It’s three games into the season and Alabama football is already having players-only meetings.

The Crimson Tide lost to Texas and might have looked worse in a win at South Florida on Saturday.

Optimism isn’t running high in Tuscaloosa. Still, Nick Saban made clear during his Monday press conference that he’s not giving up on the 2023 edition of the Crimson Tide.

“I like the team,” Saban said. “I’ve got confidence in our team. I really do. We’ve had some tough stretches before and players have bounced back, but I think everybody has got to make a commitment to doing that. It’s not easy. We’ve got really tough competition coming up, but everybody has got to challenge themselves, I think, to be their best as a player, be their best as a team guy, be their best as a leader.”

Alabama has had its high points through three games. The Tide beat the brakes off Middle Tennessee State in the opener before losing to Texas.

In that game, starting quarterback Jalen Milroe showed off what he could do, sharing the SEC’s offensive player of the week award. He flashed his talent despite throwing two picks and taking five sacks against Texas, demonstrating the downfield throwing ability that has helped him the starter again for Saturday’s Ole Miss game after Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson got their chances against USF.

In Saban’s mind, Alabama’s season rides on putting things together all the time, not just a couple times a game.

“I’ve liked this group so far,” Saban said. “I just think our execution has got to get a little more consistent.”

Offensive JC Latham and his fellow offensive linemen spoke before the season about the dominant group they wanted to be. That hasn’t materialized through three games, with the Crimson Tide giving up five sacks in each of the last two games.

Latham also held out hope that the team can get better.

“Just sustaining and finishing,” Latham said when asked what he wanted to see moving forward. “In my opinion, especially on defense, we do a great job of coming out with energy. But it’s just little things and drive-killers that tend to get us. Eliminating drive-killers and being able to sustain for all four quarters. I know what type of team we have. We’ve got the guys to get the job done and play to the standard”

The Tide will get a chance to show improvement Saturday, when it opens SEC play against Ole Miss. Rebel head coach and former UA offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has already started playing mind games with Saban, and he’s bringing an undefeated team to town with a win over Georgia Tech last week.

Alabama was still favored, but the game will be an important test as to whether the Crimson Tide is capable of responding to adversity the way it has throughout Saban’s tenure.

” I think everybody can look to something that they can improve on, and that’s certainly going to be the focus that we have this week,” Saban said. “There’s a responsibility that goes with that for the player but also for the coaches, so that we’re doing things that players can do, so they can go on the field and play fast and know exactly what they’re supposed to do and go out there and execute it. And I think that’s going to be important for all of us this week so that when our guys get out there they can play fast.”

Alabama and Ole Miss are scheduled to kick off at 2:20 p.m. Saturday. The game will be aired on CBS.

More: Why Jalen Milroe is Alabama football’s starting quarterback again