'Everybody's getting reps at the position': Nick Saban on the quarterback situation at Alabama

Everybody. How are we doing guys and ladies? So, one of the things that I talked to the team about is there's *** lot of things to be learned from our season. You know, what, what every season comes down to is *** play here and *** play there. And the problem is is you never know when those plays are coming up. So you got to be prepared to play every play, regardless of the circumstances, the situation in the game, you got to execute, you got to get 11 guys to execute. So who you are, what you do sort of defines, you know, on Saturday and, you know, that could be *** good thing if you prepared and created great habits in terms of what you want to do. But you also can get exposed if you don't do the things you need to do and look at the game itself as *** challenge, not something to fear, but actually an opportunity to be able to go out and have success. I think we had *** good off season. I think we've had *** good summer. You know, that's something we want to continue to build on but I don't really care what you do in the summer. When you put *** helmet on, when you put spider pads on, things are different and you know, when we put shells on, things are going to be different. So this is *** process that players have to go through. I think the key to the drill is, is can you continue to stay focused? Pay attention to detail, sustain when you don't feel 100% when you don't feel great when you get *** little sore, when you get *** little tired, because you got to push yourself so that you can get to the next level. And, you know, that's what we want to try to, you know, get our players to be able to stay focused on. And we certainly have, you know, the kind of circumstances to help them do that, the kind of conditions we had out there today. And it's something that will test your meal *** little bit. And that's probably *** good thing at this time of the year, you know, from *** personnel standpoint, you know, Jones Bell had some medical issues. So, you know, he's going to medical this year and I think everybody worked today except Jam and Miller will be out for, you know, *** couple of days with, you got *** string quad. So, and other than that guys, look, you're gonna ask me about the quarterbacks every day, every day and we'll tell you the same thing. You know, everybody's getting reps at the position. Somebody's got to take the bull by the horns. Somebody's got to separate themselves when that happens. We'll tell you, be glad to tell you when we're going to take the cake out of the oven. We will tell you when it's the time, right? But until then there's really nothing to talk about, there's nothing to say. Um So there's not *** whole lot of sense in asking about it because we want all the guys when they're in there, you play the position like it's yours, like it belongs to you, you're out there competing, you're not looking over your shoulder, you're not worrying about what somebody else does. You're playing like you're the man and that's what we want each guy to do and so you can do that with the most consistency. So it's important, you know, you got to be process oriented. You can't be outcome oriented right now. You got to be process oriented because that's what's going to help you play with the kind of consistency that you need to play winning football at the position, which is ultimately what we're looking for. Yeah. Hey, coach, when you're looking at the inside linebacker position, what kind of progress did you see from that group in the summer? And what maybe do you still want to see in preseason? Well, you know, I'm happy with the group, you know, Devote Lawson played really good football when he played last year, he was injured, you know, *** lot of the time, you know, he sat out the spring, got his knee worked on *** little bit. He's had *** good summer. He's got good leadership. He's got good understanding of the defense. Jaha Campbell has made really good progress. We've got lots of competition, you know, at the position. So I'm pleased with the way these guys are progressing. They made *** tremendous amount of progress. And I think, you know, we had *** lot of guys out on the spring that, you know, both outside backers, you know, one inside backer. So gave guys *** lot of opportunity to get *** lot of reps there. So with those guys back, we got *** little better leadership and, you know, II, I like the experience that we have in the group when you're evaluating left tackle play. Uh, what are the things that you look for? Well, I think, you know, just because the guy is *** left tackle that doesn't mean he doesn't have to do all the things that an offensive lineman, you know, has to do. You know, you got to be assignment oriented, you got to work with the guys next to you in terms of, you know, how you're blocking, whether it's run or pass. Um, but I do think as you guys have all pointed out that when you have right handed quarterbacks, obviously, the left tackle was *** little bit more important, but we're always going to try to scheme things. So if the other team has *** significant rusher, we have ways to help guys. So, but I think pass blocking is important. But I think being *** complete player at that position is important to get moving on the run, being very assignment oriented, not making *** lot of mental errors so that, you know, you can execute and play winning football down in and down out. That's the same at every position. Go ahead with Matt. Uh What have you seen from your tight end room since spring? And then, uh what do you want to see from them in tight end group has made really good progress. You know, CJ has been *** really good addition to that group. He's got maturity, he's got experience, um, he's got size, he's got good hands, he's pretty good in the passing game. He's *** pretty decent blocker. Um Mary Noble has really made *** lot of improvement. He's kind of *** mismatch player *** little bit in the passing game, which is *** good thing and, you know, all the other guys are progressing nicely as well. So, you know, that group has come *** long way, I think over the spring and summer coach Jeff Allen, uh, put on Twitter yesterday. This is 35th year as *** trainer and athletic trainer in 17th year. You've had *** lot of people come in and out of this program, but he stayed as *** concrete piece of this program. What does he mean to you? And what does it say to him staying here with you by your side? What would you say if I put stuff like that about me on Twitter? You guys would think I was ancient. No. Hey, Jeff Allen is *** really, really important part of the program. He's got *** great personality. He's got the trust of the players. He has stayed here. I think he came here right after the first year we were here and has been *** really important uh staple, you know, for *** long, long time. I, I think medical staff is so important in this day and age because the players need to be able to trust those people. Uh Jeff Allen does *** fantastic job, Dr Kane does *** good job. Doctor Andrews does *** good job when he comes around. So I think that's one of the real pluses for our program is the quality of medical staff that we have and we have great facilities. So they've done *** fantastic job. Jeff has done *** great job. He's an asset to me too because he has *** great feel for the players where they're at, what we need to be doing. So that input is really valuable as well. Have you seen Jason Roy Dell continue to establish themselves as leaders in the running back room? And what is the next step in each of their developments. Well, I actually think there's four guys in the running back room that has really done *** good job. You know, Jace has been *** really good leader. Roy Dell has always set *** really good example. He's *** good special teams player as well as *** good runner. Loves to play on teams, loves to do whatever he can to help the team. Jace has really stepped up and set *** good example. And you know, the two young players, Justin and Jam have done really, really well too. And you know, of course, we have *** new addition, um the new freshman, but he's probably *** little bit behind the other guys just from *** learning curve standpoint. But I like all those guys. I think they all have great attitude and I think that's one of the strongest positions from *** depth standpoint on our team. You brought in Jalen Key from uh UAB. He's the guy that kind of played *** little bit in the box over there, but he also can play deep just what does having *** versatile guy like that do for the secondary. Well, I think we needed *** couple versatile guys in the secondary. I I like the two guys that were able to, to add, um Jalen is learning the system but he is an instinctive player. He does have good size. I think he can play in *** deep part of the field and I think he can play in the box. Uh I think that, um, he's learning but he's got *** great attitude and he's smart and I think the experience that he has because he has played before and played some games at this level in the SEC will really help him develop. And I think he's going to be *** guy that can really help us and contribute. I'm not sure exactly what role yet. You know, we're moving *** lot of guys around to different positions, but trying to find the best five guys to sort of play the best spots in the back end. What would that mean? What were some of the qualities that you saw in Tyler Buckner when you were scouting him? And how much did Tommy help and sort of that process given their time together? Well, Tommy knew the guy better than anybody could know him. I mean, he coached him for *** couple of years so the guy was injured last year. So he didn't get as much experience. I think he started two games and played fairly well. So we got the opportunity to see that. But, um, you know, Tommy knows him better than anybody else could. I think you always know *** player when you coach him, you know what his strengths are, you know, what he needs to improve on. And I, I still think that he's probably getting comfortable with the system. There's some new terminology in it. And I think he's probably still getting comfortable with the players around him. Um, because the other guys have been with those guys *** little more, but I do think there's really good competition at the position coach when you look at defensive line play, what's the biggest challenge consistently pressing that pocket there on the corner back? You know, I, I thought sure you'd ask me something about Knicks kids because we were Knicks kids. You asked me *** football question. So I thought when we're asking football questions, you would ask me about Nick's kid. No, no, I'm just kidding. Well, defensive linemen to me have to have lower body explosion and initial quickness be able to strike an attack up front and not catch blocks so that you force the offensive line, uh, to make *** decision about how they're going to block you. I think the tendency is guys want to sit back and read, but I'd rather, you know, strike and be aggressive and get across the line of scrimmage and close the distance on the guy that's blocking them, play *** little more aggressively up front, take gaps, cut gaps. I think that also helps you when *** guy sets to pass, you're already attacking them so you can get into them, get your hands into him quickly. So it's important to be able to move your hands and use your feet at the same time if you're going to be *** good pass rusher and you're going to be able to get off blocks and disengage. So that's something that we always look for and can the guy finish on the quarterback? You know, lots of times you see guys, they have *** good pass rush but then they can't get the quarterback on the ground and there's *** lot of really good athletes playing the position. So that's really challenging for *** guy to be big enough, strong enough physical enough to play in *** defensive line and still be athletic enough to finish on the quarterback. So those are some of the qualities that we look for and you got to be tenacious. I mean, you got to be instinctive too. Everybody asks all the time, what is instincts? Well, when do you get off *** block if you get off too, too soon, the back cuts, if you get off too late, he's gone. So, like I told you guys before you can teach somebody how to swing *** bat, you can teach them what the strike zone is. You can't teach them. It's *** good pitch to hit from the time. It leads to pitch your hand to get the home plate. They gotta figure that part out on their own last year. Every team is different each year. But what are some of the core tenants? You try to really hammer home to the guys in this first week of practice and then fall camp before the season gets going. I'm sorry. Well, um I think I kind of mentioned this earlier when I talked at Sec Media Day about talent is not enough because at some point in time, you're going to meet the person that has the same amount of talent that you do. So if you don't have the right mindset to go with that talent, which means you got resiliency, you got work ethic, you got perseverance, you can overcome adversity, you got discipline to pay attention to detail, do the little things, right? So that you can execute at *** high level all the time. So you're gonna take advantage and bring your talent to fruition. But I also think having humility is something that's important because if you have humility, you know, there's *** better way. So you're always looking for *** better way. So you have tremendous gratitude for the people who are trying to teach you whether it's your parents, your teacher, your coach, whoever it is, and you have great relationships with those people and you can self assess and you know, there's *** better way and that's how you improve. And I think those are qualities that, you know, we need to continue to develop on our team so that we get everybody buying into the principles and values and what it takes to be successful. But it's what I said before. You got to do it every play. You know, when you look back on the season. Like I showed the guys *** film yesterday of, ok, here's some good plays we made in crunch time and won close games and here's some plays we really messed up in crunch time and it hurt us in close games. So what are you going to learn from that? But you got to be able to execute and you got to be able to play your best when your best is needed. So that's what great competitors can do. And that's what we want to try to continue to develop on our team coach. He signed Malik Benson and Justin Jefferson to in the last class, how have they assimilated or worked themselves into the program thus far? I think both guys are sort of um developing nicely, but I think the biggest issue with both guys is understanding what to do so they can go play fast all the time. I think there's still *** little apprehension about and Malik is probably *** little further along than Justin because at least on offense, you know, you, I know what I'm supposed to do on defense, you're reacting to something. So not to be able to understand what your assignment is and you know how to react to that, I think takes *** little longer. Uh So, but I think both of those two guys can make *** contribution to our team. So I'm gonna ask you all something because I'm really interested in this. Um you ask me questions all the time. So we had *** media training session yesterday. How did I do?