Joe rose interviews Coach Saban

[A Wing Pilot]

Heres a SUMMARY (not exact) of the interview. Hopefully 790 will post it on the web. Check the web site at www.790theticket.com Dan marino will be on in a little while as well and you can stream the audio over your computer to listen.

Joe: What do you think of our fight song
Saban: Has a lot of history and is a great song (sarcasim intended)

Joe: I get asked what our record is going to be at least two times a day
Saban: Expectations lead to Frustration. We are focusing on one play at a time. You don't think about a planting a flag at the top of the mountain while your standing in base camp.

Joe: Players are saying that the O-line is better already even though they haven't put on pads. Is Houck that good?
Saban: Yeah he is good we are focused on teaching these guys not just making players go through the motions. We have a new sysstem and we are focused on learning the system and executing.

Joe is it tough to coach older players that are set in there ways?
Saban: Our guys aren't set in there ways, Theres a bunch of guys doing the best they can and there job requirments. Intensity and sense of urgency has been very good. The players dedication to learning the new system has been outstanding.

Joe: Tell us about the will poole issue.
Saban: We are alwyas trying to upgrade any football player at any position that can help our football team. Surtain was a buisness decision and nothing more. I was looking to implement moore more in the game. He jumped up in practice and twisted it before he even came down. I didn't make an annoucement due to the fact that we wanted to see what the doctors said once they operated on him which will define exactly what the issue is and the turn around time until he can come back. Hopefully we can have him on a PUP and he can add to the team later in the season.

Joe: How hard is a ty law type decision?
Saban: Evaluation is the key in terms of addition. How well we evaluate the team decides the turn out of the team. Looking at the bottom of the roster will determine the strength of your team. Coaching guys when they are hurt is one of the hardest things a coach can do.

Joe: how many draft guys do you expect to make an impact first year?
Saban: Its important that the first 4 round guys make a positive improvement to the team. We need good football players, make sure that our guys have the ability to be succesfull. Compare draft picks to equivilant draft picks (gave teh analogy of comparing a first pick rookie QB to peyton manning as a 7 year vet instead of Peyton as a rookie)

Joe: You happy with your players or still looking?

Saban: We're happy with who we have now, but always looking to add depth and yes we have positions we are focusing on. We are very concerned about exisiting injuries as well as the posibility of new injuries to our players.

Joe: Hows your golf game doing?
Saban: Well I try to keep low expectations. Coach made an analogy of golf vs life.

 

[CrunchTime]

Thanks for the alert Awing.I will be listening.Joe Rose is great friends with Dan so it should be interesting.

 

[inFINSible]

Very concerned about existing injuries......hmmmm....I wonder who they are "very concerned" about?

 

[armyfinfan]

Timbo

 

[painnotpleasure]

Joe: Players are saying that the O-line is better already even though they haven't put on pads. Is Houck that good?
Saban: Yeah he is good we are focused on teaching these guys not just making players go through the motions. We have a new sysstem and we are focused on learning the system and executing.

I like. :cooldude:

 

[Ohio Fanatic]

Very concerned about existing injuries......hmmmm....I wonder who they are "very concerned" about?

Gotta be Timbo, I fully believe Timbo will be cut by mid-training camp, even faster if we sign Traylor. Timbo is a old liability, hell he's been around since Shula days. He's not worth a roster spot anymore. By the same logic of getting rid of Konrad, we should toss away Bowens.

 

[A Wing Pilot]

I think that was part of it I also think that he wants to prevent injuries overall. I know some are freak accidents, but anything that he can do to prevent players from getting injured while not in a normal game he is going to try to do.

 

[d-day]

dans on now

 

[inFINSible]

TimBo was the first thing to pop into my mind too but, I wonder if he also means Chester?

I'm not sure "very concerned" would apply to the situation if it was only TimBo. I mean, on some level it almost has to be expected that Tim could be finished playing, and we have tossed quite a few players at the problem already. It's not really concerning at all.

With Chester, we could make it work without Bowens.

Without Bowens AND Chester, I'd be "very concerned"

 

[d-day]

dan said peyton is a class act and wanted him to throw just 47 tds tongue in cheek - he said new rules have opened it up for the qbs to have big years

 

[d-day]

nice interview overall - says he believes in saban and his system and that he is going to win the qb challenge today

 

[islandah]

TimBo was the first thing to pop into my mind too but, I wonder if he also means Chester?

I'm not sure "very concerned" would apply to the situation if it was only TimBo. I mean, on some level it almost has to be expected that Tim could be finished playing, and we have tossed quite a few players at the problem already. It's not really concerning at all.

With Chester, we could make it work without Bowens.

Without Bowens AND Chester, I'd be "very concerned"

You trying to stir up trouble!? I've pretty much written off Bowens, but you're right, without Chester we're all of a sudden pretty thin at DT and CB. Yikes!

 

[Muck]

I think that was part of it I also think that he wants to prevent injuries overall. I know some are freak accidents, but anything that he can do to prevent players from getting injured while not in a normal game he is going to try to do.

He's also metioned (and has a reputation for) going easier in practices year round. He likes his guys to be in shape for games and not worn out down the stretch (as much as he can control anyway). This has been a complaint since the Jimmy days. Vets have complained of being worn out by Week 1.

 

[Da 'Fins]

Saban: Expectations lead to Frustration. We are focusing on one play at a time. You don't think about a planting a flag at the top of the mountain while your standing in base camp.

This is a keeper quote. Very good one to live by. Thanks for the notes on the interview!

 

[Da 'Fins]

He's also metioned (and has a reputation for) going easier in practices year round. He likes his guys to be in shape for games and not worn out down the stretch (as much as he can control anyway). This has been a complaint since the Jimmy days. Vets have complained of being worn out by Week 1.

This is a good point. The real key to practicing is teaching/learning. You do need a degree of hitting and pad work to get used to the physicality of the game, but that can easily come in 2-3 weeks.

The main thing is to get them functioning as units (OL, QB-WR's; RB/OL; defense as a whole; etc). That's very much a mental part. If they can be focused and efficient - as Saban seems to be good at - I think they will avoid a lot of that fatigue.