Alabama head coach Nick Saban met with the media three times this week to discuss Saturday’s match-up against Tennessee. The No. 1 Crimson Tide and the Vols are scheduled to kick-off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN so that Alabama can show off its new light show inside the stadium.
Here’s everything Saban said about the Vols leading into the game, starting with his Monday press conference, followed by the SEC teleconference on Wednesday at lunch, and following Alabama’s practice on Wednesday night.
Opening statement of his Monday press conference:
“Obviously, this game to me, Tennessee is always a game that’s a big rivalry game. It means a lot to a lot of people in Alabama. It certainly means a lot to us. It means a lot to me. Jeremy (Pruitt) has done a really, really good job there. His team to me is emerging. They lost two games that they very easily could have won, but they’re playing with great discipline, toughness. The players are really playing hard. They’re executing well in terms of what they did and probably played their best game this last game against Mississippi State. I think all you have to do is look at the South Carolina-Georgia game and sort of figure out that anybody can win if you don’t play well every week, and you turn it over and make mistakes, anybody can beat anybody. It’s going to be important for us to improve and play well in this game and be ready to play. These guys have good players. They’ve been able to run the ball effectively on offense. Both quarterbacks have been effective for them. They’ve got a couple of good running backs. They’ve got a couple of good receivers. Offensive line plays with a lot of toughness. Their defense plays hard and plays with a lot of toughness. They’ve been very, very productive on special teams. We have many, many challenges.
“I don’t really have any injuries to report. But the fact that Smitty (Devonta Smith) got kicked out of the last game for retaliation is something that really can’t be tolerated and I think is a lesson that all players need to learn from in terms of you can’t make emotional decisions on the field. You can’t do what you feel like doing. You have to have enough discipline to walk away even if you’re provoked into something you don’t like. He will be disciplined in the next game. That’s our decision to do what we need to do to help him make better choices and decisions in the future. Smitty’s a great guy. He’s one of the best guys, hardest workers, does everything right. But it doesn’t make any difference. When you make emotional decisions, you don’t have a brain, you make bad decisions, sometimes they lead to consequences.”
On wide receiver Devonta Smith’s suspension against Tennessee:
“That was internal in terms of what they did. I think this is a little more significant than that, and I think this warrants half when you do something like this, which I think the conference office would agree with. So, hopefully, our players learn from this.”
On rivalry games:
“I think rivalry games are interesting to the fans. There’s a lot of fans that have a lot of passion about their school, and when you play in rivalry games, I think, that passion actually heightens. I think you hope the passion certainly does that with the players who are participating, and hopefully it will be the case with our team and our players, realizing the significance of this game and how important it is to so many of us, internally and externally. And I think it creates a lot of interest. I know this has always been a big game for Alabama folks and certainly a big game for us.”
On the 2009 Tennessee-Alabama game in Tuscaloosa and the blocked field goal to win the game:
“Well, obviously that play was really significant in terms of that team and what that team was able to accomplish, and what that team was able to do. My thoughts on before we blocked the kick, I thought we didn’t play particularly well in the game. My thoughts afterward was it was a great play by a lot of players. Great effort on his (Terrence Cody’s) part. I’m not sure Julio (Jones) or somebody else would have blocked it if he didn’t block it. It was a great win for us. But sometimes in rivalry games you have those kinds of tough tests. You have to be ready for it, you have to compete for 60 minutes in the game, and we were very fortunate in that game to be able to come out on top.”
On if Jeremy Pruitt played in his basketball league while at Alabama:
“You know, he never played much, so I can’t really comment. I know he’s a great competitor and did an outstanding job for us here. One of the best coaches we’ve had on our staff here in terms of knowledge, experience, work-ethic, players responding to him in a positive way, good teacher on the field, and that’s certainly reflected in the way their team’s playing.”
Here’s everything Saban said about the Vols during his appearance on the SEC teleconference on Wednesday, beginning with his opening statement.
“Well, this is a special game for a lot of folks around here. The rivalry with Tennessee is a special one for a lot of people in Alabama, and it’s been one of the best in college football through the years. Jeremy (Pruitt) has done a really good job, they made a lot of progress as a team, probably played their best game last week against Mississippi State. Playing with a lot of discipline, a lot of toughness. Their players are really playing hard, and they’ve done a really good job, so we need to respect that and really prepare well this week. So far it’s been pretty good for us, just kind of trying to improve ourselves and get better and be ready for a rivalry game, which anything can happen in.”
On if he sees a battle in the trenches happening against Tennessee:
“I think when you play a team like that, then that’s what you got to prepare for. When somebody is going to spread it out and have the ability to throw the ball, you have to prepare for that. We’re worried about the game we have this week, and that’s what we’re preparing for right now.”
On former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones:
“Most of the stuff is behind the scenes — film study, doing administrative type work. He always does — what do we need to do on offense for me and his opinion in terms of improving based on film study and things like that. His role has always sort of been that and he’s done a really, really good job of it. He’s a great person and a great guy to have in your organization.”
On Jones returning to Alabama for a second season:
“We’ve had guys do it. I think it’s all relative to what they want to do. I know Butch had job opportunities after last year and he decided he wanted to stay here. It’s obviously an advantage when you have continuity in your program with the people that you have in your organization at any level.”
Here’s everything Saban said during his press conference following the Crimson Tide’s Wednesday practice, beginning with his opening statement.
“I think the real thing that we’re trying to emphasize, you know, this week with our players is to really pay attention to detail. I think about this time of the year is when players get a little bit tired of practice and they get a little bit bored of the same kind of repetitions over and over and over, doing a lot of the same drills. But you know, you can’t lose your focus. And because when you do, you don’t pay attention to detail, you create bad habits, which they start showing up on the field. So that’s something we want to avoid at all costs.”
“So especially in a big rivalry game, like this game this week against Tennessee, I think that our players need to know that (the) first thing they’re going to get asked 20 years from now, is what was your record against Tennessee. And the next thing you’re going to get asked is what would you record against Auburn. So those games are big games to our fans. This game is a big game because it’s the game that we’re having this week. It’s a rivalry game. And like I said before, I think this team is much improved and kind of a team on the rise. We’re looking forward to, you know, the environment in the stadium, first night game of the season. I know our fans will be excited about playing this game. And I know our players certainly appreciate the enthusiasm and the support that they have and helping them play their best.”
On Tennessee defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley:
“I think he’s done a really good job. You know, we’ve always thought a lot of DA. I don’t see a whole lot of different stuff. They do a few things, I guess, a little different, but I see a lot of the same things that are things that are similar to what we do here. So, I’m sure he’s — I tell you what they’re extremely well-coached, regardless of what they’re doing, and I definitely think that he’s probably contributed you know, a great deal to that.”
On what he remembers about the 2000 Tennessee-LSU game:
“You know what, the only thing I remember about that game, and I remember that we won in overtime, I remember when we won, I remember it was a really, really important game. But you’re talking about, what is it, 18 or 19 years ago. I remember having two Louisiana State patrolmen that were by me, which is pretty much a thing in the Southeastern Conference and in the South. And in the Big Ten, we never had that. The coach never had it at Ohio State, I never had it at Michigan State, the head coach never had it when I was the defensive coordinator. So, I was like why do I need these guys? And when we won that game and the fans stormed the field, I was so thankful and grateful that I had those guys, and I’ve never lost appreciation for them ever since. So, that’s my No. 1 memory from that game. But it was a huge game, no doubt. Tennessee had a really good team.”
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Class act for sure