Saban Talks Quarterbacks, Leadership
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| UA Head Football Coach Nick Saban Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
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| Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin With Quaterbacks Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
It's approximately two weeks from the start of fall camp. As usual questions remain as to who will be the starting quarterback for The University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
Bama head football coach Nick Saban made the rounds at ESPN just a couple of days ago and was, of course, asked about the four-man war being waged for the starting quarterback position. Perhaps war is too strong a word, but certainly when all is said and done the victory of winning the coveted position will be like that as the end of one.
On the set of First Take, Saban discussed how competitive things are this year in that quarterback race. He said, "I think it’s always a challenge. It’s good competition, I think it makes everybody better and I think we have 3-4 guys who really have the right stuff when it comes to how they’re approaching this.
"And I think the most important thing is that when you have a quarterback battle, that the quarterbacks focus on what they need to do and not what the other guys do, aight? … ‘I completed 12 passes, he completed 11.’ Well, you don’t need to worry about that. … Don’t worry about what the other guy’s doing, worry about what you’re doing."
Of course the coach knows of what he speaks. Five national championships, four while the head man at The University of Alabama. You only get better by outdoing what you, yourself have done before...stepping up. Just because you are better than the other guy doesn't make one the best they can be.
Concerning the younger quarterbacks, redshirt freshman Blake Barnett and the true freshman, Jalen Hurts, Saban let it be know they are indeed in the mix to win that starting job.
Of course there is the older pair, Cooper Bateman and David Cornwell, who are doing what they can to keep the youngsters from overtaking them.
Saban says it will come down to one of these guys ability to win over their teammates. They do that by their production on the field mostly.
Saban stated, "I think it comes down to their performance, because I always say they have to win the team, but you win the team with your performance, your leadership, the relationships that you develop with that leadership so that the people on your unit think that you’re gonna help them take advantage of the opportunities that they have and that you can go out there and do it with the discipline to execute that you need to play winning football.
"We have several guys that have the talent and ability to do that. Are they gonna have the passion, perseverance, work ethic and discipline to turn it into a skill that can be consistently productive for our team, and the team will be the first ones to recognize that."
Other players will respond to a real leader, one in whom they trust will take them as a team as well as individuals to where it is they want to go. If you can't point the way, get out of the way is the thought of most athletes.
Alabama coaches have always done a good job of teaching the discipline of the game, the mechanics of the game...and how to lead.
THAT...is Alabama football.
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Inside Linebacker Jacob Phillips Releases Top 5
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| Inside LB Prospect Jacob Phillips Twitter Photo |
Four-star inside linebacker Jacob Phillips out of the Volunteer state of Tennessee has released his top five schools for which to play his college ball. In no particular order Phillips likes The University of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Oregon.
Phillips had paid a visit to Tuscaloosa just this past month after having received an offer from The Crimson Tide in May. He is in Tuscaloosa this weekend for Alabama's one-day camp and is one of the top targets.
The 6' 4", 228-pounder is rated at the No. 10 inside linebacker in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. He is the No. 219 overall player in the nation.
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National Champions, Soft Schedules & Idiots
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| Colin Cowherd Photo Credit: New York Post |
Why haven't I stayed in the radio business? It appears that anyone these days that can talk and provide a controversial statement or two can get a national platform to espouse all sorts of idiocy.
Take for instance, oh....let's say, Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd.
Cowherd seems to have a penchant for saying things that really he can't back up either statistically or quantifiably. Over the years one could certainly write and entertaining short story of the things he's said that make no sense or do more than make one say, "hmmmm."
This time around Cowherd is addressing the issue of The University of Alabama's football schedule being filled with "cupcakes." Now forget the fact that some of his former colleagues where he used to work have named it one of the toughest in the Southeastern Conference as well as the nation, but he even uses "open dates" which have been scheduled by the SEC as part of his reasoning. (Remember, it's that same SEC that a few years in a row placed open dates for some of Alabama's toughest in-conference opponents just the week prior to their games with the Crimson Tide, yet he expressed no "righteous indignation" over that particular fact.)
One can look at the schedule/competition of Southeastern Conference schools, and those being played by Alabama in 2016 in particular, and see that this is no "cupcake" schedule. Alabama head coach Nick Saban would argue that you overlook no one, thus no one should be considered a lesser opponent. However, admittedly, the Tide does have some games that are of lesser quality than much of its schedule.
LSU and Tennessee have not only been picked to win the Southeastern Conference by some this season, but have also been picked to win the national championship by some. Alabama has fallen to the Ole Miss Rebels two consecutive seasons now, so no one should doubt either the importance or difficulty level of this team/game.
Cowherd commented, "Alabama gets a month to prepare for USC on a neutral field. That's their toughie. They do play at Ole Miss, but a week before that they play Western Kentucky, so they can rest their starters. They do play LSU but they get a bye. They do play Auburn a week before they play Chattanooga.
Of course the Crimson Tide wasn't the only Southeastern Conference team to draw the ire of Cowherd. He also had something to say about the Arkansas Razorback's schedule as well.
"Arkansas has the same thing," Cowherd said. "Arkansas and Alabama completely manipulate their schedule to get a week off or a creampuff where they can rest multiple starters before big games."
Again, Cowherd spouts like Old Faithful, regularly and with a big spray. As pointed out earlier, for several years the SEC scheduled open dates before major games that Alabama was playing...for the other teams. Now that certainly looked a little strange back in the day to Crimson Tide fans, and did, yes, cause comments, but it was the SEC scheduling. Now, all of a sudden, according to Cowherd, it's Alabama (and Arkansas) scheduling.
SEC teams are allowed to schedule their out-of-conference opponents, but the league office handles the scheduling of SEC competition. Each schools play all other schools in their respective divisions, such as Alabama playing all Western Division schools, but then they have one permanent game from the other division, as does Alabama with Tennessee. The other teams rotate on and off the schedule as set up by the SEC.
Other sportscasters have taken Cowherd to task over the years for his idiocy. I'm sure it will continue in the future. More than likely it will happen again this season.
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Tide Compliance Director Goes To Work For Vols
Former University of Alabama compliance director and associate athletics director Jonathan Bowling has left The Crimson Tide staff and accepted the same position with the University of Tennessee. It has been confirmed by GoVols247's John Brice that Bowling is already on the job.
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247Sports Updates Recruiting Rankings
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Alabama Back To No. 1 In SEC, No. 2 Overall
Many of the Crimson Tide’s 2017 football commits, including four-star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (now the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the class), moved up in the rankings after the update.
Alabama’s 2017 class now features commitments from:
- Najee Harris, RB (6-1, 210), Antioch, California
- Alex Leatherwood, OL (6-4, 300), Pensacola, Florida
- Chadarius Townsend, ATH, (6-0, 180), Tanner, Alabama*
- Brian Robinson, RB (6-2, 210), Tuscaloosa, Alabama*
- Aaron Sterling, DL (6-1, 270), Stone Mountain, Georgia
- Gary Johnson, LB (6-2, 225), Dodge City (Kan.) Community College
- VanDarius Cowan, LB (6-4, 217), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB (6-1, 210), Honolulu, Hawaii
- Elliot Baker, OL (6-7, 295), City College of San Francisco (Calif.)
- Mac Jones, QB (6-2, 185), Jacksonville, Fla.
- Markail Benton, LB (6-2, 245), Phenix City, Alabama*
- Brandon Ruiz, K (5-10, 165), Gilbert, Arizona
- Tyrell Davis, LB ( 6-6, 202), Lewisville, Texas
- Thomas Fletcher, C (6-2, 220), Bradenton, Florida
- Akial Byers, DL, (6-4, 275), Fayetteville, Arkansas
*State of Alabama Recruits/Commitments
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Four-Star Hamsah Nasirldeen Likes The Tide
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| Hamsah Nasirildeen Photo Credit: 247Sports |
