For 25 consecutive games, no former assistant coach was able to take down their former boss. Nick Saban’s record against those in his own coaching tree seemed poised to stay perfect. That is until Alabama traveled to College Station last year.
When the final whistle blew, Saban’s record against former assistants stood at 25-1. (It would fall to 21-2 after losing to Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.) Jimbo Fisher had finally done what some had believed was impossible.
As if Alabama on a quest to avenge last year’s loss wasn’t enough, Saban and Fisher got into an off-season spat over NIL deals and recruiting. While the two coaches have publicly reconciled their difference, the vitriol between the two has surely been used as locker room banter in Tuscaloosa and College Station this week.
While Alabama is undefeated and has reclaimed the top spot in the Associated Press poll, disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe the Aggies’ season after raking in the #1 ranked recruiting class.
Texas A&M (3-2, 1-1) enters Saturday’s primtime matchup off a week two loss to App State and a blowout loss to Mississippi State a week ago. With such a disappointing season thus far for the Aggies, Saban took time to address the “rat poison” during this week’s “Hey Coach” and “Nick Saban Show” in Tuscaloosa, heard weekly on WJLX 101.5 FM in Jasper.
“As always, the media sort of makes things out to be some kind of way,” Saban said. “And I’ve been asked various questions this week by the media about, ‘Well, back in the spring, this was supposed to be the big game and it’s not as big a game now.’ It is a big game. This is a really big game for us.”
While it is definitely a game between to well-known teams, the score will likely never be in question as Alabama is a 24.5 point favorite. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some question marks before kickoff in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young left last week’s game in the second quarter last week following a sack by Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders. He did return to the game for the next drive but was then taken to the medical tent and replaced by Jalen Milroe.
“There’s no real bad damage or anything in his shoulder, so this is not a long-term thing,” Saban said Thursday. “He still has some soreness. We’ll have to make a game-time decision before the game in pregame to see if he can throw the ball well enough to go out there and do his job.”
Saban said that Young has practiced some this week, not throwing Thursday to give his shoulder time to rest.
“He’s a sharp guy, and I think he’ll know whether he can go out there and do it, and we’ll be able to make a decision based on that. This is really a true — it will be a pregame decision because the way we treated this, from a medical standpoint, overuse would really set him back.”
If Young can not play Saturday, the Crimson Tide will look to redshirt freshman Milroe.
Against Arkansas a week ago, Milroe went 4-of-9 passing for 65 yards and touchdown. He also ran the ball six times for 91 yards and a score. On the season, he has completed 16 of 27 pases for two scores.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Saban said that the players have responded well to Milroe, adding that he has shown the kind of leadership he wants to see in quarterback.
1 Alabama and Texas A&M kickoff at 7 p.m. from Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS and aired locally on 101.5 WJLX.
