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Lost in the shuffle of yesterday’s Jonathan Taylor-heavy press conference were head coach Nick Saban’s positive comments on the Crimson Tide’s sixth spring football practice.
“I think the players responded, and we probably had one of our better practices of the spring,” Saban said.
Saban might have been referring to the players responding well after two of their teammates were arrested over the weekend, while another, rising sophomore wide receiver Cameron Sims, sustained a knee injury that could sideline him through the beginning of the upcoming 2015 season.
Whatever it was, the fact that Alabama had a solid practice on Monday, after a hectic weekend off the field, is almost directly correlated with the program having strong leaders on its roster.
Rising senior center Ryan Kelly, an emerging team leader, was sent up to speak to reporters Monday night, and he gave his thoughts on Taylor’s dismissal and defensive back Geno Smith’s arrest for driving under the influence.
“Disappointed obviously,” Kelly said Monday. “That’s not the type of character that we condone here at Alabama. When you come here and sign the dotted line, you’re holding yourself to a higher standard. There’s no excuse for that, and it’s kind of detrimental to everybody else who does the right thing.
“So a lot of those guys who have made mistakes in the past come back from it, and there’s a lot of great examples from that. But as far as Jonathan Taylor, a lot of guys have gotten second chances, but there’s just a standard that Coach Saban and this university holds us to. That’s just something that we don’t stand for here.”
Kelly also touched on the team’s optimism that second-chance players can turn things around based on its head coach’s history with such players.
“I think a lot of guys come from different pasts, so for me to judge where they come from, it’s not fair,” Kelly said. “But when you come here, you’re part of something bigger than yourself. So (if) you come here, you’re expected to be a great person on the field but off the field as well.
“I can’t tell you how many times little kids come up to me and say, ‘Hey, you’re my hero’ or ‘You guys are my heroes.’ So stuff like that, that’s what keeps you going and makes you a better person. I think the better we can be – it’s just a better environment for everybody else.”
Kelly, who was taught at a young age that “you never put a hand on a woman,” said the Crimson Tide players and coaches met Monday morning to address the weekend’s negative events.
“Today we had a team meeting about it,” Kelly said Monday. “That’s not something you can just sweep underneath the rug and not talk about as a team. Things happen like that. But for us, I think today Coach Saban was (reiterating) that, like I said before, you’re held to a higher standard here, whether you like it or not. ’Bama’s not for everybody.
“At the same time, if you look at guys like D.J. Pettway who got a second chance and things worked out great for him. So it’s whatever you do with your second chance. I firmly believe that if you get a second chance on something like that you should make the best out of it, and it’s unfortunate he’s gone. But for us, we’re taking every day of spring ball as we can and just focused on moving forward.”
Kelly and his teammates will return to the practice field Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT
http://alabama.247sports.com/Articl...lly-touches-on-Alabamas-weekend-woes-36521382
“I think the players responded, and we probably had one of our better practices of the spring,” Saban said.
Saban might have been referring to the players responding well after two of their teammates were arrested over the weekend, while another, rising sophomore wide receiver Cameron Sims, sustained a knee injury that could sideline him through the beginning of the upcoming 2015 season.
Whatever it was, the fact that Alabama had a solid practice on Monday, after a hectic weekend off the field, is almost directly correlated with the program having strong leaders on its roster.
Rising senior center Ryan Kelly, an emerging team leader, was sent up to speak to reporters Monday night, and he gave his thoughts on Taylor’s dismissal and defensive back Geno Smith’s arrest for driving under the influence.
“Disappointed obviously,” Kelly said Monday. “That’s not the type of character that we condone here at Alabama. When you come here and sign the dotted line, you’re holding yourself to a higher standard. There’s no excuse for that, and it’s kind of detrimental to everybody else who does the right thing.
“So a lot of those guys who have made mistakes in the past come back from it, and there’s a lot of great examples from that. But as far as Jonathan Taylor, a lot of guys have gotten second chances, but there’s just a standard that Coach Saban and this university holds us to. That’s just something that we don’t stand for here.”
Kelly also touched on the team’s optimism that second-chance players can turn things around based on its head coach’s history with such players.
“I think a lot of guys come from different pasts, so for me to judge where they come from, it’s not fair,” Kelly said. “But when you come here, you’re part of something bigger than yourself. So (if) you come here, you’re expected to be a great person on the field but off the field as well.
“I can’t tell you how many times little kids come up to me and say, ‘Hey, you’re my hero’ or ‘You guys are my heroes.’ So stuff like that, that’s what keeps you going and makes you a better person. I think the better we can be – it’s just a better environment for everybody else.”
Kelly, who was taught at a young age that “you never put a hand on a woman,” said the Crimson Tide players and coaches met Monday morning to address the weekend’s negative events.
“Today we had a team meeting about it,” Kelly said Monday. “That’s not something you can just sweep underneath the rug and not talk about as a team. Things happen like that. But for us, I think today Coach Saban was (reiterating) that, like I said before, you’re held to a higher standard here, whether you like it or not. ’Bama’s not for everybody.
“At the same time, if you look at guys like D.J. Pettway who got a second chance and things worked out great for him. So it’s whatever you do with your second chance. I firmly believe that if you get a second chance on something like that you should make the best out of it, and it’s unfortunate he’s gone. But for us, we’re taking every day of spring ball as we can and just focused on moving forward.”
Kelly and his teammates will return to the practice field Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT
http://alabama.247sports.com/Articl...lly-touches-on-Alabamas-weekend-woes-36521382
