Nick Saban all business before Monday Morning Quarterback Club visit in Birmingham

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Nick Saban
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban speaking to the press before the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham (Sadie Sue Long / Bham Now)

As expected, Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban was focused and all business when he met with the press before giving his annual address to the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham (MMQBC) on Monday.

He talked little about Saturday’s comeback 34-20 victory over archrival Tennessee, directing most of his comments on how the team will handle the upcoming bye week.

Saban discusses bye week preparations

In a discussion about how the team works during the week off, Saban said the players and the coaches spend the week looking at ways to improve fundamentally.

“Physically, we do an analysis—what do we do workload wise this week compared to other weeks. It’s 43%. If you take from Sunday to Sunday, not playing again next Saturday, not practicing today. Only practicing three days, having five days off over the next eight. They do 43% of the workload—so that should help guys physically recover.”

He then went on to say that they evaluate the players physical conditions and that only one player is not at the same level physically when they evaluated all the players before the season. 

Saban’s light-hearted moment with the press

Nick Saban
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban speaking to the press before the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham (Sadie Sue Long / Bham Now)

In a light-hearted moment, a reporter then followed up with Coach Saban asking about coaches.

“Is there a way of gauging that with coaches? Is there an analytical way of knowing whether your coaches are at their peak or need a little break?”

Saban quipped:

“Is there an analytical way for anybody to know whether I need a break? I mean, we’ve got all these young bucks out there coaching. I know they don’t make them like they used to but you ought to be worried about me, not them.”

After grinning from that response the legendary coach continued.

“That was a good question. You know, I’m pushing the coaches to keep on keeping on so that we can get better at analyzing what their players need to do with their position individually and collectively as a group. And what we need to do as a team to try to improve as a team.”

Up next with the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham 

UAB’s first year Head Coach Trent Dilfer is slated to speak to the MMQBC next Monday at the Harbert Center. Below is the 2023 lineup for the rest of the year.

  • October 30 – Trent Dilfer
  • November 6 – Sylvester Croom
  • November 13 – Houston Nutt
  • November 20 – Special Guest 

More about MMQBC

Children's of Alabama
The 1951 monument commemorating the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club in front of Children’s of Alabama. Photo via Pat Byington for Bham Now

Want to learn more about the history of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham and some of its projects over the years?

Below are stories publish in Bham Now:

Generous donation from Monday Morning Quarterback Club To Children’s of Alabama—about their new helicopter
A coin toss connects Quarterback Club, high school football + children’s health charities

For more info on the MMQBC and the Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation visit, www.mmqbc.org or follow @BhamMMQBC on social media 

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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