Nick Saban Talks Texas A&M on SEC Teleconference: "Anybody Can Beat Anybody"
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference, University of Alabama coach Nick Saban gave a scouting report of the Crimson Tide's upcoming opponent, Texas A&M, and addressed the importance of his players having the internal fortitude to overcome external factors, like limited capacity in the home opener.
"We are very excited about having a game at home, playing in Bryant-Denny Stadium," Saban said. "Even though the circumstances and spirit might not be the same, it's always great to play home.
"Very challenging game for us with Texas A&M who has an outstanding team, in terms of returning starters, good quarterback, skill guys on offense, really good running backs, and their defense is very veteran and runs well, very athletic and very physical so this is going to be a really, really challenging game.
"I think our players have the right mental attitude. They learned a lot in the first game, basically errors that we made, not finishing the game like we should have, so we are trying to make progress and everyone has the right mindset to improve."
The Aggies defeated Vanderbilt, 17-12, in a game where coach Jimbo Fisher's squad had to shake off much rust after a wacky offseason. A year ago in this series, the Crimson Tide went into College Station and defeated Texas A&M, 47-28.
Don't let that week one score against the Commodores fool you because Saban believes this team is much better than what it showed last weekend.
"I think they’re a better team," Saban said. "I think they made some first-game mistakes that probably contributed to the game being as close as it was, turnovers basically. But take that away and I thought they played really well in the game, and I think they’re gonna improve from Game 1 to 2 and play even better this week.”
Texas A&M tailback Isaiah Spiller, who rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown on eight carries last weekend, was a player Saban mentioned when speaking on the Aggies' offense.
"I think they're very good," Saban said." No. 28, Spiller played against us last year and was very effective and moving zero from receiver last year to running back, he's a very explosive guy. So I think they're very talented. I think the two of them are great change-of-pace guys and sometimes they play together, which is another set of issues you have to deal with defensively."
This is also the first game of a four-week stretch where Saban will face off against former assistant coaches - Fisher, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, Georgia's Kirby Smart, and Tennessee's Jeremy Pruitt.
Saban is 19-0 all-time against former assistants.
“Well, I never thought of it that way," Saban said. "I never really even realized what you just said, but I guess it is true. I’m really happy for the guys that did a great job for us here and got opportunities to become head coaches, which is what they probably all really aspired to be and worked hard to be. It’s very challenging when you play folks that know you well, but we also probably know them a little bit, too. It’s obviously challenging for me because you’d like to see your team play well against people that you know, but I’m sure that they all feel the same way about that, as well.”
As this is the opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium, limited capacity will call for a different environment and atmosphere, in turn which could potentially lead to more road upsets across the SEC.
"I think that might be the case," Saban said. "But what I’ve tried to emphasize with our players is this season’s gonna be a lot about what is your DNA? Because there’s not gonna be the same external factors to create a spirit and an emotion in a game, home or away. So, you’re gonna have to be really motivated from within yourself in terms of who you are, what you want to accomplish, how you want to perform and how you want to play because of the circumstances and the situation that we’re gonna be playing in. I don’t think we did a very good job of that in the first game, so hopefully we’ll be able to learn from it and grow from it and be able to do better the next time.”
Other regulations for home games this year includes no recruits on official visits either, which Saban said is an aspect he will miss.
"Well, there’s no question," Saban said. "Home games are great recruiting opportunities for guys to come and see how the team performs, see the spirit of the game, develop relationships because they’re here around other people - players, coaches, other people in the program. We don’t have an opportunity to do that, but there’s a lot of things that are gonna be different. We’ve got NFL guys that always wanna come back to the games. They can’t be on the sidelines.
"You sort of isolate your family just like a lot of us have had to isolate our families from doing a lot of other things we do. I don’t think playing in a game atmosphere is different than that. It’s unfortunate, but it’s certainly better than the alternative of not playing because this is great for the players to have the opportunity to compete and develop value for themselves. We hate it that all those other things can’t happen. We certainly look forward to those things. But it is what it is is the way it is, and that’s what we all have to deal with."
