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Nick Saban is expecting a strong response from his Alabama team following Saturday’s 34-24 loss to Texas.
Saban told reporters that he “would be shocked if this team doesn’t respond in a really positive way” and also expressed confidence in the talent on his team.
Nick Kelly @_NickKelly
Nick Saban: “I would be shocked if this team doesn’t respond in a really positive way.”
“I think all these things are fixable,” Saban said. “We have good players.”
Saban also said “the future is now” and that the team’s focus is “100 percent on how we get it turned around.”
The loss to the Longhorns was notable for more reasons than just the “0” moving to a “1” in the loss column. It was the Crimson Tide’s first home non-conference loss since 2007 and the largest home loss since 2004, before Saban was the team’s head coach.
Texas also avenged last season’s 20-19 loss at the hands of the Tide. The Longhorns will enter SEC play in 2024 with a proven victory over a team that has been the most feared team in the conference for more than a decade.
While these details provide an extra sting to Saban and the Crimson Tide, the coach’s approach of using the loss as a teachable moment is a solid strategy. Alabama still has an entire conference slate ahead and one loss does not knock a team out of contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
However, it does make the road tougher and Saban noted the areas that the team needs to improve. He highlighted turnovers, penalties, errors on defense and a lack of pressure as what stood out to him as places to improve going forward.
The Crimson Tide will look to bounce back in Week 3 against South Florida before entering SEC conference play the following week against Ole Miss.
