Practice Report: Nick Saban Calls on Alabama to Establish its Identity in 2020 Season Opener
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama football team did the biggest part of its installation of the game plan for Missouri on Tuesday afternoon.
The Crimson Tide was in full pads for a two-hour session at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields. Conditions were cloudy with temperatures in the mid-70s, and a little humid.
Alabama opens its 10-game SEC-only schedule on the road Saturday. The forecast for kickoff (6 p.m., ESPN) is mostly sunny with the temperature around 80 degrees and falling.
It's the first game for Eliah Drinkwitz as Missouri's head coach.
"It’s been awhile coming, but every team now has the opportunity," Nick Saban said about the Week 1 matchup. "Our team has an opportunity to sort of create an identity of who this team wants to be. I think that identity gets created by the standard of effort, the standard of toughness, the discipline to execute and do it on a consistent basis. I’m very proud of the way our team has sort of managed some of the uncertainties leading up to this season.
"We’re obviously excited about having the opportunity to play against a very good Missouri team, who got off to a great start last year, starting out 5-1. They were a bowl team. They’ve got eight starters back on defense, four on offense. They’ve got a new coach. Eli did a great job at App State, winning the Sun Belt last year and going to a bowl game. This is a very good team with a lot of experience coming back, especially on defense, where they have eight starters returning.
"They were like 14 in the country or something last year on defense. So this is a very good defensive team, a very challenging team. They’ve got some really good players on offense. I think their two quarterbacks — they haven’t really named a starter, but I think both guys are very talented. Be very challenging for our defensive team, not knowing for sure exactly what we’re going to see from them.
"Both guys are extremely talented at quarterback. They have a good running back in (Larry) Rountree. I think they’ve got a couple of starters back in the offensive line, a couple of receivers that are talented guys. And the transfer (Damon Hazelton, Virginia Tech) that will sort of add another starter to that group. They do have to replace their punter and kicker. They will have a couple of new specialists. But (Tyler) Badie’s a very explosive guy in the return game."
Saban is set to meet with reporters twice on Wednesday, before Alabama makes the trip to Missouri on Friday.
