Saban speaks out on possibility of Alabama players skipping Citrus Bowl

For the first time in six years, Alabama’s postseason matchup will not have national title implications. Sunday, the No. 13 Crimson Tide learned it will face No. 14 Michigan in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. While the game will be held on Jan. 1, it will also mark the first time since 2010 that Alabama participated in a bowl outside of a New Year’s Six game or national championship.

During the Citrus Bowl’s media teleconference Sunday afternoon, Saban called the opportunity to play in the bowl “a privilege and an honor,” pointing out that this was an opportunity for his players “to sort of show who we are and try to get back to playing to the ’Bama standard.”

The immediate questions circling around the matchup concern whether or not Saban’s players will feel the same way.

Alabama’s roster features more than a dozen potential draft pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Over the next few weeks, those players will have to decide if they will play in their final collegiate game or preserve themselves for the next step in their respective careers.

“I’m sure guys are going to make individual decisions based on their circumstance and their situation, but who we want to focus on is the guys who want to look to the future and look to trying to improve themselves as players and improve our team in getting back to the standard that we want to play to,” Saban said. “So this something that has been a bit of an issue in the past with other programs and teams. We haven’t experienced it in a while. We’ll see what happens with this group.”

Saban said he has yet to have conversations with the draft-eligible players on his team but stated those talks will take place in the near future. One of the messages the head coach will look to convey is the opportunity for his players “to enhance their future by playing really well and maybe improving their draft status.”

“That’s what we’ll emphasize to our older players on our team,” Saban said. “And they’ll all have a choice to make.”

Saban spent most of his media availability emphasizing a shift to the future while focusing on reestablishing the “Bama standard,” the team’s mantra following last season’s national championship defeat to Clemson. Alabama (10-2, 6-2 in the SEC) experienced its first multi-loss regular season since 2010. Sunday, Saban was asked if he felt like that would motive the players who do decide to play in the game.

“Well I would hope that would be the case with something to prove relative to the disappointments that we had in the season,” he said. “But I think we’ve played in seven championship games in the last 10 years. We’ve won five and we’ve lost two. So there is a high standard for the program, and you’re a little disappointed when you’re not in that position.

“There’s been a lot of players who have worked hard to establish that tradition in this program. But this group has had a lot of adversity to overcome, and this is obviously an opportunity to get things back on track with the players that we have that are excited about playing in the game, and that’s what we’re going to focus on as coaches.”

A good portion of that adversity Saban referenced is due to injuries. While some Alabama players might want one last chance to prove themselves on the field, others might see their teammates’ previous setbacks as a reason not to risk their bodies with millions of dollars at stake.

Last week, Tua Tagovailoa was asked about what his message would be to teammates concerned about playing in the bowl game. The quarterback suffered a season-ending injury earlier this season when he dislocated his hip against Mississippi State and could see his draft status suffer because of it.

“For me, I think it’s different," he said. "With a lot of the guys that are draft-eligible, you can’t really tell them what they should or shouldn’t do. I think the best thing for me as a teammate will be for me to support them in whatever decision they decide to make. It’s their choice. They’ve worked hard enough, and they’ve worked long enough to get to where they’re at in their life.

"If they decide to not play, to sit out, I think that’s a decision they need to sit down with Coach (Saban) and make. I think the best thing that I can do and the rest of our teammates can do is support them in that decision.”

Tagovailoa is one of several Alabama underclassmen who are considered to be potential early-round draft picks next year. Other names include receivers Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith, running back Najee Harris, offensive linemen Jedrick Wills, Alex Leatherwood and Landon Dickerson, inside linebacker Dylan Moses, outside linebacker Terrell Lewis and safety Xavier McKinney. The Crimson Tide also has several seniors who will have to consider whether or not to play in the Citrus Bowl, including defensive lineman Raekwon Davis, outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings and cornerback Trevon Diggs.

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