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Saban On ESPN College GameDay
ESPN in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Photo Credit: ESPN
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban sat down and talked with the guys live this morning on ESPN's College GameDay. Saban answered questions and talked about tonight's contest between the 4th-ranked Crimson Tide and the 2nd-ranked Tigers.
Alabama alum Reece Davis started off asking Saban about what "you learn about this team in this matchup" tonight. Saban replied, "Well I think the most important thing that your team needs to do in big games like this, and LSU has an outstanding team, is to be able to stay focused on executing on the field and not get involved in all the hype outside the game. Win your individual battle... win the one-on-one battles... execute and do your job together as a group...gives you the best chance to be successful in games like this."
Herbie then asked Saban about the Bama defensive front seven and how good they are, "What do you like about this front seven?" Saban answered, "Well I think the thing that makes our front seven a little better than what we've had before...we have more diversity in players. We have some big power guys that play against the run, but we can also put some guys in on third down that can pressure the passer... and we've affected most quarterbacks that we've played, which has been a key to getting off the field on third down...and playing better pass defense."
There was then a question about Amari Cooper and what Saban saw in him that caused Saban to bring him to Alabama. We'll stick with the game for tonight, however, in this article.
Reece then brought the subject around to freshman receiver Calvin Ridley and asked, "What has he been able to do to become the go-to guy receiving for you?"
Saban replied, "Well, being a freshman, we didn't think his role would be quite as big...but when we lost Robert Foster early in the season, it's allowed Calvin Ridley now to be a starter, and he's responded very, very well, to making some great catches in some big plays, and he's a talented guy...and it's certainly good for our team that he has matured nicely as a freshman."
Herbie then asked about the offensive play-calling on the sideline, and whether or not Saban steps in on crucial plays to make the call. "Like (in the game) tonight, how much are you involved in the offense and suggestions, especially in a game that could be field position and low-scoring and that kind of thing," he asked.
Saban responded, "Well I think the most important thing is how did you plan the game...you know, a lot of these decisions get made on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in terms of what you're going to do in these situations...and I think that's where the input lies. It's always been my opinion that when the game's going on you really don't want to make too many suggestions while you have the ball because you affect the signal-caller, and his ability to focus, and do what he's got set up to do and all that. The time that we talk is when we don't have the ball, when we're on defense. You know, I may make some suggestions of, basically, what we might do the next time around, and something I something I saw their defense do. So, I let 'em go. Same thing with Kirby on defense. You know I was a defensive coordinator. I don't try to call the game. I let them do it because when I was a coordinator it was disruptive when everybody was making suggestions when you were trying to make calls."
Desmond asked what Saban and coaches do to guard against the uncharacteristic mistakes that happened with Ole Miss from happening in "a game of this magnitude against the Tigers." Saban said, "Well, you know, it was uncharacteristic for out team because, you know, we were extremely emotional for that game...and when went out, we played out of sorts...and we didn't stay within ourselves and stay didn't stay focused on the things that we need to do. But, anytime you have five turnovers in a game it's going to be hard to beat anybody. You can take all the other mistakes, but those things are what really killed us in that game."
Herbie asked about the move of Geno Smith and Eddie Jackson to safety. He mentioned that they've done well in the passing and stopping some other runners, but thought it would be interesting to see how they handle Leonard Fournette when he gets back to them.
Saban said, "Well, we've always had big safeties here. And this year, because of personnel issues and really playing the best players, we have our best players on the field...they've all been former corners...and I think tackling, and yards after contact are going to be real keys in this game for our defensive team. And the secondary is going to have to keep great leverage on the ball, and they're going to have to do a great job of tackling an outstanding back."
Alabama and LSU meet at Bryant-Denny Stadium tonight at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on CBS.
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Alabama-LSU Tonight!
LSU's Les Miles, left, & Alabama's Nick Saban
Photo Credit: USATS
It's a prime-time match up with everything on the line. With a loss this late in the season one team can forget its dreams of the playoffs, and with the other it's also highly doubtful. Both can play with any team in the country.
Tonight at 7 p.m. CT, the CFP 4th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide hosts the 2nd-ranked LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium in a game that most see as a game that will go down to wire, hard-hitting, and one that must be as error-free as possible in order to take the win and stay on track for a shot at the national title.
Both teams boast powerful runners. Alabama has Derrick Henry, and LSU boasts Leonard Fournette. These are two of the best running backs in the country. Fournette averages nearly 200 yards per game. Henry leads the nation with 13 consecutive games with at least one touchdown.
Both the Crimson Tide and the Tigers are coming off a bye week, giving the teams time to get a little rest, get some people healed-up, as well as throw in a new wrinkle or two in the offense scheme in hopes of catching the other unawares. Alabama is 7-1, with its only loss coming at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels early in the season. LSU is 7-0, down a game because the first game of the season was cancelled due to inclement weather.
OddsShark has Alabama by 6.5. The line has fluctuated between 6.5 down to 2.5 over the past two weeks.
LSU's Fournette has already shown what he can do throughout the season, even against the Florida Gator's tough defense. He was able to rush for a whopping 180 yards in that game. Of course he hasn't faced Alabama's front seven. The question tonight could come down to the quarterbacks. LSU has Brandon Harris, who has been key to the Tiger's success. He has thrown for 1098 yards and 9 touchdowns this season, and will indeed test the Alabama secondary. The Tide's defense will have to put pressure on him in hopes of knocking the timing off, as well as sitting him on his butt a few times in order to slow down the Tiger offense. Incidentally, Harris has thrown zero interceptions this season.
Alabama's quarterback, Jacob Coker, has shown flashes of brilliance himself. Though Alabama won't have to depend on him to win the game for them, he has the ability when he's on. And when the offensive line protects him. The key is for Coker not to lose the game for the Tide. Throwing the ball away in pressure situations instead of trying to force it will be absolutely necessary tonight. Coker has a 9-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio when playing in Bryant-Denny Stadium, whereas it's 2-to-0 when playing away. At home he has averaged just 6.7 passing yards but gets 8.7 yards away. This needs to be Jake's "away" game.
The Alabama faithful know what this team capable of doing. Alabama has everything necessary to win the football game tonight. The offensive line will need to play its best game of the season, protecting Coker, opening the lanes for whichever back is running the ball, and keeping penalties to a minimum. The receivers have the hands and speed to grab the ball, but must make sure on third down plays to run patterns past the sticks in order to extend drives. The defensive secondary must remember to turn their heads to look for the ball in order to keep pass interference calls from occurring.
This will be the 80th meeting between the two nationally-ranked powers, with Alabama boasting an overall record of 49-25-5 against the Tigers, including winning the last four in a row. LSU, however, has won 11 of the last 20.
Four of the past ten regular-season meetings have gone into overtime, and three others have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, " What we've done at this point is create an opportunity. What we really try to do is give the players the best road map. They have to drive the car."
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Tide Drowns Trevecca 87-65 In Men's Basketball
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Alabama's new head basketball coach, Avery Johnson, got his first collegiate basketball win last night at the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans 87-65 in an exhibition game at Coleman Coliseum. Bama's offense banged in 30 of 58 shots while the defense stole 11 balls in the contest.
Johnson said, "It was a pretty good night for us tonight. Our guys were very anxious to get out on the floor and play in front of their home crowd. There was pretty good energy in the building tonight for an exhibition game. So, I want to thank everybody who came out tonight to support the team."
Junior Shannon Hale led Alabama in scoring with 18 points. Two others hit in double-digits. Graduate transfer Arthur Edwards had 12 points on the night, and sophomore Riley Norris added another 10.
Defensively it was junior Michael Kessens leading the Tide in rebounds with nine. Freshman Dazon Ingram had seven rebounds, followed by Norris and senior Retin Obasohan with six apiece. Bama won on the boards, 45-24.
The official start to the Alabama basketball season is next Friday, October 13th as the Crimson Tide welcomes Kennesaw State to Coleman Coliseum. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. CT, and will air on SEC Network+. This is all part of a twin-bill as prior to the men's game, the Lady Tide will take on Alabama A&M at 4:30 p.m. CT.
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Tide Rowing Team In Head Of The Hooch Regatta
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama rowing team will send 11 boats to compete in four races today in day one of the Hooch Regatta in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Tide will then close out the weekend, and it's fall season, tomorrow with six boats in the Open8+.
Alabama rowing team head coach Larry Davis commented, "The head of the Hooch is one of the fall classics. Some people consider it the biggest regatta in the United States during the fall. There will be a lot of good Division I teams there, some of which will be conference teams, so everybody is looking forward to it."
The Women's Championship 8+ is first today which begins at 10:14 a.m. CT, followed by the Women's College & Club Novice 8+ at 1:29 p.m., the Women's Championship 2x at 2 p.m. and the Women's Open 8+ at 11:53 a.m. The Crimson Tide has competed at the Head of the Hooch for 10 consecutive seasons now.
