University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban sat down with Paul Finebaum yesterday afternoon on The Paul Finebaum Show on the SEC Network. Saban spoke of his fishing trip, the wedding preparations for his daughter's upcoming nuptials, his grandchild, and Alabama football.
Talk of the fishing trip transitioned easily into last season's team, and more in depth as to the loss Bama suffered in the Sugar Bowl at the hands of Ohio State. Finebaum mentioned to Saban that he has preached finishing in the fourth quarter, and joked that it appeared that's what Saban did to land the big fish.
Saban smiled and spoke of how proud he was that he and his friends all caught a fish, a total of five, and said that he did indeed finish in landing his. He then transitioned to football saying, "...it is one of the things that we've been very concerned about...is how we finished the last two seasons and certainly, hopefully want to do a better job of that this year, you know, with our team. Hopefully we can focus on the team and get our players committed . You know there's a lot of distractions for players late in the season. You have a lot of guys that are gonna get drafted, a lot of juniors that are thinking about coming out early for the draft...a lot of pressure relative to the expectations they have for where you are. So this is something that we need to do a better job of managing so that we have a better chance to compete at a higher level and finish strong."
Finebaum brought up the disappointing Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State. Saban replied, "We just didn't seem like we played really well against Ohio State. We got ahead 21-6 in the game, but seemed like we got a little relief syndrome like. And they're a very, very good team, and when you play really good teams they're going to compete for 60 minutes in the game and you've got to match them play for play, down in and down out. And you know, we just didn't do a very good job of that."
Saban went on to say he took responsibility for the team not performing to what he believed was their potential once they got into the game with Ohio State. He said that the time between the SEC Championship game and the playoff/bowl game, "we kind of lost our mojo a little bit and it affected how we played."
When Finebaum brought up whether Saban liked the current playoff system, or the possibility of going to eight teams, Saban clarified his stance, saying that he didn't object to the playoff itself, just that it should be kept separate from the bowl games. Whether it was the current four game playoff or changed to an eight game playoff, he was adamant in that the bowl games needed to be preserved and they should be a separate entity from the playoff.
Saban would like to see the bowl games played as the "reward" for the teams for which they had originally been intended. He brought up how the week of the bowls the teams could let their hair down a little and enjoy the festivities leading up to the games. But the playoffs change that with their importance in the overall scope of things.
He further pointed to last year's national championship game, in that it was not a part of a bowl game. It was separate from the bowls. He wants to see that put into effect in the playoffs for all the games, whether a four team format or eight. He then referenced the Sugar Bowl, saying let it be the bowl game as it had always been, then play a separate playoff game there.
Saban currently boasts a 91-17 record during his eight seasons at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Last season's record was 12-2 overall, 7-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
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Football Recruiting
Alabama football issued six offers to potential recruits during the past week.
The first name being mentioned is the son of the famous NFLer, Randy Moss. Thaddeus Mekhi Moss is an impressive 2016 3-star tight end out of Victory Christian in Charlotte, North Carolina. One can tell his dad has had a hand in coaching-up the younger Moss in that he likes catching the ball at its apex.
2017 4-star offensive tackle Jedrick Wills (6' 5", 300 lbs.) out of Lexington, Kentucky has received an offer from the Crimson Tide. He is considered by most to be the top player in the state of Kentucky.
B. J. Emmons is a 2016 4-star running back and Georgia commit, who Bama is, of course, trying to flip.
The remaining offers are for the 2018 recruitment class and include outside linebacker Eriq Gilyard. strong side defensive end Nik Bonitto, and corner back Al Blades, Jr.
Recruiting is part of the process, and the process continues as coaches continue to talk with prospective recruits.
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Softball
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Women's College World Series begins tomorrow in the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This will be Alabama's fourth trip in five years to make a run at the National Championship.
The Crimson Tide departed early yesterday morning en route to what they hope will be a championship. "I'm so excited to get on that plane because I know what's waiting for me when I get off," senior Danae Hays said. "I wish it was Thursday night right now because I want to play so bad." Hays was a part of the national championship team in 2012 as a freshman.
Junior Haylie McCleney also commented, "It's just really special to go with these amazing girls and all the staff that has helped us get to this point. We have a big group, so for everybody to come and be a part of something so special is great."
Bama has been here before. As mentioned earlier, the National Championship came to the Capstone in 2012. But the Tide represented well last season as well in the runner-up spot. This is the 10th trip overall for Bama to the WCWS.
Michigan will be the Crimson Tide opponent to begin the big show. Alabama and the third-seed Wolverines have already played twice this season, with Michigan (56-60 taking both victories.
The Southeastern Conference is well represented in the field of eight. A Total of five SEC teams will be there, tying a WCWS record for most teams at the dance from a single conference. That record was originally set by the Pac 12 in 1999. Other teams from the SEC besides the Crimson Tide are Florida, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee. Rounding out the remainder of eight are Oregon, UCLA and Michigan.
The winner of the Alabama-Michigan contest on Thursday will face the winner of Thursday's contest between Oregon and UCLA in a game to be played on Friday, May 29 at 8:30 PM CDT. The two losing teams will play on Saturday, May 30 at 1:30 PM CDT in an elimination game.
Both games will be televised. ESPN2 will carry the winners contest, and ESPN will broadcast the elimination game.
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Football
Just a note on 2015 football at the University of Alabama. Summer sessions have begun. Meetings with strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran have and will continue to take place. Several hours of orientation yesterday.
And, no, Braxton Miller is not enrolled at the Capstone this summer. That's an important point since the other new signees are here.
Soon we'll have more information to share. But the great thing is...we get to really start talking Alabama Crimson Tide football.
Again, thank you for your readership. Glad to have you in the boat with me...Rolling with the Tide.
