Alabama Crimson Tide College Football Pregame Quote, 12/27/2021

I mean, obviously, I thought ‚Äì early in the year, I thought we were locked in, focused, played pretty well early, and then went through a little stretch there, obviously, the A&M game, didn’t execute versus a very good football team. They exploited some things, I thought. I thought that was an eye-opener for us to go back to our preparation and making sure we’re doing the right things in practice and instilling those habits we need on Saturday.

So I don’t think it was a certain point; I think, obviously, anytime you lose a football game, especially here, I think you go back to the drawing board. But, more importantly, nothing really schematically as much as it is from a preparation standpoint and a practice standpoint of how can we get fundamentally bettor to where we’re not missing tackles from a communication aspect, we’re not having busts on the back end and then from a run fit standpoint that we’re locked into solo space and then we’re pressing our gaps and getting guys off of double-team.

So I don’t think it was a certain play. I think if it was a game, it was the A&M game. Obviously, there were still certain times after the A&M game that we haven’t played as well as we should have. But I think that’s preparation throughout the week and getting guys locked in and communicating and being on the same page for those guys to be able to play fast and play well.

You talked about some of that inconsistency from your defense. Sometimes that was game to game; sometimes it was quarter to quarter or drive to drive. If you look at the defense and the way they’ve been playing, sort of trending this last month of the season, what would you say the identity of this defense is?

I think hopefully we’re getting to the identity of this defense of tough, competitive people that love playing football, that play with passion, play with discipline, and play with great effort. I think, obviously, you can cover up a lot of mistakes, in my opinion, in football with speed and effort. So we’re not going to be perfect. Those kids aren’t perfect. I’m not perfect.

There are going to be things that occur in the game where we make a mistake; but if we’re playing fast and we’re playing tough and we’re playing physical, I think sometimes you can hide those mistakes, you know, with effort.

So I think that’s something that has shown up. Obviously, there’s been games where it’s been a negative yardage play or we’ve gotten off the field on third down and I can assure all 11 were on the same page and doing everything correctly, but, you know, one guy made a decision for maximum effort and to do a great job, and he beat his guy.

So I think a lot of it comes up in the preparation aspect of it. I think, obviously, you’ve got to get 11 guys that feel comfortable with what you’re doing. Obviously, we see a lot of different things that we don’t prepare for. You know, obviously, we prepare for everything they’ve done and a history of wherever they’ve been. And then, obviously, we put issues on tape that we’ve had problems with throughout the year with other opponents that we feel, obviously, they’re going to try to do versus us because it’s been successful.

So you try to prepare your guys for everything that they could see. Obviously, they’re on the chalkboard too drawing up new things. You’ve got to have your guys comfortable within your defense to let the rules apply when they see something that they haven’t practiced against. And I think, with that, comes communication. I think communication, obviously, is better with older players that have more experience that have been in those situations.

But it’s our responsibility to put them in those places in practice to show them everything, have a plan for it, be able to execute and be able to communicate. So I think that’s been the biggest difference to me the last couple of weeks. A, guys have been comfortable. I think there’s been better communication on the field. I think there’s been better effort overall to the football. And I think we’ve tackled better.

I think we’re rallying to the ball and we’re vice tackling and trying to take shots at the ball. It still isn’t where it should be. Obviously, getting the ball on the ground and creating turnovers. Obviously, we’re still limited in size, something we’ve got to do a really good job of. But I think the preparation throughout the week, the attention to detail, and trying to practice the right way so then, on Saturday or Friday night, this week, obviously, it’s second nature.

These Alabama coordinator jobs historically have been a bit of a jumping-off point for coaches to become head coaches. In these last couple years, how do you feel like you’ve grown as a coach and relative to some of the opportunities that might come your way in the future?

Obviously, I took this job to work for the best football coach that has ever coached the game in my opinion. So I learned something new every day. I’ve always been one that, regardless of where I was at, to be where my feet are, to do the best job where I’m at, to try to prepare our kids the best way to develop them on and off the field. So I’ve always been one, I think if you do a really good job where you’re at, which, obviously, a lot of people before me have, then opportunities will come.

I promise you I’m in no rush to be a head coach. I think a lot of that is overrated. I got into this profession to develop players, to be in that room, to have fun with them. And I think sometimes, depending upon where you’re at, you don’t get that anymore.

How do you handle criticism from fans?

Well, their name ain’t on my paycheck; so I really don’t listen to them. Obviously, my old man was a high school coach growing up; so I think it was something I learned at an early age from my mom. She was like, ‘Look, some are going to love your dad; some people are going to hate your dad. So it’s still your dad; you’re always going to love your dad.’ But, you know, I don’t listen to the outside noise, to be honest with you.

You know, I think if you’re a football coach and you do that, I think you get out of this profession pretty quick. You’ll start selling insurance and playing golf. There’s no bigger critic on me than me. Obviously, Coach [Nick] Saban does a great job and stays on top of us to make sure we’re doing things correctly.

But also, obviously, I want to put a great product on the field. And that comes with great preparation throughout the week, demanding that from your guys, getting it in practice, obviously, schematically being sound and trying to get guys in the right place. But, more importantly, throughout the week, demanding it. And then I think it shows up.

So I don’t get caught up into it. I’m not a big media guy and all that type of stuff. I try to work my butt off and put our kids in the best position that we can for success and try to coach them throughout the week.

Last time we got to talk to you at the beginning of fall camp you said that Henry To’oto’o as a transfer was a above and beyond from your standpoint that you’d ever seen in a transfer. What did you see in him at that time to know that, and then how big has he been for your defense both from a leadership and ability standpoint this year?

I think, from leadership standpoint, I think a lot of it is basically on your personality. The one thing that I was impressed about him when he came in is he soaked it all up. He didn’t come in the first day trying to tell folks what to do. He came in and was aware of his surroundings, worked his butt off, and tried to work harder than everybody else and tried to learn the defense, and he tried to learn our players and how we do it here and what’s the expectations.

And I think once he got a grasp of that, then he decided to leave. Henry is one of those guys that he’s going to try to prepare harder than anybody else. He’s going to try to work harder than anybody else. And he’s going to try to practice larder than anybody else.

But what he does is he bringing people with him. And so he’s going to go to his backers that third week he was there and say, ‘Hey, you know what? 4:00 today, this is in the summer, I’m getting some extra tape. If you want to come, come on.

And it was a couple guys the first week and then it was a couple more the next week. And by the end of the summer, it was all of them. I think that’s one thing, he’s a by-example guy. But guys appreciate how hard he works and how much he loves the game and what he puts into it.

So he naturally, I think, people gravitate towards him. And I think he can bring people places they can’t bring themselves. And I think that’s leadership. But he’s not one of those guys that’s going to curse them out or grab them by the facemask and do all those things. I think it’s by example and studying hard and preparing hard and practicing hard. And I think people see that turn into success on Saturday, not always like he wants it. He makes mistakes like everybody else. But I think from his energy, his effort, his attitude, I think people want to mimic that. And I think he brings people with him.

Last year you talked a lot about Will Anderson as a freshman and just how impressed you were with him on and off the field. This year, obviously, his stats speak for themselves, but he stepped up as a leader as well. Have you ever seen anything like what Will has done these past few months on the field, off the field, as a leader for your team?

I mean, obviously, you’ve had guys that I think have been able to impact a team. I think it’s very rare to have a guy with his skill set, his ability to be the type of person that he is. I think Coach (Nick Saban) mentioned this last year about last year’s team.

It’s rare for your best players to be your best leaders and your best people. You know, normally, there’s a flaw in people. And I’m not saying he doesn’t have flaws, but I ain’t found one. So he’s a kid that loves football, works his butt off. He’s in there with Coach Sal [Sunseri] all the time getting extra tape.

And then he’s another guy that puts it on tape, whether it’s practice or a game. So nobody can question his work ethic, his attitude, his intensity. So when he steps at somebody, there’s nothing they can say. And I think he’s got a little different demeanor than Henry [To’oto’o] probably of getting people to do certain things that they need to do to help us to be a better football team.

So with the athletic ability, with the character the kid has and the leadership, he’s definitely the total package. And that’s why, obviously, he’s received a lot of awards and he’s helped us win a lot of football games. He gets everything he deserves.

I want to ask about Cincinnati and Jerome Ford, who you were briefly with there at Alabama, and his ability to hit big plays, but also quarterback Desmond Ridder, curious what you see out of those two guys.

Obviously, I think they’re undefeated for a reason. I think they’re coached extremely really well. I think they got a very good scheme. They use all 11. They run their quarterback as well. They work you horizontally and vertically so that they’re very challenging from that as aspect.

They do a really nice job with big people, creating extra gaps to make you be sound. I think, obviously, 9 [Desmond Ridder] has played a lot of football. I think he gets them in and out of certain plays, you know, at the right times based on coverages and fronts on the run game and pass game.

And then I think Ford, obviously, we knew he had elite speed coming out of high school. I think he was a ten-five guy in high school. I think he’s gotten a lot stronger, got a really strong lower body, has a lot of YAC yards. He’s got good balance and body control. I think he’s got good vision. They use him a lot in the backfield.

And they’ve got some guys on the perimeter as well, you know, with 12 outside that, you know, they say it’s a 50/50 ball, it hasn’t been with him all year. They throw it, and he goes and gets it. And then they’ve got those two tight ends that are extremely long and have really big catch radiuses that they use in the pass game and in the C area blocking. So they’re a very successful offense. They do an extremely good job. They’re well coached. So we got our hands full for sure.

Just what have you seen from Jalyn Armour-Davis in practice? And then how key is he in stopping this big passing attack that you just kind of talked about in Cincinnati?

Well, obviously, Jalyn for us had a lot of experience in games. He’s a smart football player. He’s instinctive. He’s one of our longer corners with top-end speed.

So we’re playing longer guys this week that can run, can go up and catch the football. They’re a multiple offense and create a lot of formations by motions and shifts. So, obviously, the experience that he’s had and the understanding of our defense and the composure that he has, we need. He’s practiced all week. He’s looked well to me. So it’s good to have him back.

After watching about every Alabama game this season, one of your biggest losses to injury, it appears to be Josh Jobe. How will you guys get over the loss of Jobe for this game?

Yeah, I think it’s ‚Äì well, it started last year, or every year in football, you’re going to have some guys go down. And then throw COVID on it. so I think You’ve got to develop the bottom of your roster, which I think Coach (Nick Saban) does extremely well and good job at, especially in camp and throughout the season of how we practice.

So we’ve got guys at the corner position, whether it be Kool-Aid [McKinstry] or some other guys, that have played in games, have started games. So they’re going to have to step up. That’s no different for them. They’ve got to lock in. They’ve got to focus, got to be able to play the next play. And when their number is called, they got to be able to compete and contest the play. I think we’re ready. I think we got guys ready to play.

I wanted to ask, obviously we can’t talk about any of this in college football landscape without mentioning COVID. And I just want to know do you have a preference, or what would that preference be during this time, to kind of have this limited access to all this extra stuff and all those extra distractions or do you like that stuff normally for bowl weeks?

You know what? You know, it kind of reminded me of fall camp. We had like ‚Äì I can’t remember what exactly it was ‚Äì but, like, the second week of fall camp, we kind of revamped and went to masks and all those things. It reminded me of last year. And that’s what I brought up to our players.

I said, ‘You know what? Last year, a lot of guys made decisions to give up everything outside of this facility for one common goal.’ And that was an entire team. It was going out, it was being with their family at certain times, to work their butt off, to play for each other for one common goal. And that was to win a championship.

And so I think that’s what it brings me back to. I think that’s what it brings our guys back to. We’ve been here before. We’ve done this before with the pandemic. And you can’t be selfish. You have to realize, what you do, you do to everybody in that room.

We got a lot of guys that put a lot of work into this season and they’ve given themselves the opportunity to be able to play and compete in this semifinal game and who are you, you know, to take a chance on that?

So I think we’ve been through this, which has helped. I think we’ve got very unselfish guys. I think we’ve got good leadership on our football team. And they stood up the other day and it was like ‚Äì you know, one guy on our team said, ‘I’ve never experienced a bowl week, but I have experienced getting a national championship ring.’

That’s what we’re here for. So I think bowl games are a great concept, but we’re playing to win a championship. In order to win a championship, we’ve got to win this game versus a very quality, good football team. And so if our entire focus of every individual on our team is not on that, then we’re not going to give ourselves our best chance.

So having been there before, I think our kids understand that through the great leadership of Coach [Nick] Saban and the leadership of our team. And I don’t think they’re worried about going to the Cowboys game. I don’t think they’re worried about Six Flags. I think they’re worried about what can they do consistently, play in and play out, to put the best product on the field to better win the football game.

And I think that’s not easy, especially with guys at that age. But having been here and the culture that Coach Saban has set, that’s what’s expected, and that’s what these kids expect.