Everything Nick Saban Said the Day Before the Cotton Bowl

Saban spoke with the media one final time ahead of his team's appearance in the College Football Playoff Semifinal.

DALLAS — No. 1 Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke to the media one final time ahead of his team's matchup with No. 4 Cincinnati in the 2021 Cotton Bowl.

Saban spoke on his team as well as evaluated the Bearcats ahead of the game. Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell will speak to the media following Saban.

Transcript: Nick Saban Cotton Bowl Press Conference

OPENING STATEMENT

ALABAMA HEAD COACH NICK SABAN: Well, we certainly appreciate the opportunity to be involved in the Cotton Bowl here.

Like to thank all the people of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl for all that they've done to create a lot of positive hospitality. Even though we've got circumstances that we all have to deal with, it has worked out very well.

Our players seem to be focused, practicing well, doing the things that they need to do to prepare to play a very, very good Cincinnati team who certainly competed well all season long and certainly deserves the right to be in the playoffs. And they're very well‑coached. Their players play hard. They play well together. So this will be a very challenging game for us.

QUESTIONS

Q. I wanted to ask you about Coach [Luke] Fickell and what he's been able to build in Cincinnati. You know a thing or two about building a program into something successful, as he's working to do. How impressed are you with what he's been able to do at Cincinnati to get to this point?

COACH SABAN: I'm extremely impressed. I've always had a lot of respect and admiration for Luke when he was a defensive coordinator. I think he's done a fantastic job of building a program. And I think the indication of that, not knowing sort of the internal parts of it, is when you look at what's happening on the field. The way their players play, the way they compete, the discipline that they have, you know it's a very structured organization that's creating a lot of value and teaching a lot of people what they need to do to be successful.

And that's something that we always have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for. They obviously have a lot of really good players, so they've done a good job of attracting good talent, which is always an important part of having a good team. But those good players are also being developed in a very positive way to help them be successful.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your ties to Ohio. Obviously, it goes back quite a ways. And I want to get to how did that really make you into the coach that you are today. You've had such a long coaching career, but that's kind of where you were, I don't want to say, formed as a coach, but if you could.

COACH SABAN: No, I think you're probably right about that. I played at Kent State. I started my coaching career at Kent State. I always recruited Ohio, mostly northeast Ohio, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Cleveland. For years and years and years when I was at Michigan State, I coached at Cleveland Browns for four years with Bill Belichick.

There was a time when we lived in Ohio and spent so much time there that we sort of felt like we were more residents of Ohio than we were of West Virginia, in terms of where we were from. And certainly, professionally, if not true personally, a lot of things that helped me grow and develop as a coach happened in Ohio with all the experiences that we had. Don James was an instrumental part in getting me started in coaching. And certainly learned a tremendous amount from him and Earle Bruce and Bill Belichick.

So the experiences that I had as a coach in Ohio really helped mold me philosophically into a lot of things that we believe in and that we try to implement in our program.

Q. Given what we saw from the offensive line against Georgia playing maybe their most consistent game of the year, how have they built on that? And when you have got two solid players at one position like Seth [McLaughlin] and Darrian [Dalcourt] how difficult is that to decide who starts when it comes game time?

COACH SABAN: I think we play the player we feel gives us the best opportunity to win versus a matchup that we have. Some of that, guys have to be physically ready to play in terms of being 100%. That sometimes plays into it.

But there's always difficult decisions to make when it comes to personnel. Everybody wants to play. And I think as a coach, you just try to make the decision based on who you feel will give you the best chance to win based on practice, preparation, and how they've historically performed as a player.

So I think it is a challenge for our offensive line. It was a challenge for them in the SEC championship game against a very good front seven. They'll have a very similar challenge in this game.

I know that I hear from a lot of the folks out there in the media that the way to have a chance to beat us is to pressure the quarterback. So in many cases, it's important that the offensive line can do a good job of protecting the quarterback and not allowing that to happen so he does have a chance to operate. We've been most successful when that's been the case. So this is a very challenging game for them.

Q. Over the days since you guys have been here, have you noticed a growing sense of eagerness from your team to play this game? I'm sure they're just chomping at the bit to get out there, especially since they decided collectively to stay pretty isolated this week.

COACH SABAN: Right, I think when you have this much time between games, when you start practicing way before Christmas, you're practicing, it seems like the game is a long way off. And then when you really finally arrive at the site, you say, wow, this is for real. It's coming up quickly. We have a regular week to go through.

And the goal from a coach's standpoint, from our standpoint, is to get the players gaining a sense of urgency, a sense of focus the closer they get to the game and not having practiced so much they start getting bored with what they're doing. And I haven't seen that from our team.

Q. How important is it to stay on task and have a routine when you approach a big game at a big venue like this?

COACH SABAN: I think that's the most important thing, keep the main thing the main thing, which is the game and how you play in the game. And you determine that by the choices you make. What you choose to ignore, whether it's something you hear in the media, whether it's how you played in the last game, past performance, none of that really matters in this game.

It's how you look forward and focus on what you need to do to be able to execute, do your job, be accountable to your teammates in this particular game. So I think having the right mindset and the right focus is very important to being able to play well.

Q. How have players JoJo Earle and Jalyn Armour‑Davis gotten through the week health‑wise? And have there been any new issues in terms of availability among players that have cropped up?

COACH SABAN: I don't think there are any issues among players available. Jalyn Armour‑Davis has practiced some. We will make a game‑time decision on whether he's able to play. And he'll certainly ‑‑ he's a mature player, and he knows whether he can go out there and do his job. And JoJo Earle has practiced as well. We will make game‑time decisions on how much those guys are able to participate.

Q. Over the course of the season, obviously B. Rob (Brian Robinson) got the chance to kind of take the lead back role when he started the year. But how have you seen him grow and really become a leader for this team?

COACH SABAN: B. Rob's had an outstanding year. I think that early on having some success as a runner, having some success as a receiver, becoming a complete player at his position, very good third‑down back as well really helped develop his confidence.

We always ask these questions about how guys develop. I mean, the guy was a good player to start with. He got better, and that's the goal for every player. But he's had an outstanding year and been a great teammate and a leader for his group.

Q. So you've been in these big games many times, and I can imagine that's one of the benefits as a coach. But again, there's always new guys experiencing this for the first time. So I'm curious to ask you: What have you learned from this team ahead of this particular playoff that's been different than any other?

COACH SABAN: I don't know that there's anything different. We try to establish a routine with our players in terms of how we prepare them. And it's up to each individual player as to how focused, how important, what kind of choices and decisions that they want to make relative to how they're going to go out and compete and play in the game. And preparation, how they practice, how they prepare for the game, their focus, all those things contribute to that.

And most of the time, when players have something to prove or something's important to them, that sort of brings out the best in them. But when you play competitive sports, you not only have to prepare for what you're supposed to do, you have to prepare for how are you going to react when the other guy does something different.

Very similar to a boxer, he's prepared to fight. He trained well for the fight, but he also has to respond to taking a punch. He also has to respond to having a man around.

So you also have to have the mindset that you're going stay focused on what happens next, the next play and your ability to overcome adversity when you play against good teams because you're not going to win every single down. It's very, very important in terms of your mindset and your ability to stay focused and play with consistency.

So you never really know. I can sit here and tell you that I can tell or can't tell. There's been games when I was concerned that we had the right mindset and went out and played well. And there's been games where I thought we were really ready to play and we didn't play very well.

You really never know until you get out there on the field and kind of start the game and see the look in their eye and how focused and how important it is for everybody to maintain intensity.

Q. While game planning for Cincinnati, what areas do you see this team excelling, maybe compared to other opponents you've prepared for this season?

COACH SABAN: I don't really compare any team to any other team. So that's not a fair question from that standpoint.

But if you're asking me what I think of Cincinnati's team, I think they have an outstanding team. Offensively, the quarterback (Desmond Ridder) has done an outstanding job all year. They have got good skill players outside. They have got great balance to run and pass. They've got a good runner.

Defensively, they're aggressive. They've got some good edge‑pass rushers. They've got good cover people, especially the corners. They played really well defensively. And they are fourth in the country in points allowed.

And it carries all over into special teams. They're sound, solid, well‑coached. This is a very good team and I think as good a team as we've played all year.

Q. We were talking to Slade Bolden yesterday, and he was telling us that he kind of enjoys being doubted every step throughout his football career. Now that he's a junior, he's experienced, he's played in some big games, how much are you going to rely on him and his just wide stage in the sense that he has played in these moments? He knows what to expect, and you're going to have a lot of young receivers that are going to contribute throughout the entire playoff.

COACH SABAN: Right, well, Slade has had an outstanding year. He's a very consistent, dependable player in so many ways. He's an outstanding special teams player. He does a really good job for us in the passing game. He plays with toughness. He's a really good competitor.

And he's made a lot of key catches for us throughout the season. And there's no reason to think that he won't have some opportunities to do the same thing in this game.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Jameson Williams. Obviously, he played at Ohio State. And his transfer story is quite miraculous. How is his story in itself, along with the transfer portal in general, really kind of changed modern college football into what it is today? And how has that helped you guys really build this Alabama program as well?

COACH SABAN: Well, I'm not going to get into the transfer portal and the things that it creates.

I think there's some things that ‑‑ resiliency is really important to players having an opportunity to be successful. And I think when players stay in a program for three or four years and the opportunity that they wanted to create for themselves is not exactly what it turned out, that they wanted it to be, the opportunity to go someplace else can be very beneficial.

And I think Jamo did that. And what was unique about it is we played against them in the championship game and thought he was a really, really good player when he played against him a year ago.

And then to see him wanting to play maybe someplace else where he could be, I guess, in his terms, a more featured player was certainly a very good addition to our team.

And we had only two additions to our team. Both of them have been very positive additions and very helpful in creating some of the success that we've had this season.

Q. Your comments a couple minutes ago about never really knowing what you're going to see from your team until you see the look in their eye, is this team unusual in terms of not finding its level of consistency until the SEC championship game? Was it unusual in terms of finding the right buttons to push with these guys?

COACH SABAN: Well, I think it's always challenging when you come off of winning a championship for players to have the same hunger, to have a sense of urgency to prove something.

I think this is sort of a part of the human condition, that when you have success, you want to be rewarded, you want to relax. You can be a little complacent. So I don't think it was unusual from that standpoint. I think we anticipate that when we have a successful season and we're coming off a successful season.

But because we were young, I think it took this team a little longer to maybe respond on a consistent basis like we wanted them to, because that sense of purpose is what keeps people focused on the task at hand. And when you start thinking about a lot of external factors and letting other things sort of creep into it, you've heard me say before it's what you choose to ignore sometimes that's just as important to being successful as what you choose to buy into and commit to. And I think it just took a while for us to get everybody on the right track.

Q. Was this a test of your patience?

COACH SABAN: I don't have any patience. So anything that happens is a test of my patience, including sitting in this chair right now. (laughter)

Q. Nick, I wanted to ask about Bryce Young. And I know from the media standpoint, the personal accolades he's received throughout the year ‑‑ but what have you seen from him in his progression as a player within your organization and program from when, obviously, you recruited him and being in the program and waiting his proverbial turn and now this year being a leader and just continuing to develop as a player throughout the year.

COACH SABAN: I think he's got tremendous command of the offense, really understands the offense. Can really help implement things, whether it's protections, running plays, reading the defense, making fast, instinctive decisions as to where he throws the ball. And he throws it very accurately. And he's made steady progress in that throughout the year.

But I think when you're playing games like this, you just want him to play his game. You don't want to compete against yourself. You don't have to feel like you got recognized with accolades that you have something to prove. You don't.

You just have got to play your game. That's what got you here. That's what's got you the recognition.

And Bryce is really solid from a competitive, psychological standpoint in terms of his demeanor. And I think that really helps our team from a poise standpoint, especially offensively.

Q. Is there any updates on your special teams? And have you observed any uniqueness about the Cincinnati special teams?

COACH SABAN: Cincinnati's got really good special teams. They pressure a lot of punts. They block more kicks than I think anybody in college football between punts and field goals. They do pressure a lot. So they do challenge you from that standpoint.

They've got really good return players to be able to return the ball, kick‑off return, punt return.

They got good specialists. Punter (Mason Fletcher) is very good. So this is a really good team. And they're sound and solid, and they play hard on special teams. And that's important.

I think as you go through the season and you lose players, I think where it starts to show up a little bit on your team is because some of your core special teams players become starters. And we try to not play our starters on any more than two special teams.

It gets a little more challenging from a depth standpoint to be able to continue to create ‑‑ it creates opportunities for other players, but they have to be able to go in there and execute with less experience than maybe some of the guys you had before.

COACH SABAN: Thank you all. Appreciate what you do for college athletics and creating all the interest that you do. I think it's wonderful that we have a great sport and that you all promote it the way you do. So it's great for the players. Thanks so much.

Live Updates: Nick Saban - Dec. 30, 2021

• The press conference is slated to start at 8 a.m. CT

• Saban said that it's going to be a challenging game. He noted that one of the ways that the media has said that Alabama can be beaten is to rush the quarterback, which he agreed.

• Talking about the timing if the CFP, he said that the first couple of weeks after Selection Sunday seem to go by slowly, but once the team arrives on-site, the week flies by.

• "Keep the main thing the main thing," Saban said about his team's preparation. He said it's all about how his players look forward and focus rather than pay attention to outside noise.

• Jalyn Armour-Davis has practiced some and will be a game-time decision. JoJo Earle has practiced as well.

• Saban said that running back Brian Robinson Jr. has been a great leader for his position group.

• "I don't know if there's anything different," Saban said about his and his players' approach to preparing for this year's semifinal game.

• "I think they have an outstanding team," Saban said of Cincinnati. He noted that quarterback Desmond Ridder and his wide receivers have done a solid job this season. "As good a team as we've played all year."

• "Slade has had an outstanding year," Saban said on Slade Bolden. He emphasized how dependable Bolden has been throughout the season.

• After saying that he wasn't going to talk about the transfer portal, Saban went on to talk about how players can use it to continue to develop themselves if they aren't given the opportunity at their original college destination.

• "Because we were young, I think it took this team a little longer to respond on a consistent basis like we wanted them to," Saban said on Alabama and its consistency throughout the season.

• "I don't have any patience," Saban joked when asked about if his team had tested his patience this season.

• The press conference has concluded. A full transcript will be available upon its release.