Saban not happy as Alabama turns to SEC play
Through two games this football season, topranked Alabama has defeated the reigning Pac12 South Division champions and the reigning Conference USA champions by the combined score of 90-16.
Celebration, however, cannot be heard coming out of Tuscaloosa.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said improvement needed to be made following an opening 52-6 rout of Southern California, but he was downright giddy after that game compared to early Saturday evening after a 38-10 win over Western Kentucky at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama racked up 475 yards against the Hilltoppers while allowing just 239, but neither those numbers nor the 35 minutes and 44 seconds of possession time owned by the Tide seemed to please their coach.
“That’s not the kind of football we want to play here, and that’s not the kind of football team we want to have,” Saban said in his news conference. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been this disappointed after winning a game maybe ever. We have lots of work to do, as we’re going to play a lot better teams.
“I didn’t think we practiced very well this week, and I didn’t think we prepared very well for this game. I don’t think we respected the team that we played. Like I’ve said before, when you’re arrogant, it makes you complacent, and it creates a blatant disregard for doing things right.”
Alabama (2-0) opens its bid for a third consecutive Southeastern Conference title this week with a visit to No. 19 Ole Miss (1-1), which owns two straight wins against the Crimson Tide.
Saban always strives for “consistency in performance,” and he has consistently displayed frustration after the game that follows a neutral-site opener. He wasn’t pleased with his team’s performance against Tulane in 2008 (the Green Wave actually outgained the Tide), Florida International University in 2009 (FIU led 14-13 in the second quarter), Western Kentucky in 2012 (the Tide’s vaunted offensive line allowed six sacks) and Middle Tennessee last year (Jake Coker had an ugly interception and Adam Griffith missed a 24-yard field goal).
Yet the disappointment Saturday wasn’t just voiced by Saban.
“It was tough,” senior safety Eddie Jackson told reporters. “I’m not excited about how we played as a team. It’s something we just need to work on. Like Coach Saban says, it starts in practice. Practice wasn’t where it needed to be this week, so we have to get better next week.”
Said sophomore receiver Calvin Ridley: “I felt a little sluggish. I know we could have played way better as a team. We just have to come out and play a little faster and get started a little faster.”
Ridley had nine catches for 129 yards and a touchdown for an offense that was 9-of-18 on thirddown opportunities. Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts made his first start and completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, but Alabama struggled to run the ball.
The Crimson Tide rushed 39 times for 124 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per carry, with Hurts carrying 11 times for 19 yards with a long rush of 6.
“He’s a good runner, so it was important to know where he was,” Western Kentucky linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe said. “I think we did a good job and kept him from breaking out.”
Alabama led 38-3 in the final two minutes, but a Robert Foster fumble with 1:34 remaining set up the Hilltoppers’ lone touchdown, which occurred with 46 seconds left. The ESPN2 cameras caught Saban yelling at offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin on the sideline, and Saban was asked afterward about the arguing.
“There are no arguments,” Saban said. “Those are called (butt)-chewings.”
Odds and ends
Alabama has scored in 200 straight games, a streak that started following a 9-0 loss to Auburn in 2000. … Jackson’s 55-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter Saturday marked the 48th nonoffensive touchdown of the Saban era. … Hurts became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Tide since Vince Sutton in 1984. … After being suspended for the opener, Alphonse Taylor played some Saturday at right guard.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6524.