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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: FLORIDA VS ALABAMADecember 3, 2016Nick SabanReuben FosterAtlanta, Georgia Alabama - 54 Florida - 16 THE MODERATOR: We're ready to resume with Coach Saban and Reuben Foster, the Most Valuable Player. We'll ask Coach Saban for his general thoughts on the game, and we'll take your questions for Coach Saban and/or Reuben. COACH SABAN: First of all, so very proud of our team for, first of all, having an undefeated season, but secondly, for winning the SEC Championship. I think to do that three years in a row is a really significant accomplishment, especially these guys who have been challenged all year long by playoff game after playoff game, but this was the first championship game we had, and they certainly responded well in the game, and I'm very proud of them. I'm happy for our fans. I'm happy for our university. I'm happy for Reuben for being the MVP of the game. The 25th anniversary of this game, I think this is a great competitive venue we started 25 years ago. Coach Stallings and Coach Spurrier were here today and great to see them back. This is something I've participated in a few times, and other than a National Championship Game, there's nothing better. Just can't tell you how proud I am of our players. Q. Coach and Reuben, I want to ask you each the same question. After Shaun went out of the game, Rashaan had to come in and be next man up. If you all could describe the job he did for you on defense. Rashaan Evans. COACH SABAN: First of all, we've looked at Rashaan Evans as a starter on our team all year long. He's played a significant amount. He's always the first guy in if anything happens to Reuben or Shaun Dion. And Shaun Dion has a knee. He's probably going to be out for the year. He'll be missed, but we have a lot of confidence in Rashaan, and he did a good job for us today. REUBEN FOSTER: He summed it up. COACH SABAN: Reuben is really a man of few words. REUBEN FOSTER: Yeah, yeah. Q. What did you see from him today? REUBEN FOSTER: I seen greatness in him, savage mentality. That's it. Q. For both Coach and Reuben, when they scored on their opening possession and you were down 7-0, could you talk about the way the defense kind of took things over, and you had a big play on special teams that kind of just took control of the game. COACH SABAN: You want to go first this time? REUBEN FOSTER: It wasn't perfect, man. We had to persevere, overcome some hard times, but it came through. We overcame. COACH SABAN: In both of their scoring drives, they did a lot of stuff in the opening script. I think everybody knows what the opening script is, a lot of formation stuff. They moved number 4 around, who is really a receiver, but they made him a back, and that created some mismatch situations. But we had three third down situations, third and 8, 7, and 14, that they converted on the first drive. And the other drive that they scored on, they converted two or three first downs as well. First drive of the second half, same thing happened -- a little confusion, had some matchup issues relative to things that we hadn't practiced. But when we got things adjusted on the sidelines, the players did a good job of adapting to it. I think there were some crazy things that happened in the game, from the blocked punt to the three interceptions in the first half, to their fake field goal not working, a fake punt not working. So there was a lot of things that happened, but we left a little money on the table too because we missed a field goal and didn't always convert in the red zone. Q. Coach, what does it say about the resourcefulness of your team in that things weren't going great offensively, but you get an interception for a touchdown, a blocked punt for a touchdown. Your guys seem to find different ways to get things done. COACH SABAN: This group, we've scored more nonoffensive touchdowns this year, I think, than any team I've ever been associated with. I think it speaks to the playmaker type guys that we have, the good job the coaches do putting them in position. When you block a punt, it's always a schematic thing based on their protection, and the guys did a good job of executing it. Gore did a great job of hitting it. And Josh, the ball went right to him, and he ran it for a touchdown. We had a chance to get another interception that we didn't get. Minkah is really good. When he gets them, we work on them, go down the numbers, man. They head there and everybody heads there to block, and that's something that's been effective for us. We needed it because we were struggling offensively, especially in the first quarter. But once we started to control the line of scrimmage and be able to run the ball, I think it takes a little pressure off of Jalen, and he plays better, and we do better. Q. Nick, if any of your staff were to get a different coaching job between now and the playoff, would you expect them to coach through the playoff, or would you want to make a change before then? COACH SABAN: I think it depends on the circumstance and the situation, and I think those are things that people have to agree on relative to what their goals and aspirations are, the circumstance and situation that they're in, their commitment to our players and our team, and do we think it's going to affect our organization long term. So those things are always evaluated. The job that I got when I was the defensive coordinator to the Cleveland Browns, I got early in December. We had four or five games left in the season. We were a really good team and made it to the playoffs. We won first round of the playoffs, lost in the second round. I stayed there the whole time, hired four or five guys, did the best job I could do for the players. That's the way I believe, but if somebody else didn't believe that, then that wouldn't be the right thing for them to do. Q. Nick, they had a chance to cut it to ten, and you had a great goal line stand there. Then you take it 98 yards the other way and punch it in. How big was that sequence? COACH SABAN: I think that was the turning point in the game because even -- when they scored right at the end of the half, that kind of gave them the momentum. I felt like we were a little flat in the locker room at halftime. We came out and went three and out on offense. They drove the ball, and we had the great goal line stand, and that was a great goal line stand. Then we took the ball 98 yards. I think that was the turning point of the game psychologically for our team and for their team. Q. What's the biggest thing for you guys as a team now that you have four weeks off before you're going to play next? COACH SABAN: I think the thing that I told the players afterwards is that we play this game, we get a break. We probably won't practice until December 16th. They have finals next week. They need to focus on what they need to do to finish school correctly and do the best job they can academically. But there's one thing to think about, even in the time when you're just working out trying to stay in shape until we go back and practice again. They created a situation for themselves where they have a chance to do something to create a legacy for this team. So that's something that they should think about, how important that is, what are they willing to do to do it. Because all the teams you play from here on out are really, really good. So that's just something to think about for now, but I think the players should enjoy this championship for 24 hours at least, focus on school. When we get back to practicing, it will be like a one-game season for us. Q. Nick, have you guys played your best game yet? If not, is that a reassuring feeling going into the playoff? COACH SABAN: Well, I always think that we can improve. We certainly didn't play as well today, but I think there was a little confusion because of some of the things that they did that we hadn't practiced. Our guys usually do a really good job of whatever we prepare for, they do a really good job of executing on the field, and they're really good at adjusting to things during the game. But when we see things that are a little bit different, sometimes it creates a little confusion, and I think that was the issue today. We didn't start the game very well offensively although we finished the game well. I think, if we can create balance offensively and be a little more efficient and effective to how we pass the ball relative to how we can run it, I think that would make us better. So there's a lot of things I think we can improve on. Red zone. I thought special teams was a little better today. That was something I was a little concerned about after the Auburn game. Ball security was not good in that game. It was very good today. We won the turnover battle by three. So we had the three interceptions, and we always say that we want every drive to end in a kick, and that's certainly what happened today. Q. Nick, how important is it for you to have a conversation with Lane Kiffin about his job possibilities to get that settled as quickly as you can? COACH SABAN: Well, we've had conversations about it. He wants to be a head coach. I want him to be a head coach. I want to help him to get a head coaching job. The rest of it, we have not discussed, and I don't think it's the right time. Maybe the right time will be sometime in the next couple weeks, but right now we're focusing on him trying to get a head coaching job. Q. This is for Reuben. Talk a little bit about just the defensive performance overall. You guys obviously gave up just 16 in the first half and then shut them down completely. Talk about your dominance in that area. REUBEN FOSTER: Man, it was a rough start at first, but we had to overcome it, show mental toughness, and really just dominate for real. Like we don't like that. We don't like giving up points. We don't like giving up first downs. We hate that. So we had to overcome that and step up. COACH SABAN: We have open locker room today. I'm surprised you all are here. You have the opportunity to go talk to our players, some of whom we don't let you talk to. So I thought it would be just me and my family here. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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