- BREAKING: NICK SABAN FLIPS ANOTHER PROSPECT!!! RED MORGAN COMMITS TO ALABAMA 🔥 🔥 🔥 BAMA FOOTBALL ON YOUTUBE WITH KYLE HENDERSON
- Three-star defensive back commit Rydarrius “Red” Morgan flips to Alabama Tomahawk Nation
- Alabama flips another elite safety from powerhouse program Athlon Sports
- NICK SABAN JUST FLIPPED PEYTON WOODYARD FROM GEORGIA 🤯 BAMA FOOTBALL ON YOUTUBE WITH KYLE HENDERSON
- Flip central: In-state safety flips commitment from Florida State to Alabama Saturday Down South
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: Saban
Alabama football: Nick Saban says Tide was one of “4 best” in 2022 – Roll Bama Roll
- Alabama football: Nick Saban says Tide was one of “4 best” in 2022 Roll Bama Roll
- Nick Saban on missing CFP: ‘Why aren’t we in the playoffs’ if we would have been favored? AL.com
- Alabama’s Nick Saban irked by 2022 College Football Playoff omission: ‘Do you really get the best teams?’ CBS Sports
- CFP selection protocol scrutiny: Nick Saban echoes point Kirby Smart made in 2018 DawgNation
- Nick Saban Questions Commitment Of Some Athletes In The Transfer Portal And NIL Era: ‘Don’t Have A Contract’ Outkick
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Alabama’s Nick Saban irked by 2022 College Football Playoff omission: ‘Do you really get the best teams?’ – CBS Sports
- Alabama’s Nick Saban irked by 2022 College Football Playoff omission: ‘Do you really get the best teams?’ CBS Sports
- Nick Saban on missing CFP: ‘Why aren’t we in the playoffs’ if we would have been favored? AL.com
- Nick Saban again speaks out on Alabama missing College Football Playoff On3
- Nick Saban Questions Commitment Of Some Athletes In The Transfer Portal And NIL Era: ‘Don’t Have A Contract’ OutKick
- Nick Saban says he wants what’s best for college football, not Alabama, even if you don’t believe him AL.com
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Nick Saban reacts to Jalen Hurts’ record contract, talks ‘selling point’ of recent Alabama QB success – AL.com
- Nick Saban reacts to Jalen Hurts’ record contract, talks ‘selling point’ of recent Alabama QB success AL.com
- Jalen Hurts had surgery to remove ‘hardware’ from ankle, sources say ESPN
- It’s All About Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Now, and Draft Should Reflect That Sports Illustrated
- How does Jalen Hurts’ five-year, $255M deal affect Lamar Jackson’s situation? | NFL | UNDISPUTED Skip and Shannon: UNDISPUTED
- Dak Prescott says Jalen Hurts deserves every bit of the money and Lamar Jackson is next: “It will Marca English
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Nick Saban says Dallas Turner and Deontae Lawson OUT for Spring Practice | Tony Mitchell Suspended – Alabama Crimson Tide football on BamaInsider
- Nick Saban says Dallas Turner and Deontae Lawson OUT for Spring Practice | Tony Mitchell Suspended Alabama Crimson Tide football on BamaInsider
- Rewinding 1st Nick Saban media session of Alabama spring practices AL.com
- Roster update: Jersey numbers for Alabama early enrollees, transfers 247Sports
- First look at Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson during Alabama football’s first spring football practice Alabama Crimson Tide football on BamaInsider
- What Nick Saban said about Alabama’s quarterback battle entering spring AL.com
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Alabama football: Is Jeremy Pruitt in Nick Saban future plans? – Roll Bama Roll
- Alabama football: Is Jeremy Pruitt in Nick Saban future plans? Roll Bama Roll
- Will Kevin Steele bring back that ALPHA MENTALITY to the Crimson Tide Defense? | Alabama Football Alabama Crimson Tide football on BamaInsider
- Alabama hires Kevin Steele, Tommy Rees: How new coordinators will impact Crimson Tide in 2023 CBS Sports
- College Football Analyst Questions Alabama’s Coordinator Hire The Spun
- Fans React to Nick Saban hiring Kevin Steele as next Alabama football Defensive Coordinator #rtr Alabama Crimson Tide football on BamaInsider
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Nick Saban kicks tires on Jeremy Pruitt as Alabama continues search for next defensive coordinator
Alabama coach Nick Saban has reached out to former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt regarding the Crimson Tide’s vacant defensive coordinator position, sources tell CBS Sports. It is believed no offer has been made at this time, and Alabama would not speak on Pruitt’s candidacy when contacted for comment.
Sources indicate Pruitt would face long odds to getting hired by the Tide as the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation. He was fired at Tennessee two years ago as the NCAA levied allegations of 18 Level I violations on the Volunteers. Level I violations are most serious on the NCAA’s scale of infractions.
There has been widespread speculation that Pruitt would be involved in Saban’s search to replace Pete Golding, who left for the same position at Ole Miss earlier this month. Golding was not expected to be retained by Alabama.
Pruitt’s candidacy is questionable as it is unknown whether he would be allowed to accept the job if offered.
SEC Bylaw 19.8.1.2 requires any SEC school that “considers hiring an individual … who has participated in activity that resulted, or may result, in a Level I, Level II, Level III or major infraction” to have its president or chancellor “consult directly with the Commissioner prior to offering employment to the individual.”
While that language does not directly disqualify Pruitt, Alabama would need to consult with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey before making the hire.
“We have a specific bylaw that defines there has to be a consultation,” Sankey told reporters earlier this month. “It’s not an approval process. Our campuses — despite whatever mythology may exist — make their own personnel decisions. But we provide, for any hiring decision, here’s the background from a compliance standpoint.”
Auburn hired Liberty coach Hugh Freeze in late November. Freeze had been coach at Ole Miss when the program was handed a two-year bowl ban for what the NCAA called “an unconstrained culture of booster involvement in football recruiting.”
“Hugh had an outcome of an infractions case,” added Sankey in a clarification of how Freeze’s case may differ from others who may be in the midst of ongoing investigations. “We informed the Auburn University leadership, and they make those decisions. It’s not an approval or disapproval. It’s actually compliance with the bylaw we’ve established so there is transparency, there is a clear understanding of the track record and there is an oversight plan, so we don’t have those problems moving forward.”
Pruitt, despite finishing 16-19 in three seasons at Tennessee, is considered one of the best defensive minds in the country. He has extensive experience both in the SEC and alongside Saban where he was part of four national championships across eight years with his former boss as director of player development (2007-09), defensive backs coach (2010-12) and defensive coordinator (2016-17).
The NCAA alleges some Tennessee players and their families received approximately $60,000 in cash and gifts provided by Pruitt, his wife and Vols assistant coaches. Pruitt is accused of failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor football staff from 2018-21, and the university is accused of failing to monitor its recruiting. Tennessee was not found to have lacked institutional control but could still face major penalties.
Other coaches have been hired recently despite NCAA baggage. Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl was hired while under a show-cause order from the NCAA for alleged wrongdoing while at Tennessee. Xavier last year hired basketball coach Sean Miller while his former program, Arizona, remains under NCAA scrutiny for alleged violations going back to the FBI investigation of college basketball that began in 2017. Miller had previously coached Xavier from 2004-09.
A show cause penalty does not prohibit a coach from being hired, but it is considered a scarlet letter in the industry. Any school that hires a coach with such a designation must go before the NCAA to explain why.
require.config({"baseUrl":"https://sportsfly.cbsistatic.com/fly-0398/bundles/sportsmediajs/js-build","config":{"version":{"fly/components/accordion":"1.0","fly/components/alert":"1.0","fly/components/base":"1.0","fly/components/carousel":"1.0","fly/components/dropdown":"1.0","fly/components/fixate":"1.0","fly/components/form-validate":"1.0","fly/components/image-gallery":"1.0","fly/components/iframe-messenger":"1.0","fly/components/load-more":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-article":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-scroll":"1.0","fly/components/loading":"1.0","fly/components/modal":"1.0","fly/components/modal-iframe":"1.0","fly/components/network-bar":"1.0","fly/components/poll":"1.0","fly/components/search-player":"1.0","fly/components/social-button":"1.0","fly/components/social-counts":"1.0","fly/components/social-links":"1.0","fly/components/tabs":"1.0","fly/components/video":"1.0","fly/libs/easy-xdm":"2.4.17.1","fly/libs/jquery.cookie":"1.2","fly/libs/jquery.throttle-debounce":"1.1","fly/libs/jquery.widget":"1.9.2","fly/libs/omniture.s-code":"1.0","fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init":"1.0","fly/libs/jquery.mobile":"1.3.2","fly/libs/backbone":"1.0.0","fly/libs/underscore":"1.5.1","fly/libs/jquery.easing":"1.3","fly/managers/ad":"2.0","fly/managers/components":"1.0","fly/managers/cookie":"1.0","fly/managers/debug":"1.0","fly/managers/geo":"1.0","fly/managers/gpt":"4.3","fly/managers/history":"2.0","fly/managers/madison":"1.0","fly/managers/social-authentication":"1.0","fly/utils/data-prefix":"1.0","fly/utils/data-selector":"1.0","fly/utils/function-natives":"1.0","fly/utils/guid":"1.0","fly/utils/log":"1.0","fly/utils/object-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-vars":"1.0","fly/utils/url-helper":"1.0","libs/jshashtable":"2.1","libs/select2":"3.5.1","libs/jsonp":"2.4.0","libs/jquery/mobile":"1.4.5","libs/modernizr.custom":"2.6.2","libs/velocity":"1.2.2","libs/dataTables":"1.10.6","libs/dataTables.fixedColumns":"3.0.4","libs/dataTables.fixedHeader":"2.1.2","libs/dateformat":"1.0.3","libs/waypoints/infinite":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/inview":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/jquery.waypoints":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/sticky":"3.1.1","libs/jquery/dotdotdot":"1.6.1","libs/jquery/flexslider":"2.1","libs/jquery/lazyload":"1.9.3","libs/jquery/maskedinput":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/marquee":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/numberformatter":"1.2.3","libs/jquery/placeholder":"0.2.4","libs/jquery/scrollbar":"0.1.6","libs/jquery/tablesorter":"2.0.5","libs/jquery/touchswipe":"1.6.18","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.draggable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.mouse":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.position":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.slider":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.sortable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.touch-punch":"0.2.3","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.accordion":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.menu":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.dialog":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.resizable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.button":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tooltip":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.effects":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.datepicker":"1.11.4"}},"shim":{"liveconnection/managers/connection":{"deps":["liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4"]},"liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4":{"exports":"SockJS"},"libs/setValueFromArray":{"exports":"set"},"libs/getValueFromArray":{"exports":"get"},"fly/libs/jquery.mobile-1.3.2":["version!fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init"],"libs/backbone.marionette":{"deps":["jquery","version!fly/libs/underscore","version!fly/libs/backbone"],"exports":"Marionette"},"fly/libs/underscore-1.5.1":{"exports":"_"},"fly/libs/backbone-1.0.0":{"deps":["version!fly/libs/underscore","jquery"],"exports":"Backbone"},"libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs-1.11.4":["jquery","version!libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core","version!fly/libs/jquery.widget"],"libs/jquery/flexslider-2.1":["jquery"],"libs/dataTables.fixedColumns-3.0.4":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"libs/dataTables.fixedHeader-2.1.2":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js":["https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js"]},"map":{"*":{"adobe-pass":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js","facebook":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js","facebook-debug":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all/debug.js","google":"https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js","google-platform":"https://apis.google.com/js/client:platform.js","google-csa":"https://www.google.com/adsense/search/async-ads.js","google-javascript-api":"https://www.google.com/jsapi","google-client-api":"https://apis.google.com/js/api:client.js","gpt":"https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js","hlsjs":"https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/hls.js/1.0.7/hls.js","recaptcha":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?onload=loadRecaptcha&render=explicit","recaptcha_ajax":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/js/recaptcha_ajax.js","supreme-golf":"https://sgapps-staging.supremegolf.com/search/assets/js/bundle.js","taboola":"https://cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/cbsinteractive-cbssports/loader.js","twitter":"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js","video-avia":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/player/avia.min.js","video-avia-ui":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/ui/avia.ui.min.js","video-avia-gam":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/gam/avia.gam.min.js","video-avia-hls":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/hls/avia.hls.min.js","video-avia-playlist":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/playlist/avia.playlist.min.js","video-ima3":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3.js","video-ima3-dai":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3_dai.js","video-utils":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js","video-vast-tracking":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/sb55/vast-js/vtg-vast-client.js"}},"waitSeconds":300});
Joseph Goodman: Nick Saban misses the mark with Jermaine Burton
Nick Saban says he was scared in the moments after Tennessee’s victory against Alabama, and Saban said that Jermaine Burton was scared, too.
That seems to be the reasoning that Saban used when he made the decision to play Burton in Alabama’s 30-6 victory against Mississippi State rather than suspend his receiver for striking a female Tennessee fan. A video surfaced after Alabama’s 52-49 loss to Tennessee of Burton reaching out and making contact with a fan in the wild moments immediately following the game.
It was bad.
RELATED: Everything Saban said after Alabama’s victory against Mississippi State
RELATED: Rewinding Alabama win over Mississippi State
Should Burton have been suspended for hitting a fan? Should he have been kicked off the team for striking a woman? These were fair questions after Saban said earlier this week that Alabama was gathering more information about what happened. Let’s not downplay any of this because it was a serious situation that demanded critical attention.
Obviously, and this should go without saying, but striking a woman cannot be excused. Burton was wrong for what he did. Period.
After looking into it, Saban said he made the decision not to suspend Burton, but to provide counseling for his player. As for Burton’s playing status, he started against Mississippi State and contributed to the blowout victory on Saturday night.
Here’s everything that Saban said when I asked him after the game against Mississippi State about what went into the decision to play Burton.
“Look, I don’t know how many of you have been in a situation like that, but I talked to him,” Saban said. “He was scared. I was scared. Some of our other players were scared. I think you learn to respect other people because we have a responsibility to do that regardless of the circumstance that we’re in.
“And, I talked to the guy. We have him in a counseling program. It’s not an anger management program, which people announced today. Nobody ever said that. That’s not the problem. That’s not the issue.
“But it’s about having the proper respect for other people. And I didn’t think it was necessary to suspend the guy. So, if you knew the whole story, then maybe you wouldn’t either, but I’m not going to divulge that.”
That doesn’t pass muster for me, and Saban is leaving out critical information for reasons that are hard to understand.
Part of me appreciates Saban standing by his player through this unfortunate situation and taking the brunt of the criticism, but that doesn’t mean Saban made the right call here in playing Burton or even allowing him to remain on scholarship with the team. It’s fair to question Saban’s decision on this, and remember this moment. Some level of discipline seems appropriate, or even warranted, for Burton’s actions.
Am I missing something here?
Apparently, yes, according to Saban, but he then said he wouldn’t offer an explanation about what it could be. Saban is a great coach, and I respect him, but he’s not above being questioned for playing a player who hit a female fan a week earlier, and he’s not above being criticized for an evasive answer about something so important.
I shrugged off the boilerplate rhetoric from talking heads this week about Alabama slipping competitively, but the decision to play Burton requires a closer look.
Does it benefit Alabama to play Burton? Yes. Does Saban gain a level of trust from recruits for backing a player even under these controversial circumstances? Potentially.
Saban has opened himself up to these questions with his decision.
There’s another way to look at this, too. For team building, does backing Burton help Alabama create better team chemistry? Players were scared, Saban said.
Scared? Scared of what, exactly? Fans rushing the field, or was it something else? It was chaotic after Tennessee’s win against Alabama, and so I can understand a certain level of fear in those moments.
When asked about the decision to play Burton, Saban’s tone was weirdly condescending, considering the circumstances. Of course it was appropriate, and necessary, to ask about the decision. This is a big deal, but questions remain.
The video wasn’t clear enough to see exactly what happened, but it was a disturbing sequence of frames nonetheless. Did Burton smack the woman, as someone claiming to be the fan alleged? It’s hard to tell by the amateur video shot from the stands of Neyland Stadium, but it was certainly enough contact to question how Alabama was going to handle the controversy.
Saban’s dismissive answer missed the mark.
Counseling is vital, and it’s good that Alabama has those valuable resources for its players. It also has the best coach in college football history, but for a lot of people that’s going to mean something different after today.
Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.
Jimbo Fisher’s struggles at Texas A&M raise questions, overshadow beef with Alabama’s Nick Saban
The Beef might as well be plant-based this week. That is another way of saying the feud between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher that lit up talking season this summer is about as meaty as Beyond Burger.
The two coaches have made peace … as much peace as can make between clenched teeth.
“That’s over with,” Fisher said this week. “He and I are in great shape. We’ve moved on.”
We may be able to judge that by Alabama’s margin of victory Saturday. If Saban decides to lay a number on the Aggies (24-point underdogs, according to Caesars Sportsbook) he seemingly can do it. Texas A&M is scuffling after an 18-point loss to Mississippi State that followed an upset to Appalachian State a few weeks ago.
That alone distracts from what was initially expected to be the game of the year because of the simmering animosity alone. Add Jimbo breaking through as the first Saban assistant to beat the master last season, and you’ve got appointment viewing.
Except the storylines have switched quicker than an up-tempo offense. Texas A&M enters near the bottom nationally in plays per game (56.2). That’s part of the problem for a coach who was known as an offensive mastermind and quarterback developer.
Fisher has been neither lately. He’s also found a spot on the hot seat — or whatever you call underachieving in Year 5 with nine years left on his extended 10-year monster contract.
The Aggies are out of the national championship hunt and on the verge of being eliminated from the SEC race. There’s pressure on Fisher to produce. There’s also pressure on Texas A&M’s boosters and administrators to decide where the line is before they produce — buyout money.
There are some who will tell you that’s no pressure at all. As one FBS coach told CBS Sports, “There’s no in betweens at Texas A&M. If they can have enough money in the bank [to pay the coach], somebody can write the check [to fire him].”
Given that 10-year guaranteed contract, those boosters and administrators have a lot to do with this situation. They’re the ones who went all in. That’s what Texas A&M usually does. Actually, that’s what big-time college football does these days. It just becomes a measure of risk tolerance and the number of zeroes on the contract.
Already in the last month, we’ve seen a grand experiment fail at Arizona State. Nebraska’s can’t-miss native son … missed, forcing the Cornhuskers into another reboot. Wisconsin fired a coach with a .720 winning rate.
Is Fisher about to become the Bloody Sunday victim? Highly unlikely.
Still, it’s worth asking how much patience is left after that Mississippi State loss. Fisher has yet to find a consistent quarterback. Starter Haynes King was benched after a slow start. Backup Max Johnson is now injured and day-to-day for Alabama.
It’s complicated. Fisher inherited the Aggies’ career passing leader, Kellen Mond, when he arrived in 2018. Backup Zach Calzada beat Alabama last year and now is on the bench at Auburn
Fisher left the door open to the reality of five-star freshman Connor Weigman playing Saturday.
“What do you want me to do, call Nick and tell him?” said Fisher when pushed on the issue.
The answer is part of Fisher’s trump card to critics. He can/must sell the future. That all-time No. 1 recruiting class from this past cycle is a chip to be played. The future is not now, it’s in 2023 and 2024 when that class is supposed to mature and contribute. Given that, this year always had the look of an eight-win season — a transition year … if Aggie Nation can swallow hard enough.
It also might reflect what Fisher is these days: a master recruiter who has lost his offensive touch. That’s not necessarily something of which he should be ashamed. There have been coaches who won championships as CEOs who buy the groceries and let the assistants cook the meal.
Meanwhile, Fisher probably owes Bryce Young a “thank you” note. Overshadowing this week’s game is the condition of Young’s shoulder. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Alabama starting quarterback is day-to-day with an AC joint shoulder sprain suffered last Saturday against Arkansas.
We’ve gotten this far before mentioning both teams may be starting backup quarterbacks. Both coaches will leverage their reveals right up until kickoff. Will it make any difference?
Regardless, the events of May are certainly old news. When they were both available at SEC Media Days, we asked Fisher how he could make up with a peer and former boss he called a “narcissist.”
“You’re not from West Virginia, are you?” Fisher asked. (Fisher and Saban are both natives of the Mountain State.)
Jimbo then went on to describe how West Virginians can be at each other’s throats one minute and be pals 5 minutes later. Interesting take. This week, it is relegated to the anecdote oldies bin.
The issues are bigger in the rivalry and the league. Georgia looks vulnerable. Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss looks like a legitimate challenger in the SEC West. Tennessee is off to its best start since 2016.
But a revenge motive sells better than WrestleMania. So does quarterback uncertainty.
One program is on top. The other desperately wants to be there. Throw in millions of dollars, stir with impatience and serve hot.
Is that meaty enough for you?
require.config({"baseUrl":"https://sportsfly.cbsistatic.com/fly-0331/bundles/sportsmediajs/js-build","config":{"version":{"fly/components/accordion":"1.0","fly/components/alert":"1.0","fly/components/base":"1.0","fly/components/carousel":"1.0","fly/components/dropdown":"1.0","fly/components/fixate":"1.0","fly/components/form-validate":"1.0","fly/components/image-gallery":"1.0","fly/components/iframe-messenger":"1.0","fly/components/load-more":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-article":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-scroll":"1.0","fly/components/loading":"1.0","fly/components/modal":"1.0","fly/components/modal-iframe":"1.0","fly/components/network-bar":"1.0","fly/components/poll":"1.0","fly/components/search-player":"1.0","fly/components/social-button":"1.0","fly/components/social-counts":"1.0","fly/components/social-links":"1.0","fly/components/tabs":"1.0","fly/components/video":"1.0","fly/libs/easy-xdm":"2.4.17.1","fly/libs/jquery.cookie":"1.2","fly/libs/jquery.throttle-debounce":"1.1","fly/libs/jquery.widget":"1.9.2","fly/libs/omniture.s-code":"1.0","fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init":"1.0","fly/libs/jquery.mobile":"1.3.2","fly/libs/backbone":"1.0.0","fly/libs/underscore":"1.5.1","fly/libs/jquery.easing":"1.3","fly/managers/ad":"2.0","fly/managers/components":"1.0","fly/managers/cookie":"1.0","fly/managers/debug":"1.0","fly/managers/geo":"1.0","fly/managers/gpt":"4.3","fly/managers/history":"2.0","fly/managers/madison":"1.0","fly/managers/social-authentication":"1.0","fly/utils/data-prefix":"1.0","fly/utils/data-selector":"1.0","fly/utils/function-natives":"1.0","fly/utils/guid":"1.0","fly/utils/log":"1.0","fly/utils/object-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-vars":"1.0","fly/utils/url-helper":"1.0","libs/jshashtable":"2.1","libs/select2":"3.5.1","libs/jsonp":"2.4.0","libs/jquery/mobile":"1.4.5","libs/modernizr.custom":"2.6.2","libs/velocity":"1.2.2","libs/dataTables":"1.10.6","libs/dataTables.fixedColumns":"3.0.4","libs/dataTables.fixedHeader":"2.1.2","libs/dateformat":"1.0.3","libs/waypoints/infinite":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/inview":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/jquery.waypoints":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/sticky":"3.1.1","libs/jquery/dotdotdot":"1.6.1","libs/jquery/flexslider":"2.1","libs/jquery/lazyload":"1.9.3","libs/jquery/maskedinput":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/marquee":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/numberformatter":"1.2.3","libs/jquery/placeholder":"0.2.4","libs/jquery/scrollbar":"0.1.6","libs/jquery/tablesorter":"2.0.5","libs/jquery/touchswipe":"1.6.18","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.draggable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.mouse":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.position":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.slider":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.sortable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.touch-punch":"0.2.3","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.accordion":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.menu":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.dialog":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.resizable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.button":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tooltip":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.effects":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.datepicker":"1.11.4"}},"shim":{"liveconnection/managers/connection":{"deps":["liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4"]},"liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4":{"exports":"SockJS"},"libs/setValueFromArray":{"exports":"set"},"libs/getValueFromArray":{"exports":"get"},"fly/libs/jquery.mobile-1.3.2":["version!fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init"],"libs/backbone.marionette":{"deps":["jquery","version!fly/libs/underscore","version!fly/libs/backbone"],"exports":"Marionette"},"fly/libs/underscore-1.5.1":{"exports":"_"},"fly/libs/backbone-1.0.0":{"deps":["version!fly/libs/underscore","jquery"],"exports":"Backbone"},"libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs-1.11.4":["jquery","version!libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core","version!fly/libs/jquery.widget"],"libs/jquery/flexslider-2.1":["jquery"],"libs/dataTables.fixedColumns-3.0.4":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"libs/dataTables.fixedHeader-2.1.2":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js":["https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js"]},"map":{"*":{"adobe-pass":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js","facebook":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js","facebook-debug":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all/debug.js","google":"https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js","google-platform":"https://apis.google.com/js/client:platform.js","google-csa":"https://www.google.com/adsense/search/async-ads.js","google-javascript-api":"https://www.google.com/jsapi","google-client-api":"https://apis.google.com/js/api:client.js","gpt":"https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js","hlsjs":"https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/hls.js/1.0.7/hls.js","recaptcha":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?onload=loadRecaptcha&render=explicit","recaptcha_ajax":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/js/recaptcha_ajax.js","supreme-golf":"https://sgapps-staging.supremegolf.com/search/assets/js/bundle.js","taboola":"https://cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/cbsinteractive-cbssports/loader.js","twitter":"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js","video-avia":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/player/avia.min.js","video-avia-ui":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/ui/avia.ui.min.js","video-avia-gam":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/gam/avia.gam.min.js","video-avia-hls":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/hls/avia.hls.min.js","video-avia-playlist":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/playlist/avia.playlist.min.js","video-ima3":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3.js","video-ima3-dai":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3_dai.js","video-utils":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js","video-vast-tracking":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/sb55/vast-js/vtg-vast-client.js"}},"waitSeconds":300});
Alabama reminds Nick Saban always has an answer, even when Bryce Young’s injury changed the question
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The most decorated cheerleader in Razorback Stadium tried for one more wave of the wand. Given all the magic Alabama’s Bryce Young has already manufactured in his career, he was hoping for some more with a Hail Mary second-half visit to the medical tent on the Bama sideline.
Be advised: The reigning Heisman Trophy winner had not played since being tackled by his ankles and landing awkwardly on his right shoulder in the second quarter.
At the time, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman — that old dog — leaned into his team’s surging momentum by calling what would be a successful onside kick. The No. 20 Razorbacks were in the process of scoring 23 straight points on the No. 2 Crimson Tide, 17-point road favorites who had just been leading 28-0 late in the second quarter.
Young was questionable to return, nursing a sprained AC joint.
When the quarterback visited the tent for a second time Saturday afternoon, he was either hoping for a different diagnosis or some privacy so he could change into a Superman costume. Neither happened.
“There’s only one Bryce Young in this country,” Saban later observed.
Ah, but there are different ways to win a game. Saban said so himself after Alabama’s 49-26 victory.
We should know by now that The Sabanator always has answers. One of them Saturday was in the transfer portal. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs broke out with a career rushing performance: 206 yards with a pair of touchdowns, each from more than 70 yards out.
The much-celebrated transfer from Georgia Tech finished third last season in all-purpose yards. He had one purpose Saturday: replacing Young’s arm with his burst.
“Fourth quarter came, hold up them [four fingers] like we do every day,” Gibbs said. “I kept things calm, played football.”
The other answer came through recruiting. Redshirt freshman QB Jalen Milroe replaced Young late in the second quarter. He led five touchdown drives, rushing for 91 yards, which included taking the third snap of the fourth quarter 77 yards to the Arkansas 3-yard line.
“Biggest thing was looking at the chains,” Milroe said. “… Once I passed the line of scrimmage, I was just trying to get a first down. Then my eyes got big I’m going to try to score.”
Not quite. Jace McClellan scored three plays later, and Arkansas’ run of 23 straight points scored was broken. So was the Hogs’ spirit, essentially.
“It stopped the bleeding for sure,” Saban said.
On his first touch of the fourth quarter, Gibbs rushed 72 yards for his first touchdown. On his third touch, he raced 76 yards for a score. That’s 242 total yards — all of them on the ground – as part of a three-touchdown barrage in the fourth quarter that not only covered the 17-point spread but lightened the mood.
Asked if the game plan changed when Young went out, Saban snapped, “I was going to call Jimbo [Fisher] afterwards and tell him.”
Fisher can see for himself next week at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Texas A&M enters wounded — 3-2 after being blown out at Mississippi State — and likely unranked. Alabama hosts with a better sense of who they will be this season after five weeks.
The Tide’s top-ranked defense slipped a bit as Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson caught fire, Pittman called for that onside kick and Bama long snapper Kneeland Hibbett turned it over with a wild-pitch snap far and wide from the punter, setting the Hogs up at the Tide 3 in the third quarter.
“You’ve got to be able to win more than one way,” Saban said. “We had to score points in a different way than when Bryce was in there.”
In the second half, Young could do nothing but rah-rah from the sideline. Stud Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders, an Alabama transfer, had snagged Young’s ankle as he ran right looking to throw the ball away.
Should have thrown it away sooner, Saban said. The lost yardage resulted in a missed 52-yard field goal.
That’s when had to win a different way. After Young went out, Milroe threw the ball just nine times. There were just four throws in the second half for 3 yards through the air.
Milroe, a former four-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite, is a 6-foot-2, 212-pound specimen who can run the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds. Gibbs was supposed to be the feature back this season. It just took a while.
“The first I had known Gibbs was the Army All-American Bowl,” Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. said of the annual high school all-star game in San Antonio. “He was the best running out there, in my opinion. When you watch on the jumbotron, his cutting and bursting through holes is excellent. Going against him in practice every day, he’s silent; he doesn’t talk much. He does his job.
“This is why you come to Bama. For games like this.”
Young probably did Jimbo a solid in a weird way. Instead of the focus being on the Saban-Fisher feud from the summer, there will be breathless speculation all week regarding Young’s condition.
After the game, Saban candidly revealed that Young’s sprained AC joint is not an uncommon injury for the quarterback; he’s experienced it before, and it usually resolved itself for him. That puts him day-to-day for the Texas A&M game.
Even with Young healthy, there were questions about Alabama coming into this road game. In four of its previous five such contests, it had played games to within three points. There was the squeaker at Texas, the loss last year at Texas A&M and the overtime miracle against Auburn.
And now this. The Tide trotted off the field at peace in more than one way having knocked off the Razorbacks for the 16th consecutive time. They scored 42+ points for the seventh consecutive meeting.
Things looked dicey when Young went to the tent in the second quarter. When their roles changed in an instant, Young gave words of encouragement to his backup. Then the backup reached higher.
“First thought I had was talk to God, ask for protection, healing. I had a one-on-one conversation with God,” Milroe said.
Did He have an answer?
“He did,” Milroe said.
That’s all Milroe would share. As Saban had mentioned, after a win like this, some things are best kept to yourself.
require.config({"baseUrl":"https://sportsfly.cbsistatic.com/fly-0331/bundles/sportsmediajs/js-build","config":{"version":{"fly/components/accordion":"1.0","fly/components/alert":"1.0","fly/components/base":"1.0","fly/components/carousel":"1.0","fly/components/dropdown":"1.0","fly/components/fixate":"1.0","fly/components/form-validate":"1.0","fly/components/image-gallery":"1.0","fly/components/iframe-messenger":"1.0","fly/components/load-more":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-article":"1.0","fly/components/load-more-scroll":"1.0","fly/components/loading":"1.0","fly/components/modal":"1.0","fly/components/modal-iframe":"1.0","fly/components/network-bar":"1.0","fly/components/poll":"1.0","fly/components/search-player":"1.0","fly/components/social-button":"1.0","fly/components/social-counts":"1.0","fly/components/social-links":"1.0","fly/components/tabs":"1.0","fly/components/video":"1.0","fly/libs/easy-xdm":"2.4.17.1","fly/libs/jquery.cookie":"1.2","fly/libs/jquery.throttle-debounce":"1.1","fly/libs/jquery.widget":"1.9.2","fly/libs/omniture.s-code":"1.0","fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init":"1.0","fly/libs/jquery.mobile":"1.3.2","fly/libs/backbone":"1.0.0","fly/libs/underscore":"1.5.1","fly/libs/jquery.easing":"1.3","fly/managers/ad":"2.0","fly/managers/components":"1.0","fly/managers/cookie":"1.0","fly/managers/debug":"1.0","fly/managers/geo":"1.0","fly/managers/gpt":"4.3","fly/managers/history":"2.0","fly/managers/madison":"1.0","fly/managers/social-authentication":"1.0","fly/utils/data-prefix":"1.0","fly/utils/data-selector":"1.0","fly/utils/function-natives":"1.0","fly/utils/guid":"1.0","fly/utils/log":"1.0","fly/utils/object-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-helper":"1.0","fly/utils/string-vars":"1.0","fly/utils/url-helper":"1.0","libs/jshashtable":"2.1","libs/select2":"3.5.1","libs/jsonp":"2.4.0","libs/jquery/mobile":"1.4.5","libs/modernizr.custom":"2.6.2","libs/velocity":"1.2.2","libs/dataTables":"1.10.6","libs/dataTables.fixedColumns":"3.0.4","libs/dataTables.fixedHeader":"2.1.2","libs/dateformat":"1.0.3","libs/waypoints/infinite":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/inview":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/jquery.waypoints":"3.1.1","libs/waypoints/sticky":"3.1.1","libs/jquery/dotdotdot":"1.6.1","libs/jquery/flexslider":"2.1","libs/jquery/lazyload":"1.9.3","libs/jquery/maskedinput":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/marquee":"1.3.1","libs/jquery/numberformatter":"1.2.3","libs/jquery/placeholder":"0.2.4","libs/jquery/scrollbar":"0.1.6","libs/jquery/tablesorter":"2.0.5","libs/jquery/touchswipe":"1.6.18","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.draggable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.mouse":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.position":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.slider":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.sortable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.touch-punch":"0.2.3","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.accordion":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.menu":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.dialog":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.resizable":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.button":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tooltip":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.effects":"1.11.4","libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.datepicker":"1.11.4"}},"shim":{"liveconnection/managers/connection":{"deps":["liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4"]},"liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4":{"exports":"SockJS"},"libs/setValueFromArray":{"exports":"set"},"libs/getValueFromArray":{"exports":"get"},"fly/libs/jquery.mobile-1.3.2":["version!fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init"],"libs/backbone.marionette":{"deps":["jquery","version!fly/libs/underscore","version!fly/libs/backbone"],"exports":"Marionette"},"fly/libs/underscore-1.5.1":{"exports":"_"},"fly/libs/backbone-1.0.0":{"deps":["version!fly/libs/underscore","jquery"],"exports":"Backbone"},"libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs-1.11.4":["jquery","version!libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core","version!fly/libs/jquery.widget"],"libs/jquery/flexslider-2.1":["jquery"],"libs/dataTables.fixedColumns-3.0.4":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"libs/dataTables.fixedHeader-2.1.2":["jquery","version!libs/dataTables"],"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js":["https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js"]},"map":{"*":{"adobe-pass":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js","facebook":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js","facebook-debug":"https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all/debug.js","google":"https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js","google-platform":"https://apis.google.com/js/client:platform.js","google-csa":"https://www.google.com/adsense/search/async-ads.js","google-javascript-api":"https://www.google.com/jsapi","google-client-api":"https://apis.google.com/js/api:client.js","gpt":"https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js","hlsjs":"https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/hls.js/1.0.7/hls.js","recaptcha":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?onload=loadRecaptcha&render=explicit","recaptcha_ajax":"https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/js/recaptcha_ajax.js","supreme-golf":"https://sgapps-staging.supremegolf.com/search/assets/js/bundle.js","taboola":"https://cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/cbsinteractive-cbssports/loader.js","twitter":"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js","video-avia":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/player/avia.min.js","video-avia-ui":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/ui/avia.ui.min.js","video-avia-gam":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/gam/avia.gam.min.js","video-avia-hls":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/hls/avia.hls.min.js","video-avia-playlist":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/avia-js/2.4.0/plugins/playlist/avia.playlist.min.js","video-ima3":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3.js","video-ima3-dai":"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3_dai.js","video-utils":"https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js","video-vast-tracking":"https://vidtech.cbsinteractive.com/sb55/vast-js/vtg-vast-client.js"}},"waitSeconds":300});