Everything Nick Saban Said After Alabama's Sixth Practice of Fall Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The preseason No. 1 Crimson Tide is wrapping up its first week of fall camp. Alabama will hold its first scrimmage of the fall on Saturday, and head coach Nick Saban will speak to the media Wednesday night at approximately 4:45 for the last time ahead of the scrimmage. 

Follow along for live updates throughout, and a full transcript and video after. 

Live Updates

• Nick Saban has arrived at the podium.
• Saban said one of the players asked last night's guest speaker Larry Fitzgerald how he stayed motivated when he had so much success for so long? And he said, "I loved the process... And then when the game came, it was really, really easy."
• Saban says some of his players have that mindset, but everyone on the team needs to have that mindset. 
• JoJo Earle has a fracture in his foot that will likely keep him out for 6-8 weeks, but Saban is optimistic that he will be back by October 1. Saban says he had been having a really good fall camp prior to the injury. 
• Saban says it's difficult to find a tight end that is able to do all three things that tight ends have to do now-- put their hands down and block, flex out like a wide receiver and move like a fullback. 
• There's a lot of competition at wide receiver, and Saban is interested to see how they do in the scrimmage on Saturday. 
• "I think everybody is helped by the quality of players we have on offense and defense."- Saban when asked about the benefit of the defense having to cover Jahmyr Gibbs in practice. 
• "Jahmyr Gibbs plays at a different speed."
• Saban says JC Latham has made a lot of progress. He's been pleased with both tackles so far in fall camp.
• Saban says Gibbs has done a really good job at kick returner, and they are trying to develop some depth behind him. Earle had been taking some punt returns before the injury, but Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jermaine Burton have also been taking reps back there. The guy that's going to be the best fielder is going to get the best chance to do it until JoJo gets back according to Saban. 
• Will Anderson and Bryce Young might have different personalities, but they're both great competitors Saban says. "When it comes to being competitive, they're a lot alike."
• Saban was in a silly mood leaving the podium today, "So I'm supposed to smile, and say thank you."

Full Transcript

Opening Statement

"We had a really interesting speaker last night, Larry Fitzgerald. He made a point that I had never really ever thought of. One of the players asked him, ‘How did you stay motivated when you had so much success for so long?” He said, ‘I love the process. I love watching film, I love to practice. I caught extra balls before practice, I ran routes with the quarterback after practice. I love the process. Then when the game came, it was really, really easy.’ That’s kind of interesting. Some of our best players, some of our really good players we’ve had here, traditionally in the past, that’s exactly how they were. That’s exactly how a lot of the guys on our team right now who are really good players, that’s how they are. But we need to have everybody be that way. We don’t need anybody trying to get out of drills or practicing or whatever. And (inaudible words) love the process of what it takes not to win a game but to do the things you need to do to be able to win a game. Not to do the things … Not just think about being a starter but what do you do to be a starter? What does a starter act like? How does a starter practice? How does a starter go about being responsible to do his job? I think that was a really good message and I think it’s a message that, and Larry made a point of this, it’s the same thing in your life. Being a good parent, husband, doing a good job in whatever it is you do. So it was kind of interesting. I get asked a lot, and I never ever thought of this. How do you stay motivated? I never really can answer it. But I love the process. I love practicing, I like getting ready for practice, I like coaching the players on the field, trying to get them to play as good as they can be so that they have the best chance to be successful, we have the best chance to be successful, so hopefully we can get a whole team full of guys getting ready to do that.

"The only injury we have is JoJo got a Jones fracture in his foot in practice a couple days ago. Those things are probably 6-8 weeks. We just have to see how it goes. Hopefully by maybe October 1st or something like that, he will be close to being ready to come back. He was doing a really, really good job. Having a really good camp. Probably the best he has been on a consistent basis. Just saw a guy that grew up and was playing with a lot of confidence. We'll miss him for a while. We want him to get well, and I'm sure he will contribute to the team at some point and time this year."

What has contributed to the rise of versatile tight ends?

"Well I actually say a tight end is … back when I was coaching at the Houston Oilers, a tight end in the National Football League was a guy who put his hand in the dirt beside the tackle. If you talk to Ozzie Newsome who is a great friend and an Alabama guy, a really good player here for a long time and then in the NFL, that’s what he did. But now, a tight end is really three things. A tight end does that sometimes, a tight end flexes out and plays like a wide receiver sometimes, a tight end is in an off-the-ball position and he does a lot of things the old fashioned fullback used to do. So it’s kind of difficult to find someone who has the skillset to do all three of those things well. We’ve had some really good tight ends around here. I’m encouraged by the guys we’ve been able to recruit, the young guys that we brought in this year. But they have to focus on their development and develop a little better understanding of the offense, but I think they have really good ability."

How are the wide receivers progressing since last season?

"Well, I've already talked about JoJo. Ja'Corey Brooks is doing really well. Very competitive, smart, plays with a lot of toughness, very physical, doing a good. Has got really good hands. And all the other guys, they're making progress. They're better or they're getting better. I think they're doing a pretty good, job but I think there's a lot of competition at that position between new guys, transfer guys, freshmen, old guys coming in, so be interesting to see how they do when we scrimmage on Saturday. You know I'm kind of different than everybody else. You know, all of these coaches we got, they want to get in the huddle and tell everybody what to do. Unless they let you get in the game and tell them what to do, we got a problem. So sometimes you gotta let the players play. So when we go to a scrimmage, we'll see what they know. We'll see how they do. How much confidence they play with and that'll go a long ways for us to make an evaluation of is this guy, where is he in his development relative to being ready to play winning football for us."

How is the defense helped by defending fast Jahmyr Gibbs?
"I think everybody is helped by the quality of players that we have on offense and defense. Patrick Surtain would probably tell you you know I covered Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, Smitty, Jaylen Waddle, every day in practice for three years. How many guys that I played against in a game that was any better than those guys based on where they got drafted and all that and how much production they had? So I think you know iron sort of sharpens iron at every position. You know, Cam Robinson won the Outland Trophy playing left tackle round here, and the guy playing right end he won the Nagurski to Gursky, Jonathan Allen. They practiced against each other every day for three years. So it helps everybody get better when you have good players. Jahmyr Gibbs plays at a different speed. He breaks contain on the defense, that's good for the defense. So when we play against a good back that has great speed, you know, maybe we can keep the leverage on him better. So it not only helps Henry, it probably helps everybody on the defensive team, and I think it helps every position that players get challenged in practice, and they have to do things correctly and create good habits so they have the best chance to be successful in a game."

How is JC Latham doing?

"Well, he's made a lot of progress. He's a lot more confident. He's very physical. I think he's got a better understanding of what he's supposed to do? Why it's important to do it that way. How are we supposed to do it. And he's playing extremely well. I'm pleased with both tackles so far in camp."

How is the kicking game?

"Well, we had to play inside so if we can evaluate how that looks going up in the net. I couldn't tell you, but it's been good when we've been outside. Just unfortunately, like we were outside today, but we got chased in by the storm. And we got chased in right when kicking period was coming. So we ended up kicking in the net and I really can't, it's hard to evaluate. But in all the specialty periods and individual periods the kicking has been good and the kickers have been really I think improved and Will is that very consistent as usual."

Progression of Chris Braswell?

"Bras is a good player. He's a good rusher. He's got great first-step quickness, he can turn speed to power. He's got a much better understanding of what he's supposed to do on defense playing outside 'backer. It takes guys a little bit of time who have their hands in the dirt all the time when they're in high school and then we try to teach them how to play standing up, which is a good fit for a lot of guys. Because they're not really big enough to be defensive ends, especially at the next level. So if they can play outside 'backer and then they can rush on third down that creates tremendous value when they learn how to play standing up. And he has learned that and he's improved that you know the past coverage part of it. But he's a really good rusher, got great first step quickness. And look you can be quick and fast, but if you can't turn speed to power, you're never going to be an effective rusher, and he can do that really well. So I think we have three guys there right now that are really good players and outside 'backer."

Who is standing out at kick and punt returner?

"Well, Jahmyr has done a really good job as a kickoff returner. I think we’re trying to develop depth behind him. JoJo did some punt returning last year, he had made a significant amount of improvement in judgement, fielding the balls and all those types of things. So, we were encouraged by that. Kool-Aid's been back there, Jermaine Burton’s been back there. So, we’ll just have to see. The number one important thing on punt return is possession of the ball. So, we’d like to get a first down and average over 10 yards a punt return, that’s great for field position, but possession of the ball has to be the most important thing, so the guy that’s going to be the most consistent fielder is going to be the guy who has the opportunity to do it until JoJo gets back."

What does he think about all his former assistants that are now head coaches?

"I’m happy for all those guys. They did a fantastic job when they were here. That’s why we had a successful team. They did a great job with their relationships with the players, teaching the players, preparing the players to play the game so that we could be successful. And it’s no surprise to me that any of them, because of their leadership qualities, they’re all very bright guys, they had a lot of success and they did a good job here for us because that’s what they aspired to be. So, I'm happy to see them have the opportunities to do it and in many cases doing a really, really good job of it so I’m happy for them. It’s not about me, I’m happy for them. We have some very good coaches on our staff now and hopefully they’ll get some opportunities if we can continue to have success, I think that enhances that."

How does the contract of Will Anderson and Bryce Young's personalities help the team?

"Well, I don’t like to compare players but one thing that the two of those guys have in common, they’re both great competitors. They might have a different personality, but when you get on the field and start playing, they’re great competitors. They prepare well, they understand what they’re supposed to do, they understand what everybody else is supposed to do. They’re trying to help other players on their side of the ball play better, especially with effort and toughness and knowing what to do and how to execute it. So, they both do that well, they have different personalities and they both have great personalities but when it comes to being competitive, they’re a lot alike."