Alabama Players Waiting to Address Jimbo Fisher's Comments on the Field
ATLANTA — It’s “talking season” in college football, but Alabama is saving its words on Texas A&M for when it meets the Aggies on the field this season. During SEC Media Days on Tuesday, Crimson Tide players were asked about Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher's remarks on Nick Saban earlier this offseason.
While the message was received, the response will have to wait.
“We note it. We don’t have to speak on it too much,” Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr said. “We see what’s going on. When the pads get on, when the game gets going, we’ll address it then.”
In May, Fisher and Saban made headlines as Saban stated Texas A&M “bought” players through NIL deals. Fisher responded with an impromptu press conference the next day, calling Saban “despicable” and “narcissistic” while insinuating had broken rules in the past.
“Some people think they’re God,” Fisher said at the time. “Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy that a lot of things you don’t want to know. We’ve built him up to be the czar of football? Go dig into his past or anybody that’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out, what he does and how he does it and it’s despicable."
Following Fisher’s remarks, a few Alabama players responded over social media, tweeting their support of Saban. However, for the most part, the team is content with waiting until they host the Aggies on Oct. 8.
“Until we see him, we can handle our business on the field,” safety Jordan Battle said. “We’re not going to talk about what we’re going to do off the field. We’re just going to focus on things we can do on the field to make that game exciting for the fans and everybody.”
Alabama’s game against Texas A&M was already going to be a highly-anticipated affair after the Aggies upset the Crimson Tide, 41-38, in College Station, Texas last year. Following the game, fans stormed Kyle Field in celebration as Texas A&M celebrated its first win over Alabama since Johnny Manziel’s upset over the Crimson Tide in 2012.
“Naturally, for any football player, to lose a game, I think it adds fuel for the next opponent,” Battle said. “I feel like that’s a big thing. We like to feed off of things we don’t do well and build on it and not make that same mistake.”
Despite the added motivation, Alabama players maintain that their mind isn’t on the Oct. 8 meeting against Texas A&M and that they will instead take on Saban’s “process” approach.
“We don’t circle dates on the calendar,” Battle said. “We focus week in and week out on each game that we have coming up. We have to know that we’re going to get every team’s best. So I don’t think we’re allowed to circle dates on the calendar. Just focusing on each game, trying to get better each week so we can get to that end goal, a national championship game that we’re focusing on.”
While Fisher and Saban have both already made amends, Saban was once again asked about their relationship during his media appearance Wednesday. Saban maintained his stance that he respects Fisher and that there is no hostility on his end.
“I have no issues or problems with Jimbo,” Saban said. “He’s done a great job at A&M. He did a great job for us [at LSU]. I always take criticisms or whatever in a positive way and self-assess with me personally. Maybe there is something that I can do better. So any comments that anyone makes about me or any other coaches, I always take it into consideration.”
Alabama players will do that as well. We’ll just have to wait a few months to see what they have to say about it.
