Jalen Milroe shares how Nick Saban has changed in 2023

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has seen a change in Nick Saban over the 2023 college football season.

While the Crimson Tide haven’t been their usual domineering selves this season, Saban has Alabama with only one-loss on their record, gaining win after win, and more confidence for their run to the College Football Playoff. Among the one-loss teams in the sport, it’s tough to overlook what Saban’s squad is doing.

Following gaining some revenge on Tennessee over the weekend, Milroe spoke to the change in Saban this season, and how it’s impacting the Crimson Tide.

“He’s instilled his confidence into us,” Milroe said, via Read and React on SEC Network.”With all the team meetings he had, one-on-ones he had with players, he has great confidence in all of us. Also, what he does well is he gets everybody on the same page as far as his messages. And then motivating everybody to acknowledge that we have short-term goals and long-term goals we all want to accomplish here.

“I think he’s doing a great job and just how great coach is, he touches each of the players he has on the team.”

What’s allowed Nick Saban to remain at the top of the college football world for so long is his ability to change and adapt. Evidently, he’s done that over the course of this season, and it’s led to Alabama’s success in 2023.

Paul Finebaum: 2023 is ‘one of the most incredible seasons’ of Nick Saban’s coaching career

Moreover, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide were able to get redemption from last season’s heartbreaking loss on Saturday, defeating Tennessee 34-20 in come-from-behind fashion in front of their home crowd.

Alabama has been winning differently this season, finding themselves down 20-7 at halftime before going on a 27-0 scoring run in the second half to finish the game. ESPN’s Matt Barrie believes the style of win describes who Alabama is this season, which Paul Finebaum thinks is a credit to their legendary head coach in charge. 

“It is, and when Saban came by our show early in the morning Matt he talked about the craziness of this team,” Finebaum said. “But he seems to really have been challenged by it and I think once we move past the second or third game of the season, Nick Saban has taught a masterclass in why he’s the best coach of all time and why I think this is one of the most incredible seasons of his coaching career.”

Saban has spoken about how his team has grown during the season following their disappointing two-week stretch featuring a home loss to Texas and an underachieving showing versus USF. Which Finebaum believes has now set up the Crimson Tide to roll right into the SEC Championship game for a date against reigning conference and national champion Georgia Bulldogs. 

“And right now there are not many more obstacles until Atlanta and then it’s a go for broke against Georgia and see if you can get back to the playoffs,” Finebaum said.

On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this article.