Nick Saban uses unique analogy to describe play of Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson

Nick Saban did not want to underestimate Arkansas or KJ Jefferson going into the game and it showed as Alabama squeaked by 24-21.

In the process of that win, Jefferson made some unbelievable plays against the Crimson Tide defense. That included somehow avoid a sack by shoving a defender to the ground and making an unbelievable throw.

Saban had quite the analogy for that play and summed up that his team has to be better in those situations.

“So this is not the kind of team that you all think they are,” Saban said postgame. “They’re a good team and that quarterback is a handful. I mean, you know when a quarterback, a major college football player cam sling (a player off) like a gnat on the fly, I mean, fly or gnat off a cow’s ass, I mean that that was one of the most impressive plays I’ve ever seen a player make. 

“And you know what we said? When a guy gets a guy, you know, you gotta hold on, you got to hang on and we got to clean them up. We didn’t clean him up. We made a couple of mental errors on defense in some of those drives that led him to get back in the game too. You know, we run stuff the wrong way, quarterback, you know runs for 25 yards on a big play when it was second and long. So we learned from all these things.”

Jefferson finished the game 14-of-24 passing for 150 yards, two touchdowns and 26 yards rushing.

Saban made it clear that Jefferson made some great plays against his Alabama defense. But he also doubled down on what his team has to do moving forward and what should’ve been done in his mind 

“So and again, just didn’t execute the way we needed to execute,” Saban said. “We got multiple penalties, we got pass interference on third down, which would have gotten us off the field again and then had to kick the field goal. We had multiple penalties on offense, which put us behind the eight ball. 

“So you know, we’ve just got to teach and learn from all these things and hopefully realize what it takes not only in the game, but in the week of preparation, leading up to the game. So that you can go out there and play the way you need to play against really good competition. I got a lot of respect for Arkansas’ team.”