The Alabama Crimson Tide is going through struggles, the likes of which it has not seen since Nick Saban’s first season in 2007, losing two games before November for the first time since then.
The transition from Saban to DeBoer seemed to be handled as well as could be hoped for during the offseason, but there have been growing pains with the on-field product.
After the loss to Tennessee, the media asked Nick Saban what his message to the fanbase is during a tough year given that Saban himself is now a fan:
‘Support the program, support the players, support the coaches’ – Nick Saban shares his thoughts on Alabama & his message to Kalen DeBoer and Crimson Tide fans 🐘🏈 pic.twitter.com/mvBuz1JjAu
— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) October 21, 2024
“I’m a fan now,” Saban said when asked for his analyst perspective of what’s wrong with the Tide, saying he does not really analyze Alabama. “The most important thing that all of us can do as fans of Alabama is to be supportive. Support the program, support the players, support the coaches. That will enhance us to be able to have the best solution in transition.”
Asked whether he feels the team is living up to the standard he left, Saban unsurprisingly dodged the question.
“I don’t think that’s for me to judge,” he said. “I know everybody is giving their best effort to do the best that they can. I would just encourage everybody to stay focused on playing to the standard, not my standard but the standard their team has established and I’m sure the players and coaches want to do that.”
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
