Nick Saban looking to 'regain momentum' vs. Louisiana Monroe

Alabama is coming off a scare, escaping out of Austin with a win over Texas. They are now back at Bryant Denny Stadium, having another nonconference showdown against Louisana-Monroe. Head coach Nick Saban is looking for his team to improve, wanting to play to their full potential.

The standard at Alabama is different, there’s no doubt about it. Saban said his players are being judged based on those expectations, especially on a game such as Saturday. He wants all of his players to “play to the best of their ability.”

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“I think the team is being judged by the standard of being one of the best programs in the country, being one of the best teams in the country. But each individual player is being judged on a level of consistency that he can play with. So, it benefits everybody to play to the best of their ability and reach their full potential.”

Looking at a little bigger picture than just on Saturday — Saban has discussed the high expectations for the program. He dubbed last season a “rebuilding year” despite reaching the national championship. It’s true that seeing the Crimson Tide struggle in early nonconference matchups, even on the road, can lead to questions.

Nick Saban wants Alabama to regain momentum

During their game against Texas, Saban said Alabama was able to “regain momentum” multiple times throughout the comeback win. He was proud of how his team performed down the stretch, especially in the fourth quarter.

Now, he is looking for the same against ULM. Saban wants to continue that momentum before SEC play gets kicked off next week.

“I think it’s a great sign of character,” Saban said on the Texas comeback win. “Overcame adversity. We created some difficult circumstances for ourselves. We actually came back twice in the game. I think we had 188 yards in the fourth quarter.

“We did what we needed to do when we had to do it, which is always a great sign. Sometimes, you got to pound your chest and regain momentum. We were able to do that. I think that’s a good sign.”

Alabama will get kicked off against ULM at 3:00 p.m. Of course, Saban’s team is going to be favored by a ton of points and expected to cruise to a win at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Now, he’s ready to see his team live up to those expectations.