The Crimson Tide will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday to take on the Wildcats, with Alabama currently enjoying its best football performance of the year.
Head coach Nick Saban will discuss Alabama’s practice week and preview the matchup on his weekly radio program, “Hey Coach,” before UA travels. Saban will be broadcasting live from Baumhower’s Victory Grille in Tuscaloosa, along with Eli Gold and a media guest.
The highlights of Saban’s appearance are listed below.
**The media guest for the evening was Nick Kelly from The Tuscaloosa News.
— About No. 8 Alabama’s (8-1, 6-0 SEC) matchup against Kentucky (6-3, 3-3), head coach Nick Saban said, “When you have two emotional games back-to-back it sets up a mental trap.”
–Saban stated the team has improved in practice despite having a slow start to the week.
–Saban stated that every time Alabama loses, he is reminded of his complacency and that it doesn’t “work very well in competitive sports.”
“Being passionate about something does not mean becoming obsessed with it.”
Grand Bay native Peewee began by boasting about the offensive line’s prowess and then rattled off the offensive stats of the Tide from their 42-28 victory over LSU.
UA would have scored on eight of the eleven possessions if Peewee hadn’t made two “uncharacteristic” field goal misses, according to Saban, who thought Peewee did a good job running everything down.
–Saban pointed with his hands to indicate “that much” when he said that Will Reichard missed on his attempts slightly to the right. According to Saban, he “patted him on the butt” and left it up to Reichard to adjust.
“It’s likely more likely to harm Will Reichard than to help him when we start telling guys like him how to do what he does.”
–Saban stated that he would like his coordinators to decide whether to call plays from the box or the field. Kevin Steele and Tommy Rees, the new coaches, call plays from the booth.
Reiterating a narrative from his time as the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick, Saban talked about how he felt under pressure because he liked to have all of his calls and notes in front of him. It “takes a different kind of guy” to think on the field without a pen and paper.
–When Kelly asked Saban for advice on marriage, he replied, “You can always make each other better,” before bringing up Miss Terry. The important thing before saying “good luck” to someone is to show them how much you respect and trust them, even if it means spending time together.
Regarding the College Football Playoff selection committee, Saban claimed to have asked his players to “put them on the hot seat.” The Tide was ranked eighth, outside of the top four, behind Texas, Washington, and Oregon.
**Following their injuries against LSU, Deontae Lawson and Jaylen Key, according to Saban, are “very questionable.”
Ideally, we will be able to retrieve them soon. Therefore, it will present a chance for a few other guys to step up.
**According to Saban, he uses a book to match formations to what a team is running while he watches film, and he then develops a plan to modify UA’s strategy. Following that, Saban watches situational video of a team’s third-down or red zone plays.
Regarding the injuries Alabama will be dealing with this weekend, Saban stated, “This is probably the game we will be a little more banged up than most.”
–Saban remarked defensively Terrion Arnold is a talented and “fun-loving” player who is a pleasure to coach; the trick with his enthusiasm is to focus.
**One of the lingering questions from the Alabama-LSU game is about Dallas Turner’s hit on Jayden Daniels. A caller wants to know more about it. According to Saban’s reading of the rule, it was roughing the passer but not targeting. Saban expressed regret over Daniels’ concussion during the play.
**When asked what statistics best reflect a defense’s quality, Saban responded that stopping the run is crucial, but that “college football stats are not indicative” because of the negation of sack yardage and quarterback scrambles. According to Saban, the team determines if it can give up less than 3.3 yards per carry when using “running plays.”
–Saban made it a point to observe Veteran’s Day and express gratitude to the public for the contributions made by those who have served their country.
**Additionally, Saban acknowledged “Uncle Bob,” the Stoops family, and the “Stoops guys” he has either coached or recruited. Kentucky’s head coach is Mark Stoops.
