Nick Saban credits yelling on sideline to improved Alabama second quarter

Alabama did not play the cleanest football in the first quarter against Mississippi State. Sloppy offensive play plagued the Crimson Tide and left Nick Saban not too happy. He went back to his former self, laying into a few players on the sideline.

Then, things changed in the second quarter and 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.

Nick Saban explains how offensive line play affected second quarter

Part of the reason why Alabama played better in the second half 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.”

If Alabama is able to run the ball in the second half as they did in the second quarter, they should be able to take care of business against Mississippi State. Milroe has gotten involved in a big way, getting into the end zone twice. The Crimson Tide running backs have had plenty of green grass to run onto as well.