There’s no question of the hierarchy within the Alabama football complex and there’s no better example of that than the news media interview room.

Nick Saban stands at a podium a step above the assembled press who are seated in desks below. Questions are asked. Answers, you know.

But the first day of Alabama’s 2023 preseason press ritual ended with the tables turned. With a wry smile, Saban turned the tables.

“So I’m going to ask y’all something because I’m really interested in this,” he said after finishing his final answer. “You ask me questions all the time. So we had a media training session yesterday … how’d I do? Did I do better because I sat through media training?”

Challenge accepted.

Thought you’d never ask.

Saban opened the nearly 16-minute event with a good save.

“How are we doing guys,” he said with a brief pause. “And ladies?”

From there, the opening statement followed the usual plan, beginning with a repeat of the message he just sent the team in the locker room. It’s always important to remember the targeted audience isn’t just Joe Six-Pack killing time at work.

The preemptive strike on quarterback questions followed a quick injury report. Rattling off a few tried and true Sabanisms, taking “the bull by the horn” came out of storage to join SEC Media Days addition.

“When we’re going to take the cake out of the oven,” he said in a rewind of comments from last month in Nashville, “we will tell you.”

These quips are part of the exact media training Saban referenced in his request for assessment. The personalization, the smiles and the air quote “softer-side of Saban” are all part of Lisa LeMaster’s plan for the annual media training. Last year, Saban closed an August news conference by joking this was when he was told to smile.

Anyway, Saban checked off a few more spots on the bingo card by noting the QBs had to be process-oriented and not outcome-oriented. Kinda played out but not a lie so we won’t mark down too much.

Detailed answers followed with players identified to questions about middle linebackers and tight ends before Saban went back for the laugh track. A question about head athletic trainer Jeff Allen announcing the beginning of his 35th year on the job (17 at Alabama) brought the grin back to the tin-horn podium.

“What would you say if I put stuff like that about me on Twitter?” Saban asked. “You guys would think I’m ancient.”

Point for another joke, one subtracted for calling X by its old name and a toss-up on the self-deprecation about his age.

Also, Saban famously hates the social media platform owned by Elon Musk or any social media entity so we’d be more stunned than anything if he broke his moratorium.

Saban went on to give a serious answer about Allen and gave detailed answers about the running backs, UAB transfer Jaylen Key and Notre Dame transfer QB Tyler Buchner. There was good insight in each answer — not giving away the state secrets — but enough to fill the vacuum of information.

Then, another joke and this one was one best understood by those in the press. It goes back to Wednesday when a reporter asked a football-related question at the Nick’s Kids press availability that’s typically about the charitable efforts than the athletic kind. Saban voiced his displeasure with the Wednesday question in the moment before bringing it back after Thursday’s practice.

“You know,” Saban said. “I thought for sure you’d ask me something about Nick’s Kids.”

There were a few chuckles in the room, according to those in attendance.

“Because when we were at Nick’s Kids, you asked me a football question so I thought when we were asking football questions, you would ask me about Nick’s Kids. No?”

Big smile and a look off to his right in acknowledgment of the joke.

“No,” he said with his biggest smile of the day. “I’m just kidding.”

Six out of 10.

Again, Saban went on to give a detailed answer with another one of the sayings that’s part of the media training.

“So like I told you guys before, you can teach somebody how to swing a bat, you can teach them what the strike zone is,” Saban said. “You can’t teach them it’s a good pitch to hit from the time it leaves the pitcher’s hand to get to home plate. They’ve got to figure that part out on their own.”

Answers about the core tenants of preseason camp and JUCO transfers Malik Benson and Justin Jefferson followed before asking for the assembled press to rate his performance.

Did he ask for probably-too-long report card on AL.com?

No.

But does he get a final grade?

Also, no at least not yet. How about a trade?

Full review for a depth chart?

Final offer.

Still smiling?

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.