What we learned: Saban provides life lesson after sloppy win over Mercer

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A steamed Nick Saban took a minute to address reporters at the end of his press conference following No. 1 Alabama’s 48-14 victory over Mercer on Saturday.

"I hope you all don't think I'm mad at you. I'm not,” Saban said. “If you're frustrated with the penalties, I'm like 10 times more frustrated."

Heading into Saturday’s game, Saban stressed that his team lacked intensity during practice, stating that some of his players bought into the “rat poison” that resulted from its season-opening win over Miami the week before.

The complacency the head coach warned against was put on display against Mercer as Alabama got off to a slow start on offense and committed a whopping nine penalties for 95 yards during an underwhelming performance against its FCS opposition. Following the game, Saban went back to his childhood to provide an example of the accountability he’s looking for from his players moving forward.

“You know, when I was growing up, I worked for my dad,” Saban said. “So every day at dinner he would (slams his hand) do that to the table. And there was a reckoning, a reckoning for everything you were supposed to do that day. So if you were supposed to cut the grass, did you sweep the walk? Did you trim? Did you put the mower away? Did you clean the mower? And if you didn’t do any of those things right, you’re going to do it again. We might need a little bit of that somewhere along the line.”

While Saban seemed frustrated during his post-game press conference, his message to his players wasn’t particularly fiery. It didn’t need to be.

Following the game, Alabama defensive tackle D.J. Dale said that Saban didn’t even seem mad after the mistake-ridden performance. Instead, the head coach delivered more of an “I told you so” message in the locker room.

Offensive lineman Chris Owens seconded the statement.

“One of his favorite things to tell us is that it’ll get you when it gets you,” Owens said. “It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow but at some point along the line, if we keep playing like we’re playing now, it’s going to get us. We shouldn’t have to have something like that happen for us to change our habits.”

So how do Alabama players plan on making those changes moving forward?

“That’s really all about like mental intensity throughout the week,” Owens said. “Whether it’s going to class on time, getting to tutoring on time, doing the right things on the field, being where you’re supposed, blocking who you’re supposed to block, like all those things kind of build those habits to where when we get in the game and there’s a decision you can make that can cost the team points or even yards, then you’re able to keep yourself from doing it.”

Alabama (2-0) will look to fix its drop in discipline as it travels to No. 13 Florida (2-0) next weekend in its SEC opener. Saturday, the Gators beat South Florida, 42-20.

“It’s going to be a great experience for the guys who haven’t experienced it,” Dale said, “for the new guys who came in and for the freshmen last year who didn’t get the feel of a real SEC game with a packed crowd.”

Jase McClellan recorded just 13 rushing yards on four carries against Mercer. However, the sophomore back was one of the Crimson Tide’s most influential players.

McClellan’s most important carry came on a fourth-and-1 from the Mercer 5-yard line as he broke a leg tackle en route to the end zone for Alabama’s third touchdown of the game. That score marked his second trip to the end zone on the afternoon.

Following Alabama’s slow start on offense, McClellan got the Tide on the board first on special teams as he scooped up a blocked punt by Chris Braswell before returning it 33 yards for a touchdown. Later in the game, McClellan completed his hat trick by catching a short pass from Bryce Young and taking it to the end zone for a 21-yard score.

"I was just doing what a teammate does in making plays for my team," McClellan said. "Just doing what the coaches expect from me and just playing my role."

Starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. led Alabama with 70 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Trey Sanders ran for 30 yards on seven carries, while Roydell Williams recorded 11 yards on four attempts. Alabama will likely continue to spread out its carries in the backfield throughout the season. That shouldn’t matter to McClellan who has proved he’s a threat to find the end zone every time he touches the ball.

Alabama’s defense keeps losing its stars. However, the Tide’s extraordinary depth has allowed it to overcome adversity so far.

After losing Christopher Allen to a likely season-long foot injury during the opener against Miami, Alabama saw another starting outside linebacker go down Saturday as Will Anderson Jr. left the game with an apparent knee injury in the third quarter.

After leaving the field, Anderson walked to Alabama’s locker room under his own power. Following the game, Saban listed the sophomore as “questionable” for the Tide’s matchup against Florida next weekend.

Alabama also played the game without either of its starting cornerbacks, Josh Jobe and Jalyn Armour-Davis, who were dealing with minor injuries. In addition, redshirt defensive lineman LaBryan Ray still hasn’t played this season after suffering a groin injury toward the end of the summer.

That didn’t stop Alabama from limiting Mercer to 216 yards, including just 35 in the first half, while holding the Bears to 3 of 12 on third downs.

“When it comes to injuries, it’s next man up,” linebacker Christian Harris said. “Everybody has to make sure they’re preparing, whether you’re a starter or not. You’re putting in just as much time as a starter, learning plays and preparing throughout the week, in case that time comes when it’s Saturday and somebody may go down. Really just trying to make sure we’re keeping everybody on defense like that, especially with the young guys who are getting an opportunity now.”

It turns out Alabama’s machine-like placekicker is mortal after all. Will Reichard saw his streak of perfection come to an end Saturday as he missed a 34-yard attempt in the third quarter.

The rare mishap marked Reichard’s first missed kick since a failed extra-point attempt against South Carolina in 2019 and ended a streak of 116 made field goals and extra points combined.

Reichard rebounded from the missed kick, hitting a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. He was 2-for-3 on field-goal attempts while hitting all six of his extra-point tries on the day.