Full news conference: Nick Saban on first practices with new offensive and defensive coordinators

But obviously, the number one purpose of fall camp practice is, you know, to create good habits. Um Obviously, bad habits have *** cost, good habits, have *** price, but you gotta pay the price for these good habits up front, which is obviously what you do when fall camp comes along. Um This is *** time when you have to sort of embrace the grind. We've got some players who have 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, you know, in the future. I think the acclamation process that we go through right now for players is probably *** real positive, you know, for the players *** couple days and helmets *** couple days and shes and then you put pads on. So it's *** good transition for players. I think it's been *** good practice for us so far. I see progress in every practice. There's obviously *** lot of areas that we need to improve on. There's individual players who have new opportunities to contribute to the team in various ways. And we want them to develop the kind of habits that are going to allow them to play winning football on *** consistent basis so they can get the results, you know, that they like to get so pleased with the staff, uh new leadership, whether it's, you know, Kevin Steele or Tommy on offense. Uh those guys have both done *** good job. I think players have responded very well to them. And, you know, so far there's *** lot of teaching, there's *** lot of installation, this is the most condensed period probably of how much do we throw at players to learn in *** short period of time as you know, any time 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. So, um, and so far the attitude has been good and the players have been good and, uh, we just wanna be able to sustain that, which I think is the biggest challenge in fall camp. Uh Can you tell us *** little bit about the speakers you've got lined up for the players this camp? Well, we try to get the best speakers that we possibly can that will address issues that we're facing in college football as well as people who so it can help create *** 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. So, and I think we have *** really good blend of, of all those, you know, types of people. Obviously, you, you guys know what the issues are. You know, 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. And if we can impact those through education with good speakers, that's the goal of what we try to do throughout the year. But it's the same thing. It's more condensed in fall camp. What have you seen from Chris Braswell so far? This camp II I, Chris Brad guys really speak up and turn the mic up *** little bit. Uh Chris Braswell has made an impact when he's had the opportunity to play. Now, he's got the opportunity to be *** full time starter. He's *** mature player, he's gotten bigger and stronger. He's *** good pass rusher. So, you know, we expect him to do well this season and have *** great year and we want to do everything we can to help them do that when you're looking at the left side of your offensive line, what have you seen from the guys that are competing at left tackle and left guard? Well, I, I think you mentioned it, you know, how are they competing? Um, what's their maturity level relative to 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 and that's what we want to continue to focus on. I think both those guys have ability. You come in the middle with Katie. What does it say about the competitive, competitiveness of the guys in the quarterback room that you already had that when you brought *** transfer in in the spring that they all decided to stay and compete for the job? Well, I think they all have an opportunity to compete for the job, but you know, this, this job that you all talk about at quarterback, you know, I've told our quarterbacks, you know, this is not camp, is not the beginning of the end. Um You know, you 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 and we need all of the of the quarterbacks to continue to improve and to continue to compete, compete even far beyond the time that we name *** starter. I mean, we've had circumstances around here where quarterbacks have changed during the course of the year. Um, you know what they are and you're, you, you understand the history of what's happened at this place. And so that's going to be the way this situation is, somebody needs to separate themselves. Um, and then I want all the players to continue to compete so that they can improve. So if they do get an opportunity to play, um they're going to be ready to play and play. Well, go back. Have, have you seen Devante Smith develop the last couple of years at safety. This mic is he's asking about the Monte Smith and safe development. Can we turn it up *** little bit back there? Um You know, Demonte is really *** good athlete. He's *** hard worker, he's gotten bigger and stronger. He's got really good speed. He's been *** very good special teams player for us in the past. I think his knowledge and experience is starting to sort of come to fruition in the secondary. Nice, very conscientious and not making the mental errors that have been *** little bit of achilles heel in the past. So we're very pleased with the progress that he's making. How would you assess the receivers so far early in fall camp? Uh uh I don't know, you, you have *** specific guy that you'd like to ask about. I mean, we've got like 15 receivers, some good, some. Ok, some need to improve, some have experience, some need to gain experience. Uh I think they're all working hard. Uh but I do think attention to detail is probably one of the biggest things in route running, Timmy in the passing game that um they all need to sort of focus on. So, um you know, you ask me *** general question. I as *** whole group, nobody's disappointed and I think we have some guys that have talent there and if we can get them to play to that level, I think we'll have *** chance to have some guys that can make plays at that position even on the left coach. How good was it for you to see the fans back inside the stadium for fan day and open practice for the first time in *** while? Yeah. Well, I think that fan day has always been something that is *** good thing for fans, for them to be able to see *** practice as well as spend some time around players and coaches to get autographs and things like that, which I think are important and, you know, to condense that time, uh, 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. But, um, it was great. I enjoy it. I get to meet *** lot of people and makes you realize to some degree how important Alabama football and Alabama athletics are to *** lot of our fans you mentioned in the fall. It's when *** lot of information gets thrown at players. Is there *** time where maybe some of those early kind of lapses and mental mistakes kind of get forgiven compared to maybe later in the season where there would be less tolerated and players aren't learning as much. Well, mistake is *** mistake. And you know, what did I say? You know, bad habits have *** price, they cost you and now is the time to develop good habits. I don't think we're never going to play perfect. Every player is going to make mistakes, how much we can minimize those mistakes and the degree of those mistakes relative to how it impacts and affects the outcome of the game. I think we're trying to get guys to stay 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, you know, *** mistake that's very disruptive to whether it's offense, defense giving up *** big play, making *** big play. Um, you know, and everybody has *** responsibility and obligation and accountability to everybody because as soon as one of us makes *** mistake, including me, it impacts everybody on the team. So I don't know that that's ever something that um you use the word forgive you 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 *** failing. So you never want to tolerate mistakes. But you also want to learn from the ones that you make. You mentioned there. Sorry, you mentioned there being four really good running backs in the unit. Is there *** challenge of getting them all opportunities during this time? Uh, you know, spreading the ball around? Well, I think everybody has to sort of show how they could be used in *** positive way. I think that, you know, that's *** position where those guys have been really good special teams players and I think they can contribute in 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. And I think that's *** position we can do it. Hopefully we'll be able to stay healthy at that position, but there's *** competition and the best guys are going to get the most opportunities and I think those guys can all contribute in *** positive way to our team. Yeah, coach, not sure if you got *** chance to see it, but Eli Drinkwitz kind of talked *** lot yesterday about conference realignment and teams going from the east coast to west coast and how it might affect, not just football but, you know, the other sports at schools and student athletes. I was wondering your opinion on that. Look, I did not hear what anybody's comments had been about this. Look, there's *** lot of traditions that we've had for *** long time in college football and I think we're in *** time of evolution for whatever reasons and some of those traditions are going to get sort of pushed by the wayside, I think. And it's sad, um, whether it's good, bad or indifferent for college football, I guess you have to define what is good, bad, what is good and bad for college football. So, I think one thing I would just hope that we would keep in mind in all the choices and decisions we make relative to what we do in college athletics is the student athlete. They're here to get an education. I want to 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 *** positive way. And I hope that we can keep that as *** priority in terms of whatever we decide to do in the future of college football and college athletics. Right. Thank you.