Alabama football players talk 2022 losses to LSU and Tennessee

For most teams in college football, the 2022 Alabama football season would have been a banner year. An 11-2 record and a New Year’s Six bowl victory are plenty for most fan bases, but the Crimson Tide is different.

Alabama didn’t win the SEC or the national title. The failure to do so largely stemmed from a loss to LSU and the Tide’s first defeat against Tennessee in the Nick Saban era.

Crimson Tide offensive tackle JC Latham was asked at SEC Media Days how those two losses impacted the team last season. He offered some reasons for why Alabama lost those games.

“It motivates us a lot. I’d be the first to say we needed to play with more discipline,” Latham said. “Especially myself, I had way too many penalties. Every single day in practice, workouts, whatever it might be, we got guys who are trying to be more disciplined, hold each other accountable, trying to be responsible as far as that aspect goes, especially myself. We lost games off of just not being disciplined. We just couldn’t handle them. It was just strictly off of discipline.”

Alabama played both of those games on the road last season. LSU’s Tiger Stadium and Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium crowds both rushed the field.

UA linebacker Dallas Turner was asked to compare the two environments and was complimentary of both.

“A lot of great atmosphere,” Turner said. “Very strong culture at both schools in Louisiana and Tennessee. It’s different at the same time, but it’s definitely the same.”

The Crimson Tide will play both Tennessee and LSU at Bryant-Denny Stadium this season. The Volunteers will come to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 21 and the Tigers will follow on Nov. 4.