Jordan Battle shares how Nick Saban connects with Alabama players

Nick Saban is one of the best coaches – if not, the best coach – in college football history. His teams are dominant each and every season, he’s won numerous championships and he’s been able to bring in the best talent to Alabama.

Now 70 years old, Saban – who’s compiled a 183-24 overall record in 15 years with the Crimson Tide – has his team back in the College Football Playoff national championship game with a chance to win another trophy alongside his many highly-recruited players.

Heading into Monday’s night national championship game between top-ranked Alabama and No. 3 Georgia, Crimson Tide defensive back Jordan Battle was asked how Saban – who’s much older than his players – is able to connect with them during the recruiting process and while they’re playing for him in Tuscaloosa.

“He just gradually improves with the generations,” Battle said. “He fits in with us very well. He’s very comfortable talking to us. He’s very comfortable getting on us. And we, in this generation, we have to learn to take that.

“I know in this generation it’s a lot of attitude in kids, but somehow when we come to ‘Bama and Coach Saban is talking, everybody is focused and everybody is focused on what he’s saying. And everybody buys into what he’s saying.”

Bryce Young, Brian Robinson have built ‘super close’ friendship

Heading into Monday night’s national championship game, which will put Alabama up against Georgia in a rematch of the SEC championship, Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young was asked about his relationship with running back Brian Robinson and what it means for them.

“Me and B-Rob are super close,” Young said. “Lockers are right next to each other so I get to see him, be around him all the time. And then obviously on the field. But B-Rob is someone I’ve been cool with since I first got here. Someone who is from Tuscaloosa, someone who has been in the program for a while.

“And when I first got here he was someone who was always super cool with me, someone who was super welcoming when I was just a freshman. That means a lot to me, for him last year, being here as long as he did, he didn’t have to go out of his way to make sure I was good and to look out for me as just a freshman. But he made a priority to do that. And that’s always meant a lot for me, not just in football but in life for someone to do that. That’s always meant a lot.”