Goodman: Before challenging Georgia, Alabama’s Nick Saban has work to do

Goodman: Before challenging Georgia, Alabama’s Nick Saban has work to do

The most interesting moment of A-Day in Tuscaloosa came before the game.

No, I’m not talking about former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young missing the annual A-Day ceremony for permanent team captains. Young was a no-show at Denny Chimes, but 2022 co-captains Will Anderson, Jr., and Jordan Battle were there to put their hands and cleats in concrete and celebrate with fans one of college football’s most revered honors.

Nick Saban was there, too, and he was accompanied by a notable guest. It was 2024 linebacker recruit Demarcus Riddick of Chilton County.

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I’ve never seen Riddick play. Honestly, I’ve never heard of him before Saturday. I’m sure he’s going to be great if he keeps training hard down in Clanton and somehow avoids eating all that yummy ice cream at the Peach Park this summer. Why was Riddick with Saban at Denny Chimes? I have a fun theory, of course.

Of all the recruits at A-Day, Riddick was the one Saban wanted by his side for the permanent captains ceremony at Denny Chimes. The notable thing about Riddick at this point in his high school career is that he’s committed to Georgia and Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart.

Riddick committed to Georgia last year, but when the legendary Saban of Alabama invites a high schooler to A-Day to be the coach’s special guest at Denny Chimes, then that’s an opportunity no young person should ever turn down.

“This is a great tradition,” Saban said in a brief address to fans. “I think that leadership is something that’s very important to people being successful, somebody who sets a good example, sets an example that someone can emulate and help him be successful…

“We all have mentors in our lives. We’ve all had people who we look up to, who help us be successful, and these guys are willing to take the responsibility to be mentors.”

Saban was a mentor for Georgia’s Smart once upon a time in Tuscaloosa, but now Alabama’s legendary coach wants everyone to know he’s coming for Georgia’s guys. Saban might not be the best coach in the SEC these days, but he’s still got a few tricks left to play before he’s done dealing.

Alabama was the hunted team for years and years in the SEC. Not anymore, and more than anything that’s what this spring is about for Saban and the Crimson Tide. These days, Saban wants everyone to know that Georgia is the target in the SEC. After last season’s bust at Alabama, it’s a smart strategy.

The big storyline nationally going into the 2023 season is going to be whether or not Georgia can become the first team since Minnesota in the 30s to win three consecutive national championships. Can Saban and Alabama retake the top of the mountain? It’s a lofty goal, and I like Alabama’s fighting spirit this spring, but first, before setting its sights on Georgia, doesn’t the team everyone used to fear need to figure out how to win back some respect from LSU and Tennessee?

Alabama didn’t even get a chance to play Georgia in 2022. Last-play losses to LSU and Tennessee prevented that. Saban and his staff were out coached in both games, and that still stings going into fall camp.

Young should be the first pick in the NFL Draft, but the talented quarterback missed the College Football Playoff in his final season with Alabama. That hurts, too. Add it all up and it’s hard to remember a time when there was more spring hype at three of Alabama’s SEC foes than buzz surrounding the Crimson Tide.

Diminished hype for Alabama isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Tide, but it is a sign of how much the SEC is changing in this new era of NIL collectives and pay-for-play. Saban even worked in his NIL pitch to fans in his address at Denny Chimes. Saban doesn’t need the hype, but it sells.

“I think more important than ever it’s that we have a program that creates more value for the players and their future,” Saban said. “Because of the culture of college athletics now, your support is paramount in us being able to continue to do that.”

Translation: Give Alabama money to pay these guys, please.

Who’s going to be the quarterback for Alabama? It remains a mystery after an A-Day highlighted by four interceptions for the defenses. Saban didn’t seem very pleased with the decision making of top quarterback contenders Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson. When asked a softball question about quarterbacks with experience in the program, Saban finished his answer by mentioning the transfer portal.

“I think people who have been in the program, obviously, have an advantage to some degree because they know the system and they’ve had a lot of reps in the system,” Saban said, “but I also think everyone needs to ask themselves — whatever position you play — are you playing winning football at that position and can you play winning football at that position?

“And I think that’s a better answer to the question. Who can do that the best? And those are evaluations that we have to make at every position. And we try to build this program with the guys we recruit and the people in the program, but we have had guys who have come in and made real impacts on the team, and if we see an opportunity to do that, we’re always looking for a way to make our team better.”

At LSU, the quarterback of a loaded offense is returning starter Jayden Daniels. At Tennessee, it’s veteran passer Joe Milton III. At Alabama? This is the first time since Jalen Hurts’ freshman season that Alabama is going into fall camp without knowing its starting quarterback will be among the best in the country or even the conference.

The good news? Neither does Georgia.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama”, a book about togetherness, hope and rum. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.