Nick Saban praises Tommy Rees for development, progress of Alabama offense

Evolution is a good word for what Alabama has undergone over the past month or so of the season. While that has applied to their team as a whole, it has happened a ton on their offense under OC Tommy Rees.

Nick Saban spoke highly of Rees’ work and flexibility with the unit during his weekly appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Thursday. He says Rees has done a fantastic job of putting the puzzle pieces that work the best together in order to make an offense that’s different from what they’ve done in year’s past but, potentially, better in its own way.

“I think what he has done is a great job of taking the players that we have and implementing what they can do best. I think we’ve had to make adaptations to be able to do that,” said Saban.

“We can’t do what we did last year all the time. But the things that we’re doing now can be just as effective, or more effective, and create more problems for the defense,” Saban explained. “I think he has done a really good job of that.”

As Saban pointed out, Alabama’s offense last season under Bill O’Brien and this season under Rees are pretty different.

In O’Brien’s last year with Bryce Young, the Crimson Tide finished fourth in the nation at 41.1 points per game. They did so as a unit that relied on the arm of the reigning Heisman. In total, the offense put up 281.1 passing yards per game on 33.7 throws.

Now, in Rees’ first year, that has flipped to a balanced look with more focus on the run game. As a Top-40 offense at 31.1 points per game, ‘Bama is pounding the rock at 40.1 attempts per game. That’s 17.2 more attempts than in the pass game for 162.8 yards per game.

With the final month of the regular season underway, Alabama has found what works for them. That’s all that matters to them as Rees continues to build an offense for Saban that’s getting better by the game and could help them compete in the postseason.

Saban explains unique method of getting players to tune out outside noise

Nick Saban has a relatively simple way of letting his players know they need to stay in the moment and they can’t get caught up in the outside noise.

And he uses his art skills to convey that message.

“On Friday, I put a circle on the board,” Saban said Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show. “Then I put a smaller circle inside that circle. And then I put a rectangle inside the second circle, I colored it in red. And I said, ‘This is what matters – what happens on the field. All this gray area between these two circles? That’s all the external noise and all the external things that you can focus on and think about that’s not going to help you play better, it’s not going to help us get where we want to get. So let’s focus on what we do on the field.’”

Saban was adamant about his team staying in the moment and not looking ahead.

“I don’t really think a lot about that kind of stuff. Because if we don’t do what we’re supposed to do? If we don’t take care of business in terms of the next three games that we play? If we’re fortunate enough to get in the SEC Championship Game, try to take care of business in that game? None of it really matters,” Saban said.

“So to focus on each day, each hour that you have and have gratitude for the fact that you have an opportunity to do it and be in this situation — and that’s how our players should look at it as well? I think that’s what our players should try to stay focused on.”