Nick Saban calls for 'a reckoning' for Alabama players

Alabama defeated Mercer 48-14 yesterday, but Nick Saban wasn’t pleased with his team’s performance. After accumulating almost 100 yards in penalties, Saban called for a reckoning prior to Alabama’s matchup with Florida next weekend.

After watching the Crimson Tide play football that wasn’t up to his standards, Saban mentioned that it boils down to the decisions players make.

“These are all choices and decisions that players make,” said Saban. “They made a decision to throw their helmet, they make a decision to grab and throw another guy on the ground. 

“Whether it’s controlling your emotions, because when you’re emotional you make bad decisions. You gotta play with intensity, but not out of control. We gotta make better choices and decisions”

Moreover, Saban used a metaphor involving baseball to make his point to the Crimson Tide.

“Your question is  like somebody asking me, ‘How you gonna get somebody to quit swinging at balls over their head?’ in baseball. It’s a bad decision. It’s a bad choice,” said Saban. “You can tell em, you can show em — and eventually you play somebody else in their place because they’re not dependable. It’s accountability, I have a job to do.” 

As you can see, Saban is sending a message to his players that if you’re not getting the job done, somebody else will. 

“A reckoning.”

Furthermore, Saban used a story from his childhood to illustrate his point. As a way to get his message across, he spoke about what his father would ask him every day at dinner.

“I told this story today, maybe we need more of this,” said Saban. “When I was growing up, I worked for my Dad. So every day at dinner, he would (slams table) do that to the table, and there was a reckoning. A reckoning. For everything you were supposed to do that day. 

“So if you were supposed to cut the grass — Did you sweep the walk? Did you put the mower away, clean the mower? And if you didn’t do any of those things right, you’re going to do it again! We might need a little of that, somewhere down the line.”

Saban believes his players need to be accountable for their actions, and he knows how important every game is. With Alabama facing Florida this weekend, and matchups with Ole Miss and Texas A&M over the next month, Saban is making sure his players keep their foot on the gas.

While Mercer seemed like a reprieve for Alabama, Nick Saban is using his team’s mistakes as teaching lessons for better competition. The methods worked in the past, time will tell if the Crimson Tide rally around his message once again.