Nick Saban CFP press conference transcript
NICK SABAN: Well, it’s obviously a great opportunity for our team to play in the college football National Championship game. I think in a game like this, preparation is really, really important. Our practices have been good.
But we’re playing against a very good team, so that preparation is always very difficult when you play against a lot of good players and a team that’s very well-coached like Ohio State.
I’d like to take a moment to congratulate Smitty on winning the Heisman and also Mac and Najee for being finalists. I think this is the first time for a long time that three guys from the same team have put themselves in that position,
and all these guys are fine young men and have done a great job of representing our program and have certainly played outstanding football for us. I know there will probably be questions about Waddle. He has been able to practice some. His status for the game is still relatively up in the air and it will probably be a game-day decision.
Q. A big picture question, please. Is the fact that we have reached the point of having a National Championship here make this a successful season?
NICK SABAN: Well, I think it’s been good for everyone that we’ve been able to play football, whether it’s NFL football or college football. I think a lot of people have put a lot of time and effort throughout the country, throughout the NCAA, throughout every conference to try to create an atmosphere and
environment which gave the players an opportunity to compete, the fans something to root for and look forward to, and I think that’s a real positive thing. I would say under the circumstances that we’re pleased with the way this season has gone and the number of games we’ve been able to play, the players having the opportunity to compete and now to culminate it with actually a playoff and a championship game.
Q. Dylan Moses has expressed recently just how difficult this season has been for him coming back from the injury. What’s been your perspective on his return and just how close he’s been to his play before the injury?
NICK SABAN: Well, we knew going into the season, I mean, previous experience with guys like Donte Hightower, who had injuries like this, sometimes it takes these guys a full year to actually get back to 100 percent. But Dylan has done an outstanding job and shown a lot of perseverance, leadership on our team, and I’m pleased with the way that he’s played. I’m pleased with the way he’s handled his circumstance, and certainly he’s made a
positive contribution to our team.
Q. How much do you feel compelled to call other teams to get strategy on how they handled Ohio State, or is that all internal?
NICK SABAN: Well, we do the best job we can preparing internally. I think we obviously watch other teams play against them and try to analyze the strategy that they have on offense, defense, and special teams. I don’t think it’s any secret in this profession. Sometimes if you know somebody from another team that played them, you sort of ask some advice and maybe get some knowledge and experience, because I don’t think there’s any question about the fact that when you play a team every year, you develop a little better history for what you would do against them as opposed to when you just play a team once sort of every four or five years.
Q. You hadn’t become a head coach at Ryan Day’s current age of 41. He’s only in his second year and already in the National Championship game. Obviously life stories are very different and I know you don’t know him well, but can you speak to where he is in his career and what your impressions are and what’s made him so successful?
NICK SABAN: Well, he does a great job of coaching. He’s a very good offensive sort of play caller. He’s got a great scheme on offense. Certainly does a great job of coaching his players to execute that scheme. They’re very
well-coached in every phase, and their team plays with great intangibles, discipline, toughness, play hard. Seem to have great togetherness on their team.
So I think those are all great indicators of what a great job Ryan Day does as a head coach and as a leader of his organization. I think he’s taken advantage of a great opportunity and certainly done an outstanding job with it, and they’ve got one of the best teams in the country, no doubt about that.