As in coaching, Nick Saban ordinarily has an answer for anything
247sports.com
Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban has a reputation at ranting at sports reporters who ask questions he doesn’t want to answer. That’s not true. Those who cover Crimson Tide football on a regular basis have an understanding of how to phrase questions in a reasonable manner, and almost – repeat, almost – without exception Saban gives a clear, complete, and (usually) concise answer and moves on. Sometimes he rants for a moment, but then gives the answer the reporter (and his readers, because that's who he's working for) wants to hear.
In recent years – perhaps as reporters grew more savvy in how to ask questions – the coach has sometimes given the appearance of a man who will make his own opportunities. If he doesn’t get the question he needs to make his point, he’ll provide an answer that doesn’t quite fit the question, but which is the message he wants to get out.
On Wednesday at Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Saban will have his time before reporters. He is the star of the event and the main room will be packed.
This is different than what Alabama fans see on a regular basis, Saban before the handful of reporters who cover Crimson Tide football on a daily basis. Questions will come from reporters who cover other SEC teams on a daily basis and from a handful of those who cover college football in general on a national or regional basis. (Ordinarily, Saban is more congenial in dealing with these.)
One or more of those is likely to be working on a theme story with the same question for each of the 14 head coaches who will be in Hoover Monday-Thursday.
That said, what questions might Saban get, and what might be his reply? Here are some that wouldn’t surprise:
-Question 1. How will the 44-16 beatdown Alabama suffered at the hands of Clemson in last year’s national championship game affect the 2019 Crimson Tide football team?
Answer 1. Saban likely will point to every year being different, perhaps point out that Alabama has rebounded from seasons of disappointment to seasons of success, and resurrect his “never waste a failure” challenge.
-Q2. Last year at this time the competition between Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts was too close to call. Tua won the job and the 2019 season ended with Hurts electing to transfer to Oklahoma. This year the quarterback competition would seem to be among those vying to be Tua’s backup. How is that coming?
[Helpful hint to non-Alabama beat reporters: Don’t ask him to compare Mac Jones, Taulia Tagovailoa, and Paul Tyson.]
A2. Mac Jones has been in the system for a few years now [he is a third-year sophomore] and Taulia and Paul were with us in the spring. All of them are making progress.
-Q3. There were issues in Alabama extra point and field goal kicking last season. What is the outlook for that this season?
A3. Joseph Bulovas took over last year and finished with an Alabama record 75 made extra point kicks, but we did have some missed extra points. That’s not always the fault of the kicker – the snap, the hold, the blocking can be factors – but we do expect Joseph to be improved. He is a third-year sophomore. He also made 14-18 field goals last year. We also had [true freshman] Will Reichard in the spring.
-Q4. The same question for punting.
A4. Whoever won the job last year had a tough act to follow after four years of JK Scott. Mike Bernier took over midway through last season and did a good job. Skyler DeLong had a good spring. Will Reichard could also punt.
-Q5. Linebacker Terrell Lewis has missed most of the last couple of years with injury and didn’t have contact work in the spring. What is his status and the overall injury status of the team?
A5. We held Terrell out in the spring as a precaution, but he was cleared to participate. We’ve had a few issues that had to be cleared up, but everyone should be ready to go when we begin fall camp.
-Q6. As usual, you lost many players to graduation, the draft, and transfer – top two running backs, top two tight ends, center and left tackle on the offensive line, two defensive linemen, two linebackers, and two defensive backs. Has any of those positions been difficult to replace?
A6. We lost excellent players at a lot of positions, but we also have players we believe can be productive for us in those positions. If there is one of those that maybe has been a little more difficult because of numbers it might be tight end, where we lost Irv Smith and Hale Hentges.
-Q7. For the second consecutive year you have replaced many on your coaching staff. Much is made of the turnover of the Alabama staff, and particularly compared with the stability on Dabo Swinney’s staff at Clemson and also that it might affect recruiting when a prospect’s recruiting coach leaves. Is staff turnover a problem?
A7. We had a good coaching staff last year and some of them had opportunities, such as Mike Locksley getting the job of head coach at Maryland. We have replaced them with coaches we are very pleased with and the transition has been seamless.
-Q8. Why Duke?
A8. We’ve been trying to get neutral site games against good opponents for many years and it has worked out well for us. Now we’re moving towards some home-and-home series with teams like Texas and Notre Dame, but we’ll continue to have neutral site games in some seasons.
-Q9. The last time we heard, Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn had joined you in agreeing the SEC needs to have a nine-game conference schedule for football. You have now said “nine or ten.” Do you see any support from your peers or SEC administrators?
A9. No.
[He will ignore the follow-up question: “If Malzahn gets fired at the end of the season (as, it seems, about half the people writing about college football seem to think), does that mean you have no allies?]
-Q10. How has your hip replacement recovery progressed, particularly as to your golf game?
A10. I’ve made a complete recovery and was able to play some golf. [Note: He may or may not confirm or deny the word around the 19th hole that even before he was completely recovered enough to hit long irons or metal woods he was shooting in the mid-70s.]
Maybe you have a question for Coach Nick Saban. Share it here and it may get asked.(Don't bother with those get-me-blown-up questions, the ones my friends always suggest, beginning with, "Hey, Kirk, why don't you ask Saban...")
