Nick Saban explains reasoning behind no Monday depth chart
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first time in the Nick Saban era, Alabama did not release a depth chart on the Monday of the first game week of a new season. That will come later this week, presumably on game day, and Saban addressed the lack of one in his press conference.
“I know that your No. 1 focus is not on the game, it’s on the depth chart,” Saban said. “Look, there’s a lot of competition on the team, and when we put a depth chart out, you all think that’s like final, like this etched in stone that it’s gonna be this way forevermore just because we come out of fall camp and that’s where it is.
“But it creates a lot of distractions on our team, creates a lot of guys thinking that, ‘Well, this guy won the job now and I’m not gonna play.’ And quite frankly, we don’t need that. I want all of our players to continue to compete, to continue to compete for playing time, to try to play at the highest level. And I don’t want anybody on our team to think they’re a backup player or whatever, and the depth chart kind of does that.
“I think most of the players on our team know who should start in the game and who shouldn’t start, but that’s something that they do day to day in terms of the way they compete and the way they play, and nobody’s entitled to playing just because we put it on a piece of paper and say this is the way it is today. So I apologize for that, but it is what it is.”
Alabama has to replace 13 starters from last year’s team, including quarterback Bryce Young. To no surprise, Saban did not tip his hand on the ongoing competition at that position either, as players like Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner continue to battle for the role.
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As for the rest of roster, competition remains at several key spots, as well, including left tackle, inside linebacker and in the secondary. But the Crimson Tide has veterans in most, if not all, of those position rooms, and according to one veteran, they don’t focus on the depth chart.
“I don’t think it distracts us at all because what we put out there may not exactly be what we’re gonna have on the first day,” said senior center Seth McLaughlin. “I think game by game, Coach Saban is gonna put the guys out there that are gonna put us in the best situation to win. So whatever that says, that’s what it’s gonna be.”
Alabama will begin the 2023 season against Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 2. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium and will air on the SEC Network.
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