Tide secondary must stay on the same page
September 05, 2007
Want to know what really sets Nick Saban off? What inspires a real — as he calls it — “eruption?”
It’s communication — or lack of it on the football field. Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson earned praise for keeping the Crimson Tide secondary in sync throughout most of last week’s season-opening victory over Western Carolina.
But the stakes — and the opponent — increase dramatically when the Tide opens SEC play against Vanderbilt in Nashville.
Keeping the Tide secondary on the same page against the pass-run option style of quarterback Chris Nickson will be a huge challenge. Whether it’s a series of hand signals or just screaming at each other, Johnson’s job won’t be any easier.
Saban says there are no excuses, either.
“If you talk to the defensive players and ask them what really makes coach Saban mad, the answer to that was to ever say that you didn’t get the call,” said Saban, who personally coaches secondary personnel. “That’s like ... an eruption. ‘I didn’t’ get the call.’ How could line up if you didn’t get the call? Somebody’s making the call, so that means you’re not listening for it, didn’t hear it. You can always say, ‘Excuse me? What’d you say? Give me the call.’ But don’t tell me you didn’t get it. You’re responsible to get it. So I’m really adamant about communication, because when you don’t have it you have busts.”
Vanderbilt is good enough, particularly with Nickson throwing to Earl Bennett, to break big plays on its own. Saban just doesn’t want the Tide secondary helping out.
Alabama players have gotten that message. Johnson visibly winces when asked if he ever says he didn’t get the call.
“If a guy doesn’t get the call, it might be better if he says, ‘I messed up,’ instead of ‘I didn’t get the call,’” Johnson said, a smile replacing the grimace. “Right then, he’s throwing another guy under the bus. If they didn’t get the call, guys pretty much know now to say, ‘I just messed up’ instead of ‘I didn’t get the call.’”
Simeon Castille didn’t have to learn that lesson first-hand.
“I don’t try that excuse. That doesn’t fly with him at all,” Castille said, referring to the head coach. “That’s why I try to learn the calls and try to get them myself, so I don’t have to ask anybody else.”
Vanderbilt could borrow a page from Western Carolina’s no-huddle attack, which had what little success it enjoyed when it quick-snapped the ball.
“It was kind of hard for us last Saturday because they were taking a long time before showing us what personnel were going to be in,” Castille said. “That slowed us before we went into nickel or dime. Then sometimes they were quick-snapping it.”
Johnson said it was more difficult early in the game.
“It was tough. You had to get the signals and the crowd was very loud,” Johnson said of the opener. “We’re kind of defense that makes checks off the offense. Lot of verbal communication. It was tough at the beginning, but we all relaxed and got better at it. At first it was a lot of yelling. Hand signals went out the window with all the nerves. But as the game went on it got easier.”
Castille said using hand signals may be easier on the road.
“I would prefer it,” the senior cornerback said. “When that crowd starts yelling you can’t hear nothing. So hand signals would be easier. It’ll get easier. We’ll practice it more and everybody will be more familiar with the calls, instead of having to ask, ‘What’s the play, what’s the play?’”
