2016-2017 College Football National Title Game - Clemson vs Bama part II - Who you going with?
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Nick Saban has adapted to and conquered a new style of college football
ATLANTA -- If five years ago somebody had shown Nick Saban tape of what Alabamalooks like right now both offensively and defensively, even he admits he would have had a hard time believing it.
At the very least, he probably would have rubbed his eyes a bit to make sure it wasn't some kind of weird mirage.
But as Saban is quick to point out, with a touch of his West Virginia twang, the game has changed dramatically in the past five years. And albeit begrudgingly at times, one of the best coaches in college football history has changed with it.
"I might not like it, but it ain't the way ball is now," Saban said of the blueprint that won the first three of his four national championships at Alabama. "It's unbelievable how much the game has changed, and it's really hard to coach defense now. But hey, it's on me -- regardless of the way I think football should be played -- if I don't change with it."
The most noticeable changes at Alabama have occurred on offense. The mere fact that Saban would go with a true freshman at quarterback was a stunner for many. He'd never done it before in his career. But it's much more than just Jalen Hurts being a true freshman. Hurts has been a big part of the Tide's running game, particularly in run-pass options. He's creating on offense and operating out of the shotgun (even on the goal line), and the Tide are also spreading teams out and going no-huddle.
In fact, it looks a lot like the kind of up-tempo offenses those fastball guys, as Saban likes to call them, were running a few years ago that precipitated Saban's now-famous line from 2012: "Is this what we want football to be?"
His concern was player safety, and he still thinks the rules allow offenses to play too fast, meaning players have to play too many plays. But while Saban might be old school and might have strong convictions about the direction of the game, the one thing he's not is stubborn.
He's smart enough to know that nothing stays the same, especially when you're in the business of chasing championships.
"You've seen other coaches over time be stubborn and say, 'We're not going to evolve and change our offense or our defense,' and it costs them their job sometimes because this is where college football is now, and that old way doesn't work," said Lane Kiffin, who -- before leaving in stunning fashion this week for his Florida Atlantic job -- was the point guy in modernizing the Tide's offense when Saban brought him in as offensive coordinator in 2014.
"You see it every year when you're in the playoff, and the championship teams almost every time have the element of going fast, more spread stuff and quarterbacks that can move around. So I give Coach a ton of credit. He could have been really stubborn and said, 'We're going to run our old offense here no matter what.' I don't think we'd be sitting here saying we won three straight SEC championships if he wouldn't have changed, and he knew that."
It didn't take senior tight end O.J. Howardlong to figure out that the times were changing at Alabama. Hurts had already shown a glimpse of the added dimension he could provide to the offense when he gave the Alabama defense fits as the scout-team quarterback in preparation for the national championship game against Clemson last season.
"And then during preseason camp, he was even better with the way he kept making plays," Howard said. "It was a lot different than anything we'd seen here at Alabama under Coach Saban, but it was the way we were going to win games."
Saban said his thought process changed gradually, but it was also expedited by back-to-back losses to Auburn and Oklahoma to close the 2013 season. Since those two losses, the Tide have won 39 of the 42 games they've played and are gunning for their second straight national championship.
"As we faced more and more no-huddle, more and more fastball guys and had more and more difficulties ourselves in trying to play those kind of teams, I started saying to myself that if it's more difficult to defend that, why aren't we doing it?" Saban recounted. "Even though, philosophically, if I don't think it's good for the game, good for the players, too many plays, whatever you want to talk about, it's something we needed to do, something we needed to research.
"It all got enhanced by the fact that we happened to have a quarterback three years ago [Blake Sims] who, that's what he did in high school, that's what he was most capable of, so that's what we adapted to ... and here we are."
Kiffin might be on his way to Florida Atlantic a little sooner than expected, but Hurts' career at Alabama is just beginning. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is sure to build off of Hurts' versatility next season, which means the Tide probably won't be going back to their pro-style ways on offense anytime soon.
"You've got to have a quarterback who can create," said Kiffin, noting the discrepancy in Alabama's third-down efficiency with a quarterback who could create versus one who wasn't overly mobile.
The Tide are 14th nationally this season in third-down conversion percentage with Hurts running the show and were fifth nationally in 2014 with Sims at quarterback. Last season, they were 86th nationally with Jake Coker at quarterback.
"It just points out how [Saban] is always looking at everything, how to find a better way to do things," Kiffin said. "In the offseason, he's flying us to different places to go learn things and bringing in coaches all the time, which again, that's unusual, because someone like him ... why does he want to learn from someone else? He's the best coach in college football, but that's why he continues to be the best coach."
The changes Saban has made on defense are more subtle. His system hasn't changed much, but he has made a concerted effort to recruit players who can play three straight downs and match up better against all of the spread offenses now in college football.
The Tide are leaner up front defensively and at linebacker. Reuben Foster lost more than 20 pounds in the offseason, and this is the fastest defense Saban has put on the field in his 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa.
"We're faster and more athletic," Saban said. "If we had to play smashmouth teams all the time, it probably wouldn't be an advantage to be that way. If we played LSU every week, after about four or five weeks, it would probably start showing a little bit. But that's not where we are right now in college football."
Saban jokes he's not sure where some of these offensive coordinators are coming from in this new age of football.
"The way these offensive guys are, they're trying to figure out ways to move the ball where you don't block anybody," Saban said. "We've got linemen pulling one way, and we're running the other way. I haven't ever seen anything like it."
Jeremy Pruitt, who took over this season for Kirby Smart as Alabama's defensive coordinator, said it has helped on defense with the Tide running more spread and tempo on offense.
"That's what we see most of the time in games now, and it's a benefit to see it more in practice," Pruitt said. "We're a lot more ready for it."
Alabama's defensive numbers have been as good as ever. Their 98.0 defensive-efficiency rating is the best in the FBS this season and the highest by any FBS team entering the bowl season since 2005. For the record, the second-highest was the 2011 Alabama defense (93.7).
"I've seen Alabama on defense. They were some dogs. They are dogs," said Foster, who won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. "We look up to them. We lost the weight, but we didn't lose the mentality."
They haven't lost that championship look, either, even though it's a different look.
ATLANTA -- If five years ago somebody had shown Nick Saban tape of what Alabamalooks like right now both offensively and defensively, even he admits he would have had a hard time believing it.
At the very least, he probably would have rubbed his eyes a bit to make sure it wasn't some kind of weird mirage.
But as Saban is quick to point out, with a touch of his West Virginia twang, the game has changed dramatically in the past five years. And albeit begrudgingly at times, one of the best coaches in college football history has changed with it.
"I might not like it, but it ain't the way ball is now," Saban said of the blueprint that won the first three of his four national championships at Alabama. "It's unbelievable how much the game has changed, and it's really hard to coach defense now. But hey, it's on me -- regardless of the way I think football should be played -- if I don't change with it."
The most noticeable changes at Alabama have occurred on offense. The mere fact that Saban would go with a true freshman at quarterback was a stunner for many. He'd never done it before in his career. But it's much more than just Jalen Hurts being a true freshman. Hurts has been a big part of the Tide's running game, particularly in run-pass options. He's creating on offense and operating out of the shotgun (even on the goal line), and the Tide are also spreading teams out and going no-huddle.
In fact, it looks a lot like the kind of up-tempo offenses those fastball guys, as Saban likes to call them, were running a few years ago that precipitated Saban's now-famous line from 2012: "Is this what we want football to be?"
His concern was player safety, and he still thinks the rules allow offenses to play too fast, meaning players have to play too many plays. But while Saban might be old school and might have strong convictions about the direction of the game, the one thing he's not is stubborn.
He's smart enough to know that nothing stays the same, especially when you're in the business of chasing championships.
"You've seen other coaches over time be stubborn and say, 'We're not going to evolve and change our offense or our defense,' and it costs them their job sometimes because this is where college football is now, and that old way doesn't work," said Lane Kiffin, who -- before leaving in stunning fashion this week for his Florida Atlantic job -- was the point guy in modernizing the Tide's offense when Saban brought him in as offensive coordinator in 2014.
"You see it every year when you're in the playoff, and the championship teams almost every time have the element of going fast, more spread stuff and quarterbacks that can move around. So I give Coach a ton of credit. He could have been really stubborn and said, 'We're going to run our old offense here no matter what.' I don't think we'd be sitting here saying we won three straight SEC championships if he wouldn't have changed, and he knew that."
It didn't take senior tight end O.J. Howardlong to figure out that the times were changing at Alabama. Hurts had already shown a glimpse of the added dimension he could provide to the offense when he gave the Alabama defense fits as the scout-team quarterback in preparation for the national championship game against Clemson last season.
"And then during preseason camp, he was even better with the way he kept making plays," Howard said. "It was a lot different than anything we'd seen here at Alabama under Coach Saban, but it was the way we were going to win games."
Saban said his thought process changed gradually, but it was also expedited by back-to-back losses to Auburn and Oklahoma to close the 2013 season. Since those two losses, the Tide have won 39 of the 42 games they've played and are gunning for their second straight national championship.
"As we faced more and more no-huddle, more and more fastball guys and had more and more difficulties ourselves in trying to play those kind of teams, I started saying to myself that if it's more difficult to defend that, why aren't we doing it?" Saban recounted. "Even though, philosophically, if I don't think it's good for the game, good for the players, too many plays, whatever you want to talk about, it's something we needed to do, something we needed to research.
"It all got enhanced by the fact that we happened to have a quarterback three years ago [Blake Sims] who, that's what he did in high school, that's what he was most capable of, so that's what we adapted to ... and here we are."
Kiffin might be on his way to Florida Atlantic a little sooner than expected, but Hurts' career at Alabama is just beginning. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is sure to build off of Hurts' versatility next season, which means the Tide probably won't be going back to their pro-style ways on offense anytime soon.
"You've got to have a quarterback who can create," said Kiffin, noting the discrepancy in Alabama's third-down efficiency with a quarterback who could create versus one who wasn't overly mobile.
The Tide are 14th nationally this season in third-down conversion percentage with Hurts running the show and were fifth nationally in 2014 with Sims at quarterback. Last season, they were 86th nationally with Jake Coker at quarterback.
"It just points out how [Saban] is always looking at everything, how to find a better way to do things," Kiffin said. "In the offseason, he's flying us to different places to go learn things and bringing in coaches all the time, which again, that's unusual, because someone like him ... why does he want to learn from someone else? He's the best coach in college football, but that's why he continues to be the best coach."
The changes Saban has made on defense are more subtle. His system hasn't changed much, but he has made a concerted effort to recruit players who can play three straight downs and match up better against all of the spread offenses now in college football.
The Tide are leaner up front defensively and at linebacker. Reuben Foster lost more than 20 pounds in the offseason, and this is the fastest defense Saban has put on the field in his 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa.
"We're faster and more athletic," Saban said. "If we had to play smashmouth teams all the time, it probably wouldn't be an advantage to be that way. If we played LSU every week, after about four or five weeks, it would probably start showing a little bit. But that's not where we are right now in college football."
Saban jokes he's not sure where some of these offensive coordinators are coming from in this new age of football.
"The way these offensive guys are, they're trying to figure out ways to move the ball where you don't block anybody," Saban said. "We've got linemen pulling one way, and we're running the other way. I haven't ever seen anything like it."
Jeremy Pruitt, who took over this season for Kirby Smart as Alabama's defensive coordinator, said it has helped on defense with the Tide running more spread and tempo on offense.
"That's what we see most of the time in games now, and it's a benefit to see it more in practice," Pruitt said. "We're a lot more ready for it."
Alabama's defensive numbers have been as good as ever. Their 98.0 defensive-efficiency rating is the best in the FBS this season and the highest by any FBS team entering the bowl season since 2005. For the record, the second-highest was the 2011 Alabama defense (93.7).
"I've seen Alabama on defense. They were some dogs. They are dogs," said Foster, who won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. "We look up to them. We lost the weight, but we didn't lose the mentality."
They haven't lost that championship look, either, even though it's a different look.
Roll Tide
Roll out the Crimson carpet. The Tide are in Tampa. #NationalChampionship #RollTide
Tampa getting ready
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Alabama LB Ryan Anderson: 'We do feel like we're underdogs'
3:06 PM CT
TAMPA, Fla. -- Despite being almost a touchdown favorite over No. 2 Clemsonentering Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T, some Alabamaplayers say they don't feel as though they are the championship front-runner.
"We do feel like we're underdogs right now," Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson said.
Come again?
"Just feel that way," Anderson added.
Pressed on exactly why Anderson, who led the nation's top-ranked defense with 17 tackles for loss and had eight sacks this season, thought Alabama wasn't getting the respect he felt a team that's been ranked No. 1 since the preseason deserved, he didn't care to dive into details, but some of his teammates did.
Linebacker Tim Williams said watching or reading some forms of media has rubbed him the wrong way lately because he is starting to see some people talk more about how Clemson, who lost 45-40 to the Crimson Tide in last year's national title game, could beat Alabama. Talk of the Tigers winning "makes [him] mad watching it."
Williams compared media talk of a possible Clemson win to boxing promoters pushing a fight. And now Alabama is getting some underdog treatment in his eyes.
"[The media] is selling us as possible underdogs, possible upset," said Williams, who is second on Alabama's team with nine sacks. "We know what we have to come out there and do at the end of the day -- put the cleats on.
"When you have No. 1 next to your name as much as us at Alabama, a lot of people are going to take shots, and a lot of people are going to say a lot of things. But we have a standard that we always play to, and we never worry about the end result. If we put everything we have on the field, then we can deal with everything else after."
Alabama tight end O.J. Howard, who had a breakout game with 208 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers last year, said it's strange to hear underdog talk surrounding Alabama, but he isn't surprised that some of it has arrived with the sudden departure of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and promotion of former offensive analyst Steve Sarkisian.
Howard also understands that people could now be wary of an Alabama team that had one of its sloppiest offensive performances in last week's 24-7 win over No. 4 Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Tide had 25 negative plays against the Huskies, while freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for a season-low 57 yards.
Still, Howard isn't convinced that is enough reason to doubt Alabama.
"It's kind of a slap in the face when you do something well all year and then your parents give the gift to your little brother and he just got an F on his test," he said.
Defensive seniors Jonathan Allen andReuben Foster said they are blocking out any sort of negative noise that could creep into a team that has had to deal with a mountain of distractions since the win over Washington. Williams said talk of a new offense under Sarkisian or how the team has handled that transition have been distractions the team has had to handle.
"It doesn't really matter what anybody else outside of this program truly thinks about what's going to happen Monday night," Allen said.
Williams and Howard both said that they have tremendous respect for Clemson, but some of the outside talk concerning Alabama has been tiresome. They say players are tired of answering questions about Kiffin and how the offense could change Monday night. The thought of a possible Alabama loss has guys ready to get away from microphones and cameras and finally take the field inside Raymond James Stadium.
"I kind of want to walk out right now and play," cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick said.
With Saturday's media day being the last time players will speak before Monday's game, they can turn their entire focus to Clemson. Williams said this team has handled criticism well and has been "engineered" to mostly block everything out that's said outside the locker room.
Williams said the fact that Alabama has been in this position numerous times under Nick Saban has helped them prepare, noise and all.
"This isn't our first rodeo coming to a championship," Williams said. "We're a championship program. We're built on championships. This right here ain't new to us -- just a different scene, a different field and a different stadium we're playing in. The feel is still the same."
3:06 PM CT
Edward Aschoff
TAMPA, Fla. -- Despite being almost a touchdown favorite over No. 2 Clemsonentering Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T, some Alabamaplayers say they don't feel as though they are the championship front-runner.
"We do feel like we're underdogs right now," Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson said.
Come again?
"Just feel that way," Anderson added.
Pressed on exactly why Anderson, who led the nation's top-ranked defense with 17 tackles for loss and had eight sacks this season, thought Alabama wasn't getting the respect he felt a team that's been ranked No. 1 since the preseason deserved, he didn't care to dive into details, but some of his teammates did.
Linebacker Tim Williams said watching or reading some forms of media has rubbed him the wrong way lately because he is starting to see some people talk more about how Clemson, who lost 45-40 to the Crimson Tide in last year's national title game, could beat Alabama. Talk of the Tigers winning "makes [him] mad watching it."
Williams compared media talk of a possible Clemson win to boxing promoters pushing a fight. And now Alabama is getting some underdog treatment in his eyes.
"[The media] is selling us as possible underdogs, possible upset," said Williams, who is second on Alabama's team with nine sacks. "We know what we have to come out there and do at the end of the day -- put the cleats on.
"When you have No. 1 next to your name as much as us at Alabama, a lot of people are going to take shots, and a lot of people are going to say a lot of things. But we have a standard that we always play to, and we never worry about the end result. If we put everything we have on the field, then we can deal with everything else after."
Alabama tight end O.J. Howard, who had a breakout game with 208 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers last year, said it's strange to hear underdog talk surrounding Alabama, but he isn't surprised that some of it has arrived with the sudden departure of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and promotion of former offensive analyst Steve Sarkisian.
Howard also understands that people could now be wary of an Alabama team that had one of its sloppiest offensive performances in last week's 24-7 win over No. 4 Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Tide had 25 negative plays against the Huskies, while freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for a season-low 57 yards.
Still, Howard isn't convinced that is enough reason to doubt Alabama.
"It's kind of a slap in the face when you do something well all year and then your parents give the gift to your little brother and he just got an F on his test," he said.
Defensive seniors Jonathan Allen andReuben Foster said they are blocking out any sort of negative noise that could creep into a team that has had to deal with a mountain of distractions since the win over Washington. Williams said talk of a new offense under Sarkisian or how the team has handled that transition have been distractions the team has had to handle.
"It doesn't really matter what anybody else outside of this program truly thinks about what's going to happen Monday night," Allen said.
Williams and Howard both said that they have tremendous respect for Clemson, but some of the outside talk concerning Alabama has been tiresome. They say players are tired of answering questions about Kiffin and how the offense could change Monday night. The thought of a possible Alabama loss has guys ready to get away from microphones and cameras and finally take the field inside Raymond James Stadium.
"I kind of want to walk out right now and play," cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick said.
With Saturday's media day being the last time players will speak before Monday's game, they can turn their entire focus to Clemson. Williams said this team has handled criticism well and has been "engineered" to mostly block everything out that's said outside the locker room.
Williams said the fact that Alabama has been in this position numerous times under Nick Saban has helped them prepare, noise and all.
"This isn't our first rodeo coming to a championship," Williams said. "We're a championship program. We're built on championships. This right here ain't new to us -- just a different scene, a different field and a different stadium we're playing in. The feel is still the same."
I wonder,who Dr Jinx got in this game
Bout to go meet Bama
Is Monday here yet?
Is Monday here yet?
To My Brothers
DEC 30 2016
EDDIE JACKSON
TEAM CAPTAIN / ALABAMA
To my brothers,
In the past four years, I’ve been blessed to accomplish a lot of the goals I set for myself when I first decided to attend Alabama. I’ve been named an All-American, I’ve won a national championship and I’ve earned my college degree. I’m really proud of all of those things, but the accomplishment that means the most to me is being voted one of your captains earlier this month.
I mean, there are … no words. I appreciate you. That’s all.
It’s a role I take seriously, so even though I won’t be on the field on Saturday, I wanted to share some thoughts and to let you all know that I’m still with you.
I’m not going to lie to you guys, the past few of months have been pretty tough.
When I broke my leg against A&M in October, it was one of the worst days of my life. It just didn’t seem fair. That wasn’t how my career at Alabama was supposed to end.
When I found out my season was over, I couldn’t stop crying. I think what made me the most upset was knowing that I’d have to miss out on all the fun we were going to have. Playing good football is hard work. It takes hours and hours of sweat and preparation. You have to push yourself to a level you didn’t think was possible. But ultimately it’s all worth it, because as everyone in this program knows, playing good football is — more than anything else — really, really fun.
Like I’m never going to forget the touchdown that Jonathan scored against Ole Miss this year. To watch that big dude rumble 75 yards into the end zone was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. I was like a fan on the field jumping up and down and laughing like, Oh, my God! I can’t believe this!
I loved the feeling I got every time I caught a punt and then looked upfield at all the guys in front of me setting up their blocks perfectly. My eyes would get superwide and I would think, Oh baby! That was the best. That’s what made all the practice worth it.
I just want you all to know what a pleasure it’s been to have fun with you guys for the past four years.
The thing about playing at Bama is that, while there’s a lot of respect for the program’s history — and for all the great players who came before — the guys you look up to the most are the juniors and seniors you played with as freshmen. Those guys were larger than life when we first got here, and they showed us how to follow in their footsteps.
PHOTO BY
BRYNN ANDERSON/AP IMAGES
I was such a different person when I first arrived in Tuscaloosa. I showed up here as a three-star wide receiver from Florida who hadn’t played high school football until his senior year. At first, like a lot of freshmen, I was scared to death that I was out of my league. Yes, I had wanted to attend Alabama because it was Alabama, but I don’t think I fully realized until I actually got here the sacrifices I’d have to make in order to play. I didn’t just have to learn how to be a defensive back; I had to learn how to be a coachable human being.
I’ll never forget lining up against Amari Cooper one day in practice when I was a freshman. He was just destroying me — making me look silly on every single play. I was embarrassed. At some point I looked over at Coach Saban, begging for some relief. Coach looked back at me and yelled, “Eddie, I’m not taking him off you, so you better get used to it!”
We ran another play. I got roasted again. And then, as we were walking back to the line, Coop said to me, “Every play you go up against me, you’re getting better. I’m gonna have you live next year, son!”
He was right. If I could cover Coop in practice, there was no other player in the nation who was going to intimidate me. That’s the advantage we have over everybody else. We earn all our experience the hard way on the practice field in Tuscaloosa against future early-round draft picks. What I didn’t realize at the time was that it was a privilege to get beat by guys like that. That’s how I learned. And even when I knew I was screwing up, it was my teammates who tried to keep my chin up. I could miss three assignments in 10 plays, but when I came off the field my boys would be saying, “Damn Eddie, you look good out there! You’re gonna be beasting guys soon.”
And when I broke my leg this season, it was you guys who lifted me up and let me know you had my back. I was just talking to Calvin Ridley the other day about how much I miss being on the field with all of you. But being away from the team has given me a chance to watch how you guys play from a different perspective, and it’s made me appreciate what we have here that much more.
PHOTO BY
MARVIN GENTRY/USA TODAY SPORTS
At Alabama you’re either teaching or you’re learning — always. The reason we’re a great team has nothing to do with external pressure or anything else like that. What pushes this program to a higher level is that each of you demand the very best out of each other. If you build up your teammates, it all comes back. Hootie’s next interception might come because of pressure that Dalvin put on the quarterback. Dalvin’s next sack might come because of Ryan spying a quarterback and freezing him up. Our next victory might come because you did your job so well that the guy in front of you was able to do his that much better. Play by play, that’s how we win here.
So looking back, I think it’s kind of funny how worried I was about not fitting in when I first got here. The truth is, when you arrive on campus, it doesn’t matter where you went to high school or how many stars were next to your name. The guys who are caught up in that stuff don’t last long here anyhow. Your entire goal should be to live up to the standard that the player in front of you on the depth chart has set.
When I think about my fellow captains — Cam, Reuben and Jonathan — as well as the other seniors on this team, I feel a lot of pride about how much we’ve grown over the years. Playing at Bama is bigger than winning one national championship. Winning championships is the expectation. But playing here is also about becoming the very best possible version of yourself, and then showcasing that for the world. If you can do that, all of your other goals will fall in line.
That’s what I look forward to watching this Saturday, a bunch of great players showcasing themselves at their very best.
I know exactly what you guys have gone through to get to this point. You aren’t going to win by some miracle. You guys will win because you deserve it. The teams who try to get by on talent aren’t playing for anything. You guys have just as much talent as anybody, but you’ve combined it with the work. You’ve put your trust in the best coaching staff in the nation, and in turn they’ve molded you into men.
If you can survive early morning summer workouts, you can tackle any running back.
If you can survive the fourth quarter program in the spring, you can open a hole through any defensive line.
PHOTO BY
SEAN M. HAFFEY/GETTY IMAGES
Now you’re up against the toughest challenge you’ve had to face all season. But I know you guys are ready for the test because every team we play gives us their best shot. We are the national championship game for most teams.
What distinguishes us is not our expectation to win, but rather it’s our refusal to lose. The difference between this team and all the others isn’t just found in what happens on the field, it’s also found in how we handle our business on the sidelines. The teams we beat get down when we start making plays. They might be jumping up and down, hollering during pregame, but by the third quarter they’re usually sitting quietly with their heads in their hands.
But that’s not how we operate.
On our sideline, there are no separate units. The defensive guys pump up the offensive guys, and vice versa. If another team makes a play against us, nobody believes we’re beat. Instead, we rally around each other. We pump each other up and shout, “That’s all they’re getting this game! That’s the only play!” And we all believe it. That kind of thinking is our edge. That confidence is what makes us champions. Keep that positive energy. We’re in this together.
When you’re on the field on Saturday, look at the man next to you. Look at how hard he’s going. If you’re not trying to match his effort and then surpass it, then you need to pick it up a notch. This is the moment you’ve been working for since you got that first letter postmarkedTuscaloosa in your mailbox. Remember the excitement you felt that day, and let it out. You’re doing it, man. You’re here.
I would give anything to be able to take the field with my brothers one more time. So when you go out there, put every bit of yourself into every single play.
Every single play.
You never know when it might be your last.
Roll Tide!
Eddie
EDDIE JACKSON / CONTRIBUTOR
