🏈 Saban presser: post scrimmage (Updated with transcript)

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

Transcript of presser:

Scrimmage 1: QB race still wide open
It was hoped in today's first scrimmage of camp that one or two of the Tide's five quarterback candidates would distinguish themselves from the pack. But Nick Saban's post-scrimmage comments are a clear indication that it's still a wide open race.

"I can't say that one guy was better than another," Saban said. "They all did some good things and I think all did some things not so well."

"I would love to see one of these guys sort of take the bull by the horns and play with a sense of urgency that affects everybody else, that shows leadership and sort of the kind of command and confidence that I think our team needs"

So far, Saban said that none of the quarterbacks -- Jacob Coker, Blake Barnett, David Cornwell, Cooper Bateman nor Alec Morris -- have done that on a consistent basis.

Saban indicated that if one of the quarterbacks can prove trustworthy enough to just manage the offense cleanly, that might be good enough to win the job.

"I don't think we need to have a quarterback that has to win the game," Saban said. "I think if we could have one that could play well enough and make good choices and decisions and not make major errors that would affect the game, that would probably keep us in the game, and with the rest of the players that we have I think we'd have a good chance."

Saban indicated that it's not out of the realm possibility that more than one quarterback might play in the opener against Wisconsin on September 5.

"You've got to win the team," Saban said. "I see guys starting to win the team and then something happens. But that's got to happen. Somebody has got to make it happen. I can't make it happen. As bad as I'd like to make it happen, I can't make it happen.

"If it doesn't get decided, like when AJ and Phillip Sims were here, they both played a quarter, a quarter, a quarter, a quarter, and that's how we figured it out.

"So do I want it to happen that way? No. But I can't make it happen."

For now, all five candidates will continue getting a crack.

Saban said: "I'm just waiting for somebody, when they're breaking out and having a couple of good days, that they say, 'OK, I'm ready to do this.'"



Not much emphasis on the running game
No stats were released from the scrimmage. But Saban said there wasn't much emphasis placed on the running game.

"I didn't really want to see anything from the running backs if you want to know the truth about it," Saban said.

"We only wanted Derrick Henry to carry the ball six times. I've seen him carry the ball enough. Not to make him go out the and prove himself in a scrimmage that means nothing to no one.

"Kenyan Drake (strained hamstring), had he been playing today, I wouldn't have wanted to see much out of him. So Damien Harris, we got to see. He did some good things. I think he learned today what it takes to play college football, which is a good thing. He had some production. Ronnie (Clark), same thing.

"Derrick Henry did carry the ball some today. He has done a great job in this camp of carrying the football and being a hard guy to tackle. Nobody can complain about his work ethic and how he's playing. He's doing a fabulous job. Kenyan was doing great, too, when he tweaked his hamstring. That's something we do not want to be a chronic problem. We want to get that fixed."



Defense ahead of the offense
Saban said that defense was ahead of the offense today, which is what he expected.

"Offensively, I think we got better as the day went on in terms of how we competed, how we played," Saban said. "A lot of the success we had offensively came toward the end of the scrimmage, We made some plays, got some confidence and that kind of got people going, which I think when you have a lot of young players and a lot good players, that's really something good for them to gain."

"For a first scrimmage I was certainly pleased with a lot of the effort we had out there today," Saban said. "I thought the players competed well. The execution for a first scrimmage was OK. We have a lot of things to work on."



Secondary improvement
One of the main areas the staff has focused on improving is the secondary. Saban said the group performed "a lot better" today.

"We gave up a couple of big plays toward the end, but I think, all in all, we were better," Saban said. "I like the way the group plays.

"Having Geno (Smith) and Eddie (Jackson) at safety makes us a little more athletic, a little more speed, a little more range on the field.

"(Freshman corner) Minkah (Fitzpatrick) has certainly done a really, really good job. Anthony Averett has done a good job. Bradley (Sylve) has done a good job. Cyrus (Jones) has done a good job. Marlon (Humphrey) has been hurt but he did scrimmage today. We think he can be a contributor. Maurice Smith has done a good job.

"We have a lot of young guys who are starting to feel their oats, in terms of their confidence. It seems like that group is actually doing better. We had several interceptions today. That was a good thing."

Saban was asked specifically about the progress of Maurice Smith.

"Mo plays all over the place. He plays corner, he plays star, he plays money," Saban said. "He's always been a guy that's been a little bit of a worrier about doing his job right. Now he's gotten over that. Now I think he's playing with a lot of confidence. He has a lot better understanding. He's had a lot better camp so far."



Injury update
"There were so we guys that we did not scrimmage," Saban said. "Kenyan Drake, because he strained his hamstring the other day, which should not be a big issue. I think Robert Foster sprained his knee toward the end of the scrimmage. I don't think we had anybody else other than bumps and bruises. Chris Black (ankle) didn't go today. He's still recovering. We should get him back soon. I think that would be really helpful to get some of these guys who are our playmakers back out there. That would be very, very helpful."



Offensive play cards
There's been a lot of talk about the Tide using cards to signal in plays this season.

"We met with Ohio State, TCU, some of these teams in the off season with how they use various methods of how they do their no-huddle," Saban said. "I'm not even saying we're going to be a no-huddle team. We didn't go in (last year) with the idea we were going to be a no-huddle team. We visited in off season with a lot of people to try to come up with the best system, Kansas, Washington, a lot of people that go no-huddle. It's just a methodology of how some people get formations and plays in the game to sort minimize the terminology and how much communication you have at the line of scrimmage to call a play."



Defensive players lose weight
Saban was asked about emphasis in the off season placed on defensive players, especially linemen, losing weight.

"We've always done that," Saban said. "We just haven't gotten the guys to respond to it like these guys have responded to it. All the guys have responded to it (this year) but two.

"We have a nutritionist. We do everything you can do to make a guy the lost efficient player at his position. When a guy weighs 307 pounds and he can move and sustain and rush the passer and all of those things, and then when he weights 318 pounds and he can't do it...it's not rocket science. Now the player may not want to weight 307 pounds, but if he wants to be a good player and he wants to be successful, that's the best choice he can make. We've always done that. I just think this group has responded to it better."



Turnovers
Another point of emphasis has been turnovers. The Tide wants give up less and create more.

In every practice, one of the first drills the defense works on is stripping the ball, while the offensive skill players focus on protecting it.

"All of our turnover drills we've been emphasizing, we've been doing against each other, because we thought we'd turned the ball over too much, especially when it came to fumbling, and we didn't get enough fumbles or interceptions, tips and overthrows, breaking on the ball, finishing plays," Saban said.

"The DBs are trying to make the receivers cough the ball up. The linebackers are trying to make the running backs cough the ball up. So they're (the offense) getting better at keeping it and, hopefully, we're getting better at taking it away. So if we'd gotten a lot of turnovers today, we'd have only accomplished half of that. I do see the players trying to get the ball out. The emphasis has paid off in terms of awareness."

 

[utstnx]

jump to the 7 min mark. Saban is asked about QB situation and then goes off and says "and when i get home im gonna hear it from Ms Terry about who she likes best and how the QB situation is....and who is gonna step up..." The very next question from a reporter was..."Who dies Ms Terry think is best?" I liked to fell over....that was awesome.

 

[bamaledge]

I watched when it said it was live and fell up out mah chair. First because coach had to ask miss Terry and then the very next question. Really dude?

 

[Destiny's Child]

Well I have been trying to learn to speak Saban over the last several years so I could decifer his messages. One thing I have noticed is while the info he gives comes off as coach speak sometimes, he actually gives you the truth if you listen. He brought up something I hadn't been thinking about.

Passing scrimmage with no Kenyan Drake or Chris Black and part of it without Robert Foster. Some of the QB's weren't with the ones, they were going against one of the best defenses in the country and they new they would be passing. Not exactly set up for the QB's to be successful. Watch for Kenyan and Black quick screens to be a big part of what we do, with Foster and stewart stretching the field. Mix in a little 8 yard tight end drag with OJ and I think that will sum up most of our passing attack.

He called out Jake to play with more of a sense of urgency without saying his name. Basically saying that he had stuck his head out in front of the qb race but in order to have better leadership he needs to play with more urgency.. have heard several guys talk about how it looks like Coker doesn't care and he is slow with reads and action. I think the job is his if he will get more fired up and just take it.

I also think we will be playing with more pace this year at times and I think he is trying to keep it hidden but isn't doing to good at it. Our defense, our athletes and winning the field position and turn over battle will be our philosiphy so he was speaking the truth the Qb doesn't have to be all world just quick with the ball and don't turn it over.

Anyway that is my translation of Sabanese for the day!