Bama Central

Nick Saban Comments on Postgame Moment with LSU WR Aaron Anderson: 'It's Not Personal to Me'

Saban says Anderson would be playing a lot of football for the Crimson Tide this year if he had stayed at Alabama.

Katie Windham

Nick Saban Comments on Postgame Moment with LSU WR Aaron Anderson: 'It's Not Personal to Me'
Nick Saban Comments on Postgame Moment with LSU WR Aaron Anderson: 'It's Not Personal to Me' /
In this story:

Roster turnover is becoming standard practice in college football with the transfer portal. Each season, thousands of players cycle through the portal. 

Alabama has been affected just like any other school. Last season, Alabama had 17 scholarship players enter the portal, including wide receiver Aaron Anderson, who transferred to LSU. 

After the Crimson Tide's victory over the Tigers inside Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday night, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was seen talking with Anderson at midfield. 

Thursday on his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, Saban was asked about the postgame moment with Anderson and how he feels about players that transfer out. 

"I think it’s a way of life now that almost all the players have somebody externally affecting how they think," Saban said. "I think you have to accept that as a coach to try to do the best you can to tell guys how they can create value for their future.

"I think Aaron would’ve been playing a lot of football for us this year. He’s an outstanding player. He’s a fine young man. We were happy to get him in recruiting. We hated to see him go. But these things aren’t personal to me. I wanna support the player. I want to see him do well. I want to see all players be more successful in life because of the experience they had in college football. Having resentment toward guys that do it, I don’t do that. [He’s] a guy from Louisiana, so I get it. It’s not personal to me.”

This season at LSU, Anderson has 12 catches for 59 yards and no touchdowns. He did not record a catch against Alabama. He only played in one game for the Crimson Tide last season due to injuries. 

What Nick Saban Said on Wednesday of Kentucky Week

Published
Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports. 

Home/Football