“It is important when you play in difficult games against good opponents on the road that you finish plays, finish drives and that you finish the game,” Saban said. “We did not do that very well in this game.”
The last time that the Crimson Tide lost this early in the season was in 2007, Saban’s first year as head coach, when the team lost to Georgia in a late September home game. Saban said the attention would now be on how the team responds to this loss.
“Everybody has got to ask themselves the questions, from the coaches right on down starting with me, who is making this team better?” Saban said. “How do we get more players involved in being able to play winning football?”
During the press conference Saban also addressed injuries sustained by linebacker Denzel Devall and center Ryan Kelly. Devall, who suffered an ankle injury on the first series of game, had surgery and will be out three to four weeks. Kelly, who sprained his knee during the game, did not need surgery but will miss some time. Saban said Kelly’s injury will take “at least a couple of weeks” to heal.
