• Nick Saban talks bye week rest for Alabama football coaches: • • ‘We got all these young bucks’ •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Nick Saban cracked a smile at the question. The Alabama football head coach was starting out the Crimson Tide’s open week at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham. The query from a reporter was whether Saban has some analytical way of determining whether his coaches need rest, like he has with UA’s players. “I don’t know,” Saban said. “Is there an analytical way for anybody to know whether I need a break? We got all these young bucks out there coaching. I know they don’t make them like they used to, but you oughta be worried about me, not them.” Saban’s Alabama team will face LSU after the open week, after beating Tennessee in comeback fashion on Saturday. He said during the press availability that the week off could do the Tide good when it comes to recovering from injuries. He also noted that UA keeps tabs on players’ physical capabilities as the season goes along. “We only have one player on our team who was down like 2.9%,” Saban said. “Everybody else is at at least that level. So they may think they’re tired, but it’s probably more psychological from game plans and the grind of the season than it actually is physically.” Saban said Alabama’s coaches will be mostly analyzing what players can be better at individually and to help their units. He also explained how the bye week can help the staff mentally. “It’s not nearly as taxing for coaches during the bye week as it is during the regular week,” Saban said. “So there is some psychological relief for everyone.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •