Nick Saban on Depth Chart: 'You May Have Seen the Last One'
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's most experienced offensive lineman was not out on the field for the opening drive after being listed at the top of the depth chart and announced as a starter on the video boards before the game against Utah State. Emil Ekiyor Jr. was listed as the starting right guard, but Kendall Randolph started at right guard and Javion Cohen at left guard.
However, Emil Ekiyor Jr. did get time with the first team offensive line at right guard on the Crimson Tide's fourth series of the game, sending Randolph back over to left guard.
This would lead to a seemingly reasonable question postgame about what went into the decision of rotating offensive guards. However, for Alabama head coach Nick Saban, it brought up a sore subject.
"You guys need to get off the depth chart a little bit and forget about who started and who didn’t," Saban said.
The coach did provide an explanation for why Cohen spent time with the first team before Ekiyor did. Ekiyor missed five days of practice, so Saban said it was only fair that Cohen get the start after spending the majority of the week with the first team.
After being asked about the starting cornerback situation earlier in the press conference, This launched Saban back into a rant about the depth chart.
"My biggest issue, and this may be the last time you ever get one," Saban said. "My biggest issue on our whole team was the day the depth chart came out. So you may have seen the last one. Y'all may have seen the last one. Because that's all you worry about.
"We have competition on our team. We have good players. I have in my mind seven or eight guys that can play winning football on the offensive line. I'm gonna play them all."
Throughout fall camp, the biggest competition battle was at the cornerback spot. Redshirt freshman Terrion Arnold and sophomore Kool-Aid McKinstry got the starting nods at the position, but Khyree Jackson and Eli Ricks quickly rotated in. All four guys were listed as co-starters on the depth chart. Saban was asked what led to the decision to rotate the guys early in the game.
"What leads you to ... did I ever say anything that I wouldn't do it," Saban said. What leads you to believe that? I told you that we have competition at the corner. What did I ever say to lead you to believe that they all wouldn't play in the game?
"Well I'm curious too why you would think, that you would be surprised that they all played in the game. Because I never said that they wouldn't all play in the game. I said that there's a lot of competition at corner, I don't know who all our best corners are, so we played them all in the game to see who would play the best. So I'm just curious as to why you would be surprised by that. I'm curious. You're curious. I'm curious. We're all curious."
If Saban may have seemed fired up after a 55-point dominating, shutout win, it's nothing unusual for the Alabama coach. And he doesn't mind what the media thinks about it either.
"I know you all think I'm crazy," he said. "That doesn't bother me at all. It doesn't bother me one bit."
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