Nick Saban breaks down snap issues between Seth McLaughlin, Jalen Milroe

Alabama head coach Nick Saban, just like fans at home, noticed the snapping issues between center Seth McLaughlin and quarterback Jalen Milroe during the Rose Bowl. Those are issues that he addressed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Saban explained that it’s been an issue for Alabama all season and can ruin an entire play, even when the ball does get caught by the quarterback because they lose vision of the play collecting the ball.

“You know, that’s something that’s been a little bit of an issue for us all year long,” Nick Saban said. “You know, when you go on a clap, and you use that as a noise cadence, every time somebody hits a pad on defense, they’re not allowed to clap on defense, which is actually what happened in the Auburn game when we got behind the eight ball before the fourth and 31 play when the ball got snapped, and the quarterback wasn’t ready for it, you had a huge loss.”

Throughout the Rose Bowl against Michigan, Alabama was having issues because, according to Nick Saban, Seth McLaughlin was anticipating clapping that never came.

“They actually did clap on defense. They weren’t doing it intentionally. The safety was just trying to get the linebacker’s attention. And it’s a common thing, but it is a penalty,” Saban said. “Michigan was not clapping. But our center was thinking that somebody was making a noise that sounded like a clap and he was snapping the ball early sometimes and when we weren’t ready for it sometimes. So that’s a huge issue for a quarterback.”

Those snap issues obviously came up huge on the final play of the game, which Nick Saban also acknowledged.

“It wasn’t a great snap,” Saban said. “Which, now you don’t have your eyes up. So it makes it harder to make those kinds of cuts.”

Former Alabama OL Seth McLaughlin releases heartfelt statement

Shortly following the Rose Bowl, starting center Seth McLaughlin entered the transfer portal. Since then, he’s released a heartfelt statement on his decision.

“I am incredibly thankful for Coach Saban and the tremendous blessing of playing for the University of Alabama for the past four years. This experience has been one of a lifetime, and I am grateful for all the coaches and teammates who believed in me,” McLaughlin wrote in part.

“With that being said, yesterday my family and I decided that it is in my best interest to explore my options in the transfer portal.”