illinois
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Things may not have gone so well yesterday afternoon for the Crimson Tide volleyball team, but they bounced back last night with a win over Northern Illinois in the Huskie Invitational. Bama fell earlier yesterday to Western Kentucky but bounced back last night over the tournament hosts.
Bama hit .304 as a team, while limiting limiting the Huskies to .226.
Kat Hutson was team leader with 24 total kills in the two matches. Krystal Rivers came in with 22 kills over the two matches as well as six blocks, second-highest on the team. Leah Lawrence led the team in blocks with 10, with seven of those coming against the Huskies. Tabitha Brown had a career-best 17 kills against Northern Illinois.
Alabama will face Northern Iowa this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CT to conclude the weekend.
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Bama Soccer Falls To Wildcats 1-0
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
"I'm obviously disappointed with tonight's result," head coach Wes Hart said. "There were times throughout the game when I thought our team lacked some energy, and that is very uncharacteristic for us. We showed some life late in the game, but unfortunately were not able to find the equalizer."
This was the seventh shutout of the 2015 season for Kentucky. Bama managed only five shots throughout the entire evening.
Hart continued, "I give all the credit in the world to Kentucky. They are a very well-coached, highly-efficient team. We started to show some more energy in the final minutes of the match, but Kentucky did a good job of countering us all night."
The Crimson Tide closes out the four-game home stand Sunday night against Jacksonville State University. Game time is 7:00 p.m. CT and may be viewed on SECN+.
