Jumbo Package: Saban talks QBs ahead of first spring scrimmage

Happy Friday, everyone. Softball kicked off the weekend in fine fashion, with a run rule victory last night over Texas A&M. The baseball team hosts #6 Tennessee for three games starting tonight.

The first scrimmage of spring camp happens tomorrow, and Saban shared his thoughts on the QBs.

“I think everybody’s made a lot of improvement,” Saban said. “Bryce has made a lot of improvement. I think he’s a lot more confident. We wanted to play Bryce a lot more than he got to play last year. I think the situation, the circumstances, playing 10 SEC games and being in the SEC Championship Game and the playoffs, probably didn’t get as much chance to do that as we’ve done in the past with developing quarterbacks. But I think just having all the reps that he had last year, he’s much more confident. I think he’s doing very well.”

He also notes that Paul Tyson has made “tremendous” improvement, which is especially high praise coming from Saban. The diminutive but super athletic Young certainly seems like the leader, but the contrast in styles between he and 6’5” Tyson is interesting.

Will Anderson was asked about his nickname and also threw in this nugget about Chris Allen.

Anderson credits some of that confidence to the guidance he received from Christopher Allen, stating the starting Sam linebacker would often stay late with him after practice to go over techniques and breakdown the playbook.

“He communicated with me a lot because sometimes I’d go out there and freeze, and he’d just be like, ‘Calm down. Relax. I got you. I’m here for you,’” Anderson recalled. “So he really took me under his wing and really helped me this whole season. He showed me a lot, so I appreciate him a lot.”

This has been a hallmark of the Saban era. Over the next couple of seasons, Anderson will be tasked with bringing along the next young crop of pass rushers. Greatness begets greatness.

A clip of Nick Saban equating offensive coordinators to the Taliban or Al Qaeda of the football world went somewhat viral, and Lane Kiffin chimed in.

No doubt that we are living in a golden age of offense, but offensive coordinators still tend to drive me crazy with their propensity to prove how creative they are. Sark did a masterful job last year of keeping it simple and getting the ball to playmakers. Hopefully that will continue.

Legendary North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams retired yesterday. Cecil Hurt wrote about any potential interest they may have in Nate Oats.

Could Oats (or another coach) ultimately turn the Tar Heels down? Of course. He’s expressed a strong commitment to Alabama in the wake of other openings. He’s spoken strongly about “culture change” in UA basketball and might not want those words to sound hollow by walking out the door in two years. He has a family with school-age daughters and the thought of moving them again might be a negative.

To use the Saban scenario, some coaches might not feel like they could ever do enough to match his accomplishments. (Hint: they can’t.) Others might take that as a challenge.

No matter how many “hot boards” someone’s name might appear on, parties do have to agree. Listening isn’t the same thing as accepting. But if Alabama football or North Carolina basketball calls, anyone would at least listen.

While Nate is off to a fantastic start in Tuscaloosa, it would be surprising if the Tar Heels were willing to pay a $12M buyout when is resume is still relatively thin at the college level. Still, we will keep an eye on it.

Last, earlier in the week Derrick Henry’s pushup video went viral. Yesterday his QB, Ryan Tannehill, responded with a video of his own.

Henry is a monster, and that is a pretty funny comeback.

That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.

Roll Tide.