When offering his predictions for the 2024 season, former Alabama football head coach Nick Saban may have been forgiven for having a “homer” take, picking his Crimson Tide for an SEC title. He didn’t, opting to project a Georgia-Texas matchup in the SEC championship game.
Speaking at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker laughed when discussing Saban’s predictions. Booker wasn’t mad over the slight, referring back to a lesson the man who won six national titles in Tuscaloosa taught him.
“He would get mad at me if I felt that way about what he said,” Booker said. “He always used to say, ‘Don’t let somebody who lives in their mom’s basement determine how you feel.’ So I’m not gonna let a guy who plays golf all day determine how I feel.”
Saban always taught his players to avoid paying attention to external factors, preferring they focus internally. In retirement, the ex-coach has begun to fall into that category.
Even if he’s not far away from the team.
“I’m not too worried about it, because he’s an external factor now,” Booker said. “He works at the stadium, not at the facility anymore.”
Saban also posed questions about the Crimson Tide’s secondary earlier in the week. He was known for being hands-on with the defensive backs throughout his time in Tuscaloosa, after playing the position and coaching there earlier in his career.
The Tide lost two starting cornerbacks in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, plus safety Caleb Downs, among other pieces. One key returning player is safety Malachi Moore, who was one of Alabama’s other attendees at media days Wednesday.
Moore was asked about Saban’s comment and didn’t seem offended.
“It’s a little different seeing coach Saban on the media side,” Moore said. “He’s just being honest. Losing Kool-Aid and Terrion, two great corners, two first-round corners in my opinion. It’s always gonna be hard to replace that type of talent.”
Moore felt the group Alabama currently has in place is ready to step up.
“Domani Jackson, Zabien Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe, Zay Mincey, everybody, DaShawn Jones,” Moore said. “Everybody’s just coming in, putting their head down and going to work each and every day. I’m really liking the progress I’m seeing from that group.”
Alabama opens the season Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa.
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