Nick Saban points to Tom Brady when discussing opt outs

Amazingly, Alabama and Kansas State had zero players opt out of their upcoming Sugar Bowl matchup. Almost every bowl outside of the College Football Playoff games had a few players opt out for various reasons. But not with these two programs.

Alabama is especially surprising since they are CFP regulars and the Sugar Bowl is beneath the stage they’re used to playing on this late in the season. Credit Nick Saban, though, because he clearly has his team just as locked in as if they were playing for the title.

Here was the veteran Crimson Tide coach on why the team didn’t have anyone opt out:

Nick Saban on why Alabama had no opt outs

“Well, I think it speaks volumes of the character of the players on your team who choose to play. Because they’ve been great leaders of the team, they’ve been great contributors, they’ve set a good example for their teammates, they care about their teammates, they’ve been somebody that the players on the team can emulate by the example that they set and how much they care to try to help them be successful for their benefit.

“And I think it’s a great example that the best way to create value for yourself as a player is to play football. A lot of people say they’re getting ready for the NFL. And they’re really getting ready for the combine. But a lot of the things that you do at the combine are irrelevant to what you do playing football, and that’s why some people get drafted in the sixth round. Because maybe they didn’t do such a good job at the combine. But there’s some really significant things that they can do if they play their position.”

Saban went on to name Tom Brady as a prime example of exactly what he’s talking about. A player who isn’t a great athlete but overcame those limitations by being really good at his particular position.

“I use the example of Tom Brady, who didn’t run fast at the combine, didn’t jump high, didn’t bench press a lot, didn’t do all the things that they measure at the combine. But he could play quarterback. So I think the I try to approach it with our players is…the best thing you can do to create value for your future is to play really well against really good teams.

“I think that’s what our players have an opportunity to do and I’m very pleased that they chose to do this. But I think we have a responsibility and obligation to take out as much risk as possible in terms of how we insure the players so they don’t they don’t have to do it with a lot of concern.”

No better role model than the greatest football player to ever do it, right? That anecdote must’ve worked on the Tide, since they’re all lacing ’em up for one more game.