Alabama improved to 5-0 on Saturday and 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference, beating Arkansas in a game of runs.
The Tide led by 28, saw the margin dwindle to three and then went on a 21-3 run in the fourth quarter. Overall, Alabama was uneven with a few standout performances on Saturday afternoon. Here’s what Nick Saban had to say after Alabama won its Tide’s “toughest test” of the season, 49-26.
--”Really good win for team,” Saban said. The “intensity” wavered, at times, like in the last defensive drive of the first half.
--“There’s a lot to learn but it’s also an SEC road game against a good team. I was proud of the way our guys competed. Thought we came out and played great in the beginning of the game,” Saban said.”
--”Bryce has a little AC sprain in his shoulder. We’ll have to take it day-to-day. I think he’s OK. He doesn’t have a serious injury. We didn’t think he could go back in the game because I don’t think he had much steam on throwing the ball. He’s had these before and in a few days, he starts to respond pretty well. We’ll have to see how it goes.”
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--The offense “wasn’t all bad” with Jalen Milroe in the game in relief. Saban said the Tide will have to practice some of the plays Milroe succeeds at more often if Young can’t go. Saban wouldn’t reveal any gameplan changes to next week’s opponent, Texas A&M.
“I was gonna call Jimbo (Fisher) afterwards and tell him exactly what we’re gonna do,” Saban joked. “If can hear it in the press conference then I don’t have to call him.”
--Saban said the defense needs to maintain its level of play, citing a few instances of lost contain on outside runs. The defense also committed four penalties to extend an Arkansas drive in the fourth quarter, which irked the Tide’s head coach.
--“That was a huge momentum swing in the game,” Saban said of Milroe’s 77-yard fourth-quarter run. “... After that we played better. After that, I don’t think they played as well.”
-- “There’s only one Bryce Young in this country. He’s a great player. Jalen can do what Jalen does well and we have confidence in him. We have confidence in the development of Ty Simpson as his backup. Hopefully Bryce will be OK. I think the offense did a really good job of continuing to score points in a different way than when Bryce plays. You got to have that kind of diversity on your team,” Saban said.
--“(Young) did a great job of handling the protection,” Saban said. “... He got us in the right protection every time so we could block their blitzes which was critical. Now there were a couple of times in man-to-man we didn’t shake him very well, just like on the play he got injured on. They were playing man-to-man, we didn’t have anybody to throw the ball to. He should’ve thrown the ball away. We were in field goal range and not taking the chance of getting hurt. But he really kind of fell on his shoulder, that’s the issue.”
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com
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