Nick Saban's Latest Message Comes Through Loud and Clear
Communication has not been a point of weakness in Nick Saban’s coaching tenure at Alabama. His message to his team always comes across loud and clear – particularly loud.
The Crimson Tide coach, who enters his 15th season with the Crimson Tide, has been known to go off on a rant or two each season during press conferences, or on the field with sideline reporters (see Maria Taylor), and even on his own radio show talking about the debate team and smack talk.
It’s all on purpose.
Saban admitted last week he doesn’t use social media or any of today’s latest apps. He tends to deliver his edicts through the media – the national spotlight is several watts brighter for a coach with seven career national championships.
Saban used the media to drive home his latest decree on Saturday, while at the same time blaming the media for the problem in the first place. That takes talent.
“They read what you guys write. They read that they are supposed to be in the playoffs,” Saban said after Alabama’s second scrimmage. “They read that they are No. 1. They read all these things that I’ve referred to as rat poison before. That creates a lot of anxiety and everyone thinks they have to elevate their game.
“You got that going on with the older guys. I’m trying to convince them, ‘Hey man, we just have to play our game.’ Then you have young guys that were recruited that have high expectations for what they want to accomplish and what they want to do – in some cases, maybe not realistic in terms of how long they focused on what they have to do, the process of getting it right. And they get a little frustrated because they are not making the kind of progress that they want to make.
“The biggest thing we have to deal with with our guys is, there is anxiety that these players have.”
And there you have it. The message through the first two weeks of fall camp – overcoming anxiety.
There sure seems to be plenty of anxiety going on this college football season. The transfer portal is an option for disgruntled players. Covid is still a problem and could derail some games or, worse, the season. And the name, image and likeness policy has certainly caused a stir (or clutter as Saban might call it).
The Crimson Tide has two weeks to get rid of the clutter and anxiety before it takes on Miami in Atlanta in the season opener.
“You have all these variables circling around on your team,” Saban said “We really have to get everybody in the right mindset to buy-in to do the right things they need to do to play well, play their game.
“Ernie Johnson (host of Inside the NBA) made an interesting point when he talked to the team. Do you say, ‘I’ve got to do this,’ or do you say, ‘I get to do this?’ We get to play; we get the challenges of the season; we get the opportunity to play some great football teams. We get to do these things. That’s how I want everybody to look at it so we have some positive energy and enthusiasm to get after it.”
