On the list of rivals, Nick Saban would list expectations near the top. The whole rat poison rant hatched from that egg since pressure associated with favorable forecasts doomed teams in the past.

Well, Saban’s star offensive tackle JC Latham appears to be approaching the preseason chatter with a different strategy. For a change, the July chatter isn’t quite as rosy so Latham is resetting the narrative — at least in the locker room.

With talk of the SEC West shifting back to LSU in its last year of the model, Latham’s listened.

“Disrespectful,” he said. “I don’t appreciate that at all understanding that … I know this group. We’re going to win it all,” Latham said. “We’re going to national championship, undefeated, Joe Moore and I want that Outland so it’s just every day is set in stone and everybody in the group, we’ve got leaders and a great spirit to the team so we know we are capable of doing it and know we’re capable of being great.”

Asked specifically about LSU taking momentum into 2023, Latham repeated his plan.

“Fuel to the fire,” he said without hesitation. “It is what it is. I know we’re going to go out there and compete and dominate and do what we have to do to win.

“And I know we’re going to win it all and go undefeated. So whatever anybody outside of our family says, it essentially isn’t what matters to us.”

Latham has fed off perceived disrespect in the past.

The offensive tackle was animated in the locker room after beating Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. He’d heard a quote from Wildcat linebacker Felix Anudike-Uzomah said heart would trump stars in New Orleans.

“So hearing that just made it seem like — it was a slap in the face,” Latham said after the 45-20 Alabama win. “Like, oh you think we only think about five stars and we don’t work hard? That’s what you’re trying to say? I take that personal. I still take that personal. That’s disrespectful in my opinion.”

Asked Wednesday about the taste that last year’s 11-2 season left, Latham didn’t hold back.

“I have mixed feelings about it,” he said. “Sometimes I tell myself to appreciate the little things. It was my first season starting. I did really good. But at the same time, understanding the reality of it. It wasn’t up to our standards so that’s the main takeaway from last season. We had the opportunity to win and we didn’t. We’re going to have to go out there and compete again and showcase who we are because I know for a fact we should have won last year.”

Still, it’s been a while since this (extremely relative) level of doubt has surrounded Alabama at SEC Media Days.

So after years of creatively manufacturing the chip-on-the-shoulder mentality, there’s some tangible disrespect surrounding Alabama for the first time in a few generations.

“Yeah I love being the underdog,” Latham said. “That fuels me. When y’all don’t think we can do something or downplay somebody, I love the underdog stories. Like LeBron when he was going against the Warriors, that 3-1 lead, I was rooting for him all the way. So situations like that, it really gives me goosebumps when I get to prove who I am. When you’re supposed to win and you do, that’s great. But when you’re not supposed to win and you overcome that, that’s an even better feeling in my opinion.”

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