“Our team needs to do a lot of things to improve,” says head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban, after Saturday’s 45-23 win over the Texas A&M Aggies.
Many say that Saban is rarely satisfied with his team’s performance, while others say he just has high standards. He joked after the game that he wanted the media to write about the team and their flaws during this game so that he can use it as constructive criticism. But, there weren’t that many.
While the Tide was victorious over the Aggies this past weekend, the team made some mistakes, and Saban does not want them to go unnoticed.
Alabama had a total of nine penalties for 82 yards, while the Aggies had only four for 50 yards. One of these penalties, for example, was a delay of game penalty. Taking too long to snap the ball resulted in the Tide losing five yards, for something that could have been easily avoided. Another, a holding penalty, negated a 12-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith, causing a 10-yard loss instead. A holding penalty on Ross Pierschbacher resulted in a loss of 10 yards, and there was also a defensive pass interference penalty on Trevon Diggs, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down for Texas A&M.
Kellen Mond, Aggies quarterback, exploited the holes in the Tide’s defense, rushing for 98 yards on 18 carries.
Coach Saban, as we all know, always wants his team to play as if they are the underdog. While the Tide always has room for improvement, this past weekend’s game was high-energy and yet another testament of how Alabama gives it all, every single time. Plus, with a coach seeking feedback, they will always stay humble when they play.
(Photo courtesy of Hannah Saad and The Crimson White)
