What Nick Saban Said at Alabama Coordinator Media Day

Everything the Alabama head coach said on Coordinator Media Day Sunday.

Opening Statement

Well obviously the number one purpose of fall camp and practice is to create good habits. Obviously bad habits have a cost. Good habits have a price, but you've got to pay the price for these good habits up front which is obviously what you do when fall camp comes along. This is a time when you have to sort of embrace the grind. We've got some players who've been blessed with talent but it only comes to fruition if you can embrace the grind and you can't view the circumstances as an obstacle, but an opportunity to focus in difficult circumstances and difficult situations so that this will be an advantage to you to be able to sustain in the future. 

I think the acclimation process that we go through right now for players is probably a real positive for the players. Couple days in helmets, couple days in shells and then you put pads on. So it's a good transition for players. I think it's been good practice for us so far I see progress in every practice. There's obviously a lot of areas that we need to improve on. There's individual players who have new opportunities to contribute to the team in various way and we want them to develop the kind of habit that are going to allow them to play winning football on a consistent basis so they can get the results that they like to get. I'm pleased with the staff, the new leadership, whether it's Kevin Steele or Tommy on offense those guys have both done a good job. I think players have responded very well to them so far. 

There's a lot of teaching, there's a lot of installation. This is the most condensed period probably of how much do we throw at players to learn in a short period of time as anytime during the season but this also gives them the foundation that they need to make the adaptations and adjustments that they need to make throughout the season and so far the attitude has been good and the players have been good and we just want to be able to sustain that which I think is the biggest challenge of fall camp.

Celebrity speakers in fall camp

Well we try to get the best speakers that we possible can that will address issues that we're facing in college football as well as people who sort of can help create a mindset that's going to help you be more consistent so that you can get the results that you want relative to the commitments that you make. I think we have a really good blend of all those types of people. Obviously, you guys know what the issues are. If you look at players that are suspended for, whether it's gambling, drugs and alcohol, whatever. So those are all things that we're trying to educate players on relative to consequences of good and bad behavior, cause and effect. Because we don't want anybody to suffer negative consequences that might impact and affect their brand and that all goes to the choices and decisions that they make. If we can impact those through education with good speakers that's the goal of what we try to do throughout the year but, same thing, it's more condensed in fall camp.

What have you seen from Chris Braswell?

Chris Braswell has made an impact when he's had the opportunity to play. Now he's got the opportunity to be a full-time starter. He's a mature player. He's gotten bigger and stronger. He's a good pass-rusher. So we expect him to do well this season and have a great year and we want to do everything we can to help him do that.

What do you see from competition at left tackle and left guard?

I think you mentioned it. How are they competing? What's their maturity level relative to, do they have ability? How can they sustain the grind of not making mental errors, staying focused on the things that they need to do to improve, whether it's fundamental technique or knowledge of assignment. That's what we want to continue to focus on and I think both those guys have ability.

No QB's Transfer after Tyler Buchner comes in

Well I think they all have an opportunity to compete for the job. You know, this job that we all talk about at quarterback, I've told our quarterbacks this is not, fall camp is not the beginning of the end. You've got an opportunity to separate yourself, to show that you can play with consistency and play winning football at the position, but that competition goes on and on and on. We need all the quarterbacks to continue to improve and to continue to compete even far beyond the time that we name the starter. We've had circumstances around here where quarterbacks have changed during the course of the year. You know what they are. You understand the history of what's happened at this place. So, that's going to be the way this situation is. Somebody needs to separate themselves and then I want all the players to continue to compete so that they can improve so that if they do get the opportunity to play they're going to be ready to play and play well.

What have you seen from safety Devonta Smith?

You know, Devonta is really a good athlete. He's a hard worker. He's gotten bigger and stronger. He's got really good speed. He's been a very good special teams player for us in the past. I think his knowledge and experience is really starting to come to fruition in the secondary. He's very conciouncicus and not making the mental errors that have been a little bit of an achilles heel in the past, so we're very pleased with the progress that he's making.

Assess the Receivers so far?

Do you have a specific guy that you'd like to ask about? We've got like 15 receivers. Some good, some ok, some need to improve, some have experience, some need to gain experience. I think they're all working hard but I do think attention to detail is one of the biggest things in route running, timing in the passing game that they all need to sort of focus on. So you asked me a general question, as a whole group nobody's disappointed and I think we have some talent there. If we can get them to play at that level I think we'll have a chance to have some guys to make plays at that position.

Fans in the stadium for Fan Day

I think Fan Day has always been something that is a good thing for fans. For them to be able to see a practice as well as spend some time around the players and coaches to get autographs and things like that which I think are important. To condense that time for them is also good for us so that we can stay focused on really what we are trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do. It was great. I enjoy it. I get to meet a lot of people and it makes you realize to some degree how important Alabama football and Alabama Athletics are to a lot of our fans.

Grace period for mistakes?

A mistake is a mistake. What did I say? Bad habits have a price that cost you and now's the time to develop good habits. We're never going to play perfect. Every player's going to make mistakes. How much we can minimize those mistakes and the degree of those mistakes relative to how it impacts and affect the outcome of a game. I think we're trying to get guys focused on the process of how they have to focus on that particular play in that particular moment so they have the best chance to be able not to make a mistake that's very disruptive. Whether it's offense, defense, giving up a big play, making a big play. Everybody has a responsibility and obligation and accountability to everybody. As soon as one of us makes a mistake, including me, it impacts everybody on the team. I don't know that that's ever something that, you used the word forgive, we try to learn from those mistakes so that you can improve in the future so they're all opportunities, teaching experience, teaching moments, whatever you want to call them. Because you never want to give up a failing, so you never want to tolerate mistakes but you also want to learn from the ones you make.

Challenge spreading the ball around the running backs?

I think everybody has to sort of show how they can be used in a positive way. I think that's a position where those guys have been really good special teams players and I think they can contribute on special teams as well as we've had as many as three guys have really strong sort of, input into how they've been able to impact the team at one time. I think that's a position we can do it. Hopefully (knock on wood) we'll be able to stay healthy at that position but there's a competition and the best guys are going to get the most opportunities and I think those guys can all contribute to a positive way to our team.

Nick Saban on conference realignment 

Look I did not hear what anybody's comments have been about this. Look, theres's a lot of traditions that we've had for a long time in college football and I think we're in a time of evolution for whatever reasons. Some of those traditions are going to get sort of pushed by the wayside I think and it's sad. Whether it's good bad or indifferent for college football, I guess you have to define what is good and bad for college football.

I think one thing I would just hope that we would keep in mind in all the choices and decisions that we make relative to what we do in college athletics is the student- athlete. They're here to get an education, wanna try to help them develop careers on and off the field and hopefully some of the choices and decisions that we make for college athletics in the future will impact them in a positive way and I hope that we will keep that a priority in terms of whatever we decide to do in the future of college football and college athletics.

See Also: 

What Alabama Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele Said on Media Day

What Tommy Rees Said at 2023 Alabama Football Media Day

Nick Saban's Thoughts on Conference Realignment: Prioritize Student-Athletes