CONFERENCE.
WHEN HE COMES UP, WE'LL BRING IT
TO YOU LIVE.
BUT NOW -- NICK SABAN
HAS JUST
STEPPED UP TO THE PODIUM.
COACH
SABAN: ESPECIALLY THE WAY
THEY PLAYED IN THE SECOND HALF,
TURNING AROUND ON OFFENSE,
DOMINATED THE GAME, TIME OF
POSSESSION.
HAD SOME REALLY GOOD DRIVES,
DIDN'T ALWAYS FINISH BUT REALLY
EXECUTED A LOT BETTER IN
THE
SECOND HALF.
THIS IS A GAME THAT MEANS A LOT
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE
AND
I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY FOR OUR
SUPPORTERS, OUR FANS.
THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE
UNIVERSE -- UNIVERSITY OF
ALABAMA, THAT THEY CAN BE HAPPY
ABOUT THE VICTORY WE HAD TODAY.
AUBURN HAS A REALLY GOOD TEAM.
WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A
TOUGH GAME
BUT I'M REALLY PROUD
OF THE WAY OUR GUYS COMPETED.
PROUD OF OUR SENIORS FOR THE
CAREER
THEY'VE HAD HERE.
THEY'LL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
TO PLAY, JUST NOT HERE IN
BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM BUT THOSE
GUYS HAVE
HAD A FANTASTIC
CAREER.
THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED MIGHTILY TO
THE PROGRAM AND
NOT ONLY AS
FOOTBALL PLAYERS BUT THE KIND OF
PEOPLE THEY ARE, THE EXAMPLE
THAT THEY SET AS LEADERS, THE
GOOD JOB THEY'VE DONE
ACADEMICALLY AND HAVING
SUCCESS
ACADEMICALLY.
SO REALLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH
ABOUT
THE GREAT FEELING THAT I HAVE IN
TERMS OF THE WAY OUR GUYS
COMPETED IN THE GAME
TODAY.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT WIN AND I
WANT OUR PLAYERS TO
ENJOY IT.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE
COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
THIS
IS SORT OF LIKE BEING IN
THE PLAYOFFS.
SO JUST GOT TO
PLAY A GOOD GAME
NEXT WEEK AND WE'LL GET READY
FOR THAT STARTING ON MONDAY AND
KIND OF GO
FROM THERE.
REPORTER: ANOTHER GAME WITHOUT
GIVING UP A TOUCHDOWN.
HOW
HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DO
THIS DEFENSIVELY AND MAINTAIN
THIS HIGH
LEVEL?
COACH SABAN: OUR DEFENSIVE
PLAYERS JUST REALLY PLAY
WELL
TOGETHER.
AUBURN PRESENTS SOME TOUGH
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES WITH
PERSONNEL GROUPS,
MOTIONS,
FORMATION ADJUSTMENTS AND I
THOUGHT OUR GUYS DID A REALLY
GOOD JOB FOR THE
MOST PART
ADJUSTING TO THOSE.
THE DEFENSE WAS PUT IN SOME
REALLY TOUGH SPOTS IN THIS GAME.
I THINK THERE WAS A POINT IN THE
GAME WHERE THEY HAD JUST ONE OR
TWO FIRST DOWNS AND HAD NINE
POINTS.
BECAUSE OF
TURNOVERS, POOR PUNT,
POOR PUNT COVERAGE, THAT THEY
HAD A BIG
RETURN ON.
SO WE HAD SOME REALLY, REALLY
CHALLENGING FIELD POSITION
SITUATIONS IN
THIS GAME AND OUR
PLAYERS REALLY RESPONDED
WELL TO
IT.
WE JUST PLAY ONE PLAY AT A TIME.
WE TRY TO REAP OUR GUYS THE BEST
WE CAN TO GO OUT THERE AND PLAY
WELL.
LOSING TWO GUYS IN THE
SECONDARY, TONY BROWN AND MARLIN
GOING
OUT, WERE REALLY
DIFFICULT.
I THINK MARLIN WILL BE OK.
WE JUST DIDN'T PUT HIM BACK IN
THE GAME.
SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER LOSING EDDIE
A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE'RE REALLY
PRETTY THIN BACK THERE.
THE BUT THE GUYS THAT WENT IN
THERE TODAY CERTAINLY DID A GOOD
JOB FOR US AND DIDN'T HURT US IN
ANY WAY.
I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE WAY
THE GUYS COMPETED.
I CAN'T TELL YOU
ABOUT THE
SCORING TOUCHDOWN THING.
I KNOW OUR GUYS ARE VERY
COMPETITIVE AND THEY HAVE A LOT
OF PRIDE.
AND THEY PLAYED AT A VERY HIGH
LEVEL, ESPECIALLY THESE LAST
THREE OR FOUR GAMES.
REPORTER: YOU
PUT UP 500 YARDS
OF TOTAL OFFENSE.
HOW DID YOUR OFFENSIVE LINE
RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE OF
THEIR FRONT SEVEN AND TIGHT
ENDS, TOO?
COACH SABAN: I THINK IN THE
SECOND HALF, REALLY
WELL.
WE DIDN'T RUN THE BALL GREAT IN
THE FIRST HALF.
THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUE.
PUT A LOT ON THE QUARTERBACK AND
HE
WAS STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT.
WE TURNED THE BALL
OVER A COUPLE
OF TIMES.
DIDN'T EXECUTE THE WAY WE NEEDED
TO.
AT
HALFTIME, I THOUGHT EVERYBODY
THOUGHT I WOULD THROW A FIT BUT
I SAID LOOK, GUYS, ALL WE HAVE
TO DO IS
PLAY WITH POISE AND
CONFIDENCE AND TRUST AND BELIEVE
IN HOW WE DO THINGS, WHAT WE DO
AND EVERYBODY'S GOT TO GO DO
THEIR JOB BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO
MANY GUYS THAT ARE MAKING
MISTAKES, NOT BLOCKING THE RIGHT
GUYS.
WE GOT TO CONTROL THE LINE OF
SCRIMMAGE IN THE SECOND HALF
AND
CONTROL THE GAME AND I THINK OUR
OFFENSIVE LINE DID A GOOD JOB OF
THAT IN THE SECOND HALF
ESPECIALLY.
BO SCARBROUGH DID A REALLY GOOD
JOB IN THE SECOND HALF.
SO I THINK ALL OF OUR BACKS DID.
BUT HE HADN'T PLAYED FOR A WHILE
AND IT WAS A
BIG BOOST FOR HIM,
GETTING IN THERE AND GAINING 90
YARDS OR WHATEVER HE GAINS.
SOME BIG
RUNS.
REPORTER: ALONG THOSE LINES,
WERE THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS MADE
OFFENSIVELY TO THE GAME PLAN
AFTER
HALFTIME?
COACH SABAN: YEAH.
DID IT LOOK THE SAME IN THE
SECOND HALF AS IT
DID THE FIRST?
OR WAS I AT THE SAME GAME YOU
WERE?
I DON'T KNOW.
WE MADE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE RAN THE BALL MORE.
WE RAN THE BALL WITH THE TAIL
BACKS A LOT MORE.
WE DIDN'T RUN THE QUARTERBACK
NEARLY AS MUCH.
WE SETTLED DOWN INTO SOME
BASIC
THINGS THAT WE DO AND ALLOWED
OUR PLAYERS TO
EXECUTE AND I
THOUGHT THEY DID A REALLY GOOD
JOB.
REPORTER: JUST WANT TO ASK ABOUT
ARDARIUS STEWART, THE LAST TWO
GAMES HE'S PLAYED IN, HE'S
GONE
OVER 100 YARDS AND HAD FOUR
TOUCHDOWNS.
HOW'S HE PLAYING SO FAR?
COACH SABAN: HE PLAYED GREAT
TODAY.
I THINK HE HAD 10 CATCHES.
HE'S BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE FOR
US.
HE DIDN'T PLAY IN THE LAST GAME
BUT CERTAINLY CAME BACK AND
COMPETED WELL AND HAS DONE THE
THINGS WE ASKED HIM TO DO AND
REALLY PLEASED WITH THE YEAR
HE'S HAD IN TOTAL.
HE'S ANOTHER GUY THAT'S
A REALLY
GOOD COMPETITOR AND I THINK IT
MEANS A LOT TO HIM.
AND THE EXAMPLE THAT
HE SETS IS
BENEFICIAL TO THAT ENTIRE UNIT.
REPORTER: TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
YOU MENTIONED BO SCARBROUGH,
ALSO
WAS WATCHING JOSH JACOBS
RUN, CARRYING PEOPLE WITH HIM.
I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK OF
PLAYER
DEVELOPMENT AND COACH
BURTON BURNS.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT HE MEANS TO YOU
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE
PLAYERS?
COACH SABAN: HE'S DONE A
FANTASTIC JOB.
WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO
HAVE
GREAT RUNNING BACKS.
THEY'VE ALL IMPROVED IN THEIR
CAREER HERE BECAUSE FOR THE MOST
PART THOSE
GUYS REALLY LIKE
BURTON.
HE'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
WELL LIKED GUYS BY OUR PLAYERS
AND OUR TEAM.
HE'S
ALSO ADDED SPECIAL TEAMS TO
HIS REPERTOIRE OF THINGS THAT
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR BUT I THINK
ALL THREE OF THOSE BACKS HAVE
MADE REALLY NICE
PROGRESS.
DAMIEN HARRIS FROM LAST YEAR TO
THIS YEAR.
JOSH, BEING A
FRESHMEN, HAS MADE
A NICE CONTRIBUTION.
AND BO SCARBROUGH, WHEN
HEALTHY,
HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
REPORTER: JALEN HURTS SHOWS
INCREDIBLE RESOLVE, EVEN AFTER A
MISTAKE, HE'S ABLE TO KEEP
GOING.
DID HE ARRIVE HERE LIKE THAT?
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN
GROW IN HIM?
COACH SABAN: MY CONVERSATION
WITH JALEN, I
ALWAYS HAVE A
COUPLE WITH HIM THROUGH THE
COURSE OF THE WEEK, WAS NOT TO
TRY TO CREATE THINGS.
JUST TAKE WHAT THE DEFENSE GIVES
AND EXECUTE THE PLAY THE WAY
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AND DON'T
THINK YOU HAVE TO
MAKE SOMETHING
BIGGER THAN IT IS.
IF YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAND THE
BALL OFF, HAND IT OFF.
DON'T
THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO READ WHAT YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO READ.
THROW THE BALL
WHERE YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO THROW IT.
THERE IN MIDDLE FIELD
COVERAGE,
IF YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO THROW IT
TO THE X, THROW IT TO THE X.
THAT'S MY SORT OF CONVERSATIONS
WITH HIM.
AND SOMETIMES IN THE FIRST HALF
HE GOT A LITTLE BIT OUT OF
SYNC,
A LITTLE BIT OUT OF SORTS.
I THINK HE GATHERED HIM AT
HALFTIME AND REALLY
PLAYED WELL
IN THE SECOND HALF AND DIDN'T
HAVE THOSE ERRORS.
REPORTER: NICK, BY TRADITIONAL
STANDARDS, THIS TEAM'S ONLY HAD
ONE
ONE-SCORE VICTORY.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN BY MORE
THAN THAT.
YOU'RE FAR AND
AWAY BY
EVERYONE'S STANDARD NUMBER ONE
AT THIS POINT.
HOW GOOD HAS THIS REGULAR SEASON
BEEN IN YOUR
MIND?
COACH SABAN: I'M PROUD OF OUR
PLAYERS.
THEY HAVE AN
UNDEFEATED SEASON,
ESPECIALLY IN OUR LEAGUE.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALL THERE
NOW BUT I THINK THERE ARE SIX
OR
SEVEN TEAMS RANKED IN THE TOP 20
WHEN WE PLAYED THEM.
SO I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF
THE WAY THESE GUYS HAVE
COMPETED.
AND THE RESOLVE THAT THEY SHOWED
IN SOME
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
ESPECIALLY AT OLE MISS EARLY IN
THE YEAR WHEN WE GOT BEHIND
24-3.
SO -- AND THE CONSISTENCY AND
PERFORMANCE.
I THINK THAT'S THE MOST
DIFFICULT THING FOR ANY TEAM
NOW, ESPECIALLY
COLLEGE PLAYERS,
TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT FOR
THE SEASON.
AND I'M REALLY, REALLY
PLEASED
AND PROUD OF OUR PLAYERS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND WE'VE HAD
SOME REALLY
DIFFICULT GAMES AGAINST SOME
REALLY GOOD TEAMS AND IT'S NOT
GOING TO
STOP HERE.
WE'VE GOT OTHER
CHALLENGES.
FLORIDA HAS A REALLY GOOD TEAM,
REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVE TEAM, GOOD
ALL-AROUND PLAYERS.
THAT'S
GOING TO BE ANOTHER TOUGH
TEST FOR US AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN
GET
SOME GUYS HEALTHY ENOUGH
THAT WE'LL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE
TEAM TO PLAY IN THAT GAME.
REPORTER: AFTER THE TARGETING ON
TONY
BROWN, WHAT ADJUSTMENT --
YOUR PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS,
SAW
DIONTE THOMPSON ON THE FIELD A
LITTLE BIT MORE.
HOW DID THOSE GUYS DO?
WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO TO
SHUTTLE THEM A LITTLE BIT?
COACH SABAN: I THINK THOSE GUYS
DID A GOOD JOB TODAY.
THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR
GIVING UP BIG PLAYS.
MINKAH HAD TO GO BACK AND PLAY
STAR, WHICH HE HASN'T REALLY
PLAYED FOR THREE OR FOUR
GAMES,
HOWEVER LONG AGO IT WAS WHEN
EDDIE GOT HURT.
AND A LOT
OF DIFFICULT
ADJUSTMENTS IN THIS GAME.
THEY DO A LOT
OF GOOD THINGS TO
OFFENSE THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO
ADJUST TO AND HE WAS ABLE TO GO
IN THERE AND
DO A GOOD JOB.
HOOTIE DID A GOOD JOB MOVING
OVER TO STRONG SAFETY AND
PLAYING HIS SPOT.
THEN DIONTE HAD TO PLAY AND
MARLIN GOES OUT AND ANOTHER GUY
HAD TO GO IN.
BUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE GUYS,
LEVI
DID A GOOD JOB PLAYING FOR
MARTIN.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE GUYS STEPPED
UP AND DID A GOOD JOB TODAY.
I WAS REALLY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.
REPORTER: JUST ONE MORE.
PREGAME, WERE YOU AWARE THAT HIS
MOM WAS GOING TO COME OUT?
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT.
COACH SABAN: HE'S A FINE YOUNG
MAN, HAS
BEEN IN THE PROGRAM A
LONG TIME.
I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY
HEART FOR ALL THE STAR PLAYERS,
GET A
BIG OVATION, THEY GET
ACCOLADES, THEY GET NOMINATED
FOR AWARDS.
A LOT OF THOSE GUYS,
THEY PLAY
THEIR GAME ON MONDAY, TUESDAY,
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, HELPING
THE REST OF THE PLAYERS GET
READY FOR THE
GAME AND LAWRENCE
IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT HAS
DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB HERE
AND
HE'S HAD SOME UPS AND DOWNS,
BEEN INJURED, CAME BACK.
BUT FOR HIS MOTHER TO BE ABLE TO
COME TODAY ALMOST MADE ME CRY.
REPORTER: IS THE ONLY UNDEFEATED
POWER FIVE TEAM LEFT, THERE'S
ONLY TWO
LEFT IN THE COUNTRY.
WHAT SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT DO
YOU HAVE AT THIS POINT GOING
INTO A GAME THAT SOME MAY
ARGUE -- I'M NOT SAYING THIS --
THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY TO
HAVE WIN TO
GET TO THE PLAYOFF?
COACH SABAN: I HATE IT WHEN YOU
SAY THAT.
I HATE IT WHEN THEY PUT THAT ON
TV,
RADIO, INTERNET, ANY KIND OF
COMMUNICATION.
LOOK, I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR
TEAM.
BUT REALLY, THE LEGACY OF
THE
TEAM STILL LIES AHEAD IN TERMS
OF WHAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH AND
WHAT THEY
CAN DO.
SO I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE
FACT THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S A
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT TO
HAVE AN UNDEFEATED SEASON.
BUT I ALSO
THINK THAT THERE'S A
LOT MORE OUT THERE FOR THIS TEAM
IN TERMS OF
AN S.E.C.
CHAMPIONSHIP WHICH WE STILL HOLD
IN VERY
HIGH ESTEEM AND THINK
IT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR
ANY TEAM.
SO THAT'S OUR NEXT FOCUS AND THE
THAT'S THE NEXT THING WE WANT TO
FOCUS ON.
THEN WHATEVER HAPPENS FROM
THERE, HAPPENS FROM THERE.
BUT THIS IS LIKE BEING IN THE
PLAYOFFS.
AND YOU CAN'T REALLY FALL
IN
LOVE WITH WHAT YOU JUST DID.
YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK TO THE
NEXT
CHALLENGE.
AND AS PROUD AS I AM OF THE TEAM
AND
WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED, I
KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ALL
OF THEM AND FOR US AS COACHES TO
TRY TO DO THE BEST
JOB WE CAN TO
HELP THEM FINISH THE SEASON AND
ACCOMPLISH SOME OTHER THINGS
THAT
ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, AS
WELL.
REPORTER: AUBURN'S GAME HAD BEEN
A STRENGTH AND
YOUR RUN DEFENSE
HAS BEEN A STRENGTH FOR YOU
GUYS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT
MATCHUP
WENT FOR YOU?
COACH: YOU'RE ASKING HOW OUR RUN
DEFENSE MATCHED
UP?
OUR GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD
JOB -- I THINK WE CONTROLLED THE
LINE OF
SCRIMMAGE PRETTY WELL.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF
EXPLOSIVE RUNS.
WE DID A GOOD
JOB KEEPING EDGES
ON THE DEFENSE WHEN THEY RAN
THEIR CAT SWEEPS AND A LOT OF
THEIR MOTION
PLAYS.
I THINK OUR PLAYERS DID A REALLY
GOOD JOB OF PLAYING TOGETHER AS
A
TEAM WHICH I THINK IS REALLY
IMPORTANT WHEN YOU PLAY THIS
KIND OF OFFENSE.
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO DO THEIR JOB.
ONE BIG PLAY, WE STOPPED INSIDE,
AND KERRYON BOUNCED OUTSIDE,
REALLY HAD TO PLAY STOP AT THE
FORCE
GUY CAME INSIDE AND THE
BALL BOUNCED OUTSIDE.
THAT WAS PROBABLY OUR WORST PLAY
OF THE DAY.
I WAS
REALLY CONCERNED, WOULD WE
BE ABLE TO STOP THESE GUYS.
AND I WAS
REALLY PROUD OF THE
WAY OUR GUYS PLAYED IN THE GAME.
STOPPED THE RUN.
REPORTER: YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME
OF THE BIG PLAYS AGAINST THE
SECONDARY.
WHAT DID YOU SEE FROM THE ENTIRE
SECONDARY IN THE GAME, THE
WAY
THEY FOUGHT BACK A LITTLE BIT.
COACH
SABAN: WE GAVE UP A COUPLE
OF BIG PLAYS IN THE SECOND HALF
BUT WE DREW THE PLAYS UP THAT
THEY HIT
US ON.
WHEN YOU PLAY SOMEBODY FOR 10
YEARS
HERE AND FIVE YEARS AT
L.S.U., AND WE PLAYED AGAINST
THIS COACHING STAFF A LOT.
THEY'VE GOT OUR COACHES SO THEY
KNOW WHAT WE DO.
WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT
THEY DO.
WE DREW THE PLAYS UP AT
HALFTIME.
THEY'RE GOING TO RUN THESE
PLAYS.
AND THEY
DID.
AND WE DIDN'T DEFEND THEM VERY
WELL.
GOT TO GIVE THEM CREDIT BECAUSE
WE'RE
UP THERE PLAYING THE RUN.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MATCH THOSE
PATTERNS.
AND RUNNING DEEP OVER ROUTES OFF
OF
PLAY-ACTION, THAT'S TOUGH.
WE
WEREN'T PROBABLY IN THE BEST
THING WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN.
WE WERE IN THE BEST THING WE
COULD HAVE BEEN IN TO STOP THE
RUN, NOT NECESSARILY TO STOP THE
PASS.
THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU HAVE
TO PICK AND CHOOSE ON BUT WE
KNEW THOSE SHOTS WERE COMING.