Ask Larry

By Larry Burton

Larry, why does Nick Saban leave AJ McCarron and first string players in the game so long in most blowout games?

I hate questions where I’m asked to answer what someone else is thinking, because no one, including me can know for sure. Saban does platoon a lot of players at almost every position, some during every quarter of the game.

But he never has been one to want to change quarterbacks and I did hear him repeat once the old mantra, “When you play two quarterbacks, you don’t have one.” What that means is if you have to play two quarterbacks, it’s because you don’t have one that can do the job.

Saban likes to give other receivers the chance to work with AJ so they’ll have timing and instincts down should they have to step up in the event of an injury.  The same goes for the running backs.

Given how Tennessee decimated Georgia with something like eight injuries, it basically ruined their season. That could have been the main reason they were trounced by Missouri last week. They did have a ton of good players banged up and out and they may feel the pain from that game for weeks to come, so I understand why you’re asking this question as this is something that could happen to any team playing SEC competition.

But yes, I will agree that you’re not alone when you cringe seeing AJ, Cooper, White and others still in a blowout game when others are in. The best answer I can give you is, that’s the way Nick Saban likes it. He likes to see these players get in rhythm and stay that way.

Dear Larry, was I imagining something or was Nick Saban actually happy at halftime last week while being interviewed by CBS? I was shocked given the fumbles and missed opportunities.

For the people who may have missed it, here it is… Saban’s haltime interview . I don’t know if I would say he was happy per se, but he was at least glad that his team was dominating Kentucky and the only problems were problems of their own making.

I think he was upset with the fumbles and stalled drives and I’m sure the players heard about it on the sidelines.

Personally I think he was irritated at being asked a pretty dumb question. I’ve seen that look and heard that tone in many of the press conferences I’ve been in. When he gets to make fun of someone in the media, put them on the spot and make them look foolish, he does look happy and if fact probably is.

Why doesn’t Kenyan Drake get more carries and do you think he’s at least as good as Yeldon? What gives? I thought Saban played the best and didn’t play favorites.

I was actually laughed at before the season when I said that Drake is a better runner than Yeldon and would have a higher YPC average. Well, here we are, halfway through the season and Yeldon is averaging 6.47 YPC and Drake is averaging 7.27. So yes, my pre-season analysis was correct and Drake is, at least statistically, the best running back of the two.

So yes, I do think Drake has a higher upside over Yeldon, I have clearly stated that all year long. As for what gives, Saban rewards people who are the “best”. You just have to understand the Saban definition of “best”.

Best means not just averages, but practicing at 100%, keeping your nose clean, obeying all the team rules and for running backs, best also means you know how to pass block and get out in the open as a safety valve pass option for the QB. Yeldon does a better job of all those things over Drake.

However, it appears Drake has seen the light and will become the same kind of cog in the “one two punch” that Alabama has always tried to have at running back under Saban.

Can you believe Tod McShay, calling A.J a third tier PRO prospect ? Is this guy on DRUGS or just anti ALABAMA????

Controversy gets him attention just like the Paul Finebaum school of sports personalities teaches. I don’t think he’s anti Alabama, but he may be anti McCarron. People that are really talented make hard things look mundane and easy and only really intelligent people recognize that.

McShay, while having a lot of knowledge on a lot of players, doesn’t realize this, so that makes him not the sharpest knife in the drawer. It was even more stupid to say this at a time when AJ was driving the team down the field for a touchdown where he was perfect on every throw in the drive.

Thanks for the questions and keep them coming. See you next week.

Larry is an award winning writer whose work has appeared in almost every college football venue. Now he primarily writes for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. https://twitter.com/LBSportswriter