Nick Saban speaks following Alabama's final practice before A-Day

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On Thursday, the Alabama football team wrapped up its final practice of the spring before the annual Golden Flake A-Day Game. Soon after the two-hour session came to an end, head coach Nick Saban spoke to the media once last time before the scrimmage, which is set for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.

Below, you can check out everything Saban said during his Thursday availability.

HC Nick Saban

Introduction…

“All in all, I think spring practices, we’ve made a lot of progress. We’ve had an opportunity to get a lot of guys a lot of reps. Most everybody has made some progress, some guys more than others. But there’s a lot of challenges in the spring. There’s a lot of opportunity for guys to show they can overcome adversity. They can compete and play even when things don’t go the way they want them to. A-Day is an opportunity for that to happen.

“We split up the squads in A-Day so we get maximum reps for most of the players, which does not really mean the entire first team is on one team and the entire first team is on the other team. It means if we have certain guys at certain positions, we can manipulate them around to get reps for those guys by playing more of the game because we split the squads up that way, then that’s the way we do it.

“We’ve had where we try to play the first teams against the first teams and the second teams so it’s a competitive game. We had a draft yesterday for all the staff. Coaching staff, support staff, recruiting staff, training staff. Everybody got picked. You got your team for steak on Monday or you got your team for beans and paper plates and plastic forks and spoons. You want a tablecloth? You want a steak? You want a baked potato? You want a dessert? You’ve got to win. That’s what’s at stake here.

“We hope to have a big crowd for this game. This is one thing I think that … we have an iconic brand, and this is one of the reflections on our brand that we have so much interest that we get really, really good crowds for the A-Day game.

“It also is something that really inspires the players because they know they have a lot of people that support them. It’s the one way that all spring long for 15 practices, we’re out there grinding, going through practice, banging on each other. Now they have an opportunity to get some positive reinforcement by going out and playing in front of a group of people. This is something that they really look forward to. It will be interesting to see how everybody responds.

“Obviously we’re going to have quite a few guys who won’t participate in this game. The emphasis to the players is, I don’t care what team you’re on. Can you play winning football at your position? We need guys who can play winning football at their position. It doesn’t matter what team you’re on. First team, second team, whatever. That’s what’s going to help us be successful as a team and that’s what going to help you create value for yourself if you can go out there and play winning football and impress people by the way you compete and the way you play and the way you can go out there and be accountable to do your job.

“This is what everybody should be focusing on. Shouldn’t be looking over their shoulder at anything else that might be happening in the world. Focus on what you’re doing and what you have to do to play winning football. That’s kind of what we need our players to do.”

On Alabama’s cornerbacks this spring and depth at the position…

“We’ve got a long ways to go. I’ve been pleased with Kool-Aid [McKinstry] and Terrion [Arnold] have had really good springs. Both those guys have some experience, so I think that really helps. We’re really young after that. We need to make a lot of progress. I think we’ve got guys who have ability to do it, but they have not developed the consistency or the confidence at the position they need to be able to play the way we want them to play. I think they’re very capable, but it’s going to be a work in progress for us in this game as well as the summer as well as fall camp.”

On Alabama’s early enrollees and how they’ve done…

“As a group, I think they benefited from the offseason program. I think they benefited from spring practice. I think there’s a group of those guys, if they continue to improve, they could contribute to the team. In some cases, they have an opportunity to be starters. In some cases, they have an opportunity to play on special teams and add depth. I think I’m pretty pleased for the most part with how those guys have developed, how they’re progressed and the kind of character and attitude they bring to trying to learn and develop as players.”

On if he has a message to players considering the transfer portal…

“No, I mean, we don’t want anybody to get into the portal. We’d love to keep everybody on our team on our team. I think sometimes … my experience with this is a little bit like free agency in the NFL. NFL players kind of know they’re expendable. I think some college players sometimes think the portal is a one-way street, but it’s really not, because we have an opportunity to bring guys in and replace them, too, if we choose to do that.

“We’d rather make it work with the guys that understand the culture in our program. But that’s just another, you know, resource that you look at players and see if there’s any way you can help the team and strengthen your roster.”

On Alabama DL Justin Eboigbe and how he’s handled his recovery…

“He’s been very mature about it. He’s done everything that he needed to do to rehab to get himself back and get cleared and be able to go play. I think we sort of weaned him into it slowly when he was cleared to play. I think that helped him gain confidence that he can play. He’s really done very well and really added tremendous maturity from a leadership standpoint to the defensive group.”

On if the pressure ramps up with fans in the stands compared to first two scrimmages…

“I think the game should be fun. I think people should have fun competing. I think they should go out there, have fun, play hard, be confident and knowing their job, and go out there and try to create value for themselves and their brand by how they play. Show that the team is meaningful to them and they want to do everything they can to help the team.

“I think it should be fun. I don’t think there should be any pressure on anybody. I don’t think we’re going to lose. I mean, I don’t think this gets us in or out of the playoffs or any of that. It’s not a bowl game as far as I know, but it is a good experience. It’s good to get in game-like situations. It’s good for the coaching staff to work together, even though we’ll have a very watered-down version of defense and offense and be a pretty simple game. But you do like to see how guys compete. It should be fun. You should have fun when you compete.

“You might get beat on a play, but having the maturity to not waste a failing and be able to play the next play and learn from the mistake that you made. That’s important, too, because it might happen in a game. But I don’t feel any pressure, and I don’t think any players should feel any pressure. I think they should have fun. They should feel like they prepared, they practiced 14 practices, to go out there and be able to do well, compete, have fun, and create value for themselves.”

On the confidence level in Alabama’s quarterbacks…

“We have confidence in the guys that we have in the program. They’ve worked hard all spring. They’ve had very, very good moments where they’ve shown some consistency and ability to make plays. And there’s been obvious situations where we have work to do and things to work on.

“I’m confident in the guys that we have. I’m confident that they’re going to work hard and be dedicated and committed to continuing to improve so that they can go out there and play winning football at their position.”

On Alabama freshman DB Caleb Downs…

“He’s done great. He’s got lots of maturity for a young guy, smart, understands football. Really conscientious about making sure he knows what to do and going out on the field and doing it. So he’s had a really good spring and really has added a lot to the secondary with the way he’s played. He’s a good player.”