4 days after Alabamas 38-19 win at Missouri, Nick Sabans disappointment with how his group played in the second half of its opening video game was still palpable.
Alabama was outscored, 16-10, and out-gained, 209-99, in the second half by the Tigers, who scored 2 fourth-quarter touchdowns versus a mix of Tide beginners and backups on defense.
Offensively, Alabama gave freshman quarterback Bryce Young playing time beginning late in the third quarter and ended up the 2nd half averaging only 3.5 lawns per play, compared to 7.9 in the very first half.
The Sooners led, 35-14, late in the third quarter of that video game before allowing 24 unanswered indicate record their second harmful loss to their conference opponents in as numerous seasons.
The Tides slow 2nd half offensively caught the attention of Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt, who discussed Alabama throughout Wednesdays SEC coaches teleconference while discussing the defense of his upcoming opponent, Missouri.
In his opening statement Wednesday, Saban said efficiency coach Kevin Elko talked to the team although he did not define when.
” So thats the thing I was most disappointed in. So if I was most dissatisfied in it, thats the thing we need to improve on the most.”
” Not believing that, hello, taking a look at the scoreboard– we constantly say theres no scoreboard.”
Alabama led 35-3 midway through the third quarter and the outcome of the game was hardly in doubt even as Missouri made its late run. However from a mentor perspective, Saban thinks that outcome could be more unsafe for its gamers than a significant upset that did happen Saturday– Kansas State falling third-ranked Oklahoma.
Alabama opens its home schedule Saturday against Texas A&M, which directly beat Vanderbilt at Kyle Field last Saturday. Saban on Wednesday said the Aggies are much better than last season and chalked up their opening performance to “first-game errors.”
” I believe he made an excellent point,” Saban stated. You ask yourself, What if play with discipline? What if I play hard for 60 minutes?
An irritated Saban had a message to send out to his gamers to close his news conference.
” Our players– its the worst thing you can do is play badly and win. We played badly in the second half. I do not believe anybodys immune from that. I informed the players that, so Im not talking about them behind their back.”
” And then you can state, Only if, and thats what you ask yourself after it takes place. I think those are all lessons that were attempting to comprehend, that you got to pay the cost for success up front.”
” I guess you can ask Oklahoma that question,” Saban said Wednesday of his team not playing a total game.” Our players– its the worst thing you can do is play inadequately and win. We played badly in the second half. You ask yourself, What if play with discipline? Not when theres two quarters left to play!
Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.
” When we play a great team like Texas A&M,” Saban said, “That is capable, with a quarterback, of returning in the game, 28-3 or whatever the score was [at halftime]– video game aint over then! Not when theres two quarters left to play! Aight?
” I guess you can ask Oklahoma that concern,” Saban stated Wednesday of his group not playing a complete video game. “Because Im sure their coach is stating some of the exact same things we stated. Their players respond a little bit much better because they have unfavorable consequences.
” I believe they held Alabama to 95 lawns offense in the 2nd half,” Pruitt stated. “Thats probably the most affordable total perhaps, for a half, in Nick Sabans period. I do not understand. Thats pretty outstanding.”
” I came home and felt actually bad that I mustve done a truly, truly bad job not in getting the players all set to play the game however preserving their intensity throughout the game,” Saban stated throughout his Wednesday video news conference. “And doing a good job at halftime to attempt to get them to come out and preserve the energy they required to maintain to be able to play for 60 minutes in the game.
