Nick Saban jokes Miss Terry gave him license to yell at his players if they weren't playing well

Nick Saban, throughout his career, has never really been shy to let his emotions out on the sideline, often showcased with a brief fit of hollering. Saturday night against Mississippi State was no exception.

After the game, Saban was asked about his more animated moments on the sideline during a frustrating start for Alabama. And the longtime head coach had a joke at the ready about his antics on Saturday.

“Well, Miss Terry told me if we’re not playing good to get on their butt, so I just did what I was told,” Saban said, referencing his wife, Terry Saban.

Saban was spitting mad at points in the first half as the Alabama offense, in particular, struggled to get out of the muck.

Following a better second quarter, Saban already had some wry humor about his anger.

Alabama was able to walk into the locker room with a three-touchdown lead. When asked what changed, Saban referenced him yelling maybe playing a role.

“I don’t know, did you see me get on them over there? Maybe that’s what changed,” Saban said via a halftime interview with ESPN’s Quint Kessenich. “I don’t know. You make that call.”

There were a couple of times when Saban got animated on the sideline. One occurred when there was another bobbled snap, something Alabama has struggled with this season. Seth McLaughlin sent the ball back to Jalen Milroe despite the quarterback attempting to get information from the sideline.

Cornerback Terrion Arnold also got an earful from Saban at one point. And those are just the moments the ESPN broadcast picked up. There could have been plenty more while the cameras were focused elsewhere. But clearly, whatever Saban was saying to them worked and Alabama is back to playing good football.

Saban explained how offensive line play affected second quarter

Part of the reason why Alabama played better in the second quarter was because of the offensive line play. They blocked better in both aspects of the game, protecting Milroe and opening multiple lanes for the Alabama running backs.

If Milroe is able to throw the ball downfield, Alabama instantly becomes one of the most dangerous offenses in college football. Saban knows giving him time to do so and letting the receivers get open is the key to the entire operation.

“I think they did a great job,” Saban said. “We’re controlling the line of scrimmage, been able to make some positive runs. We’ve done a good job of protecting the quarterback. So, we’ve been able to make some throws down the field.”