Nick Saban reveals how Alabama can become 'dominant' this season

Nick Saban wants nothing short of dominance this season. On Monday, the Alabama head coach discussed how his team can physically and mentally crush their opponents.

“They want to be dominant and physical, that’s part of the identity that we’re trying to create and want to create at every position, not just in the offensive line,” Saban said. “To be able to have balance on offense, you got to be able to control the line of scrimmage and get movement up front and play physical.”

Alabama shouldn’t have any trouble creating movement up front. The team returns offensive tackle JC Latham, who started all 13 games for the Crimson Tide last season. After giving up just two sacks last season, Latham was was named to the All-SEC first team in the SEC Preseason Media Poll.

Latham is just one tool in Alabama’s impressive front five. The unit also returns preseason All-SEC second team members Seth McLaughlin and Tyler Booker. While Saban stressed the importance of his offensive line, it isn’t the only place Saban wants to dominate.

“It’s the same thing in the passing game,” Saban said. “You got to be able to protect the quarterback and so you can make plays in the passing game. So we always want to be physical. We always want to be dominant.

“We want to be that on the defensive line. We want to be that on the offensive line, and style of play can determine that to some degree and but having balance and being able to do both those things, I think is the most critical factor.”

Nick Saban searches for dominance in passing game

Saban will struggle to find dominance in the passing game until he selects a starting quarterback. The 72-year-old head coach is yet to name a leader between his QB trio of Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner.

Despite Alabama’s rapidly approaching season opener, Saban claims he is in no rush to name his QB1.

I told the quarterbacks, I said quit looking around for me to make a decision about who’s going to play. How about you play and good enough that I don’t have a choice?” Saban said Wednesday. “That’s what you can control. That’s what you can do, and somebody needs to do that. And it’s sort of taking shape to some degree, but somebody’s somebody’s got to do it. 

“Where you all think that whoever we name is a starter for the first game, that’s like the end of it. It’s not the end of it. It’s just the beginning. What if a guy doesn’t play good? He’s not entitled to keep playing. And the guy that doesn’t play has got every opportunity to practice and be more consistent and win the team over so that when he gets an opportunity to play, he plays really well. I mean, we have changed quarterbacks around here a few times during the season. So I know you guys are looking for an end, but it’s not even going to be the end in the first game.”