Video: Saban, Alabama Continue Difficult Season Opener Trend

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WCBI/UA Athletics) – The University of Alabama football team entered its game week schedule and preparations for its season opener with No. 3 Florida State on Monday. Head coach Nick Saban and select players met with the media at noon, before the Crimson Tide put in a two-hour session in full pads at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility later in the day.

Monday marked the first of four practices before Alabama heads to Atlanta, Ga., to take on the Seminoles in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 2. The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. CT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi on the call for ABC.

The Crimson Tide will practice three more times the week before traveling to Atlanta on Friday.

Nick Saban met with the media prior to practice on Monday afternoon. Following is his opening statement:

“I think this is a great opportunity for our team to play in a great environment at a new stadium in Atlanta against one of the top teams in the country. Florida State has a lot of returning starters on both sides of the ball, especially at skill positions and their quarterback. They have 10 or 11 guys coming back on defense, which was one of the top defenses in the country a year ago. I think both of these teams probably are going to be well prepared to play this game. I know our guys have done a really good job in preparation for this game. We’re pleased with the progress that we’ve been able to make with a lot of players. We’ve had a couple good days of work in Florida State prep, which we will continue today. Each player kind of knows what their job is and what their challenges are. I think each player knows that the player that he’s playing against is a really good player and he’s going to know his number too. I think that’s what makes it a great challenge and a great opportunity for our team. I think this game is going to come down to who can play with the most discipline and execute for 60 minutes in the game. That’s how a lot of first games are. Who’s going to make the most mental errors? Who’s going to take care of the ball the best? This is always the challenge in an opening game.

With the Raekwon Davis situation, we’re still gathering information. It doesn’t seem like our players were guilty of anything other than being out late, which doesn’t make me happy. He has been released from the hospital. He’s here and he’s getting treatment. He’ll be day to day and we’re still gathering information. What his status is moving forward will be a medical decision, not something that we can really comment on here right now.”