Nick Saban Apologizes To Reporter For 'Crystal Ball' Answer Regarding Jalen Milroe. Is The Alabama Coach Turning A Corner?

I don't know about the rest of college football, but Nick Saban is turning a corner when it comes to his press conference answers. After going off on a tangent about not having a 'crystal ball' regarding the future of QB Jalen Milroe, the Alabama coach apologized for his answer, offering up a better one.

This might be the first time we've ever heard Saban sound like he genuinely cared about getting one of his responses right. Not that Saban is a bad guy or anything, but he has a way of coming off a little snarky if he doesn't like the question.

This all stemmed from the postgame press conference on Saturday, following the win over MTSU. Saban was asked how Jalen Milroe's performance could carry-over into the future and help the team win football games.

While answering the question, he used a coke bottle as a prop for a 'crystal ball', which seemed kind of funny to be honest, knowing Saban.

“I don’t really know, I mean, I love him. I think he’s doing well," Saban said Saturday. "I know he’s working hard to try to improve. He’s a good competitor. He’ll do everything he can to play his best. This is a Coke bottle, it’s not a crystal ball. How do you think he’ll play? Do you have any idea?"

Nick Saban Apologies To Reporter For 'Crystal Ball' Answer

The clear answer is that we have no idea what Milroe will look like on Saturday against Texas, even if he did have a nice game against MTSU. But the answer wasn't good enough for some, who chastised the Alabama head coach for his answer.

That's the same Nick Saban we've gotten for seventeen years at the podium, but he probably regretted how the answer came across. This was apparent on Wednesday night when he apologized to Austin Hannon, from BamaCentral.

“Look, you didn’t ask a bad question the other night,” Saban said. “I just didn’t answer it very well. When a guy plays well in the game, at any position, it should help his confidence and it should help him perform better in the future.

“But I do think that every player has to understand that just because I played well, I still want to try to improve the few things that I could have done better."

Even Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was caught off-guard by the apology, wondering if Saban was feeling alright.

Alabama Will Need Jalen Milroe At His Best Against Texas

Coming off the impressive performance against MTSU, Jalen Milroe will need to do the same against a much tougher defense in Texas. The Longhorns certainly won't give the Alabama quarterback that much time to operate behind center. And the Texas secondary will test Milroe's ability to decipher their coverage in a quicker fashion.

Passing for 194 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another pair of TD's on the ground is an afterthought now. But, Milroe can still use the experience as a launching pad to success against Texas, if he can stay calm in the pocket.

This upcoming game is massive, on so many different levels, for both teams. Alabama is looking to put the narrative that they've fallen off a bit behind them. Texas is looking to take the next step as a football program under Steve Sarkisian. We've wondered for years when the Longhorns would be 'back', and Saturday night is an opportunity to make that statement.

Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after rushing for a touchdown against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Alabama, Nick Saban Hope To Silence The Outside Noise

In regard to Alabama, folks inside the football building know how good this team can be in 2023. Respectfully, they're ready to prove it to the world this weekend. Questions concerning the quarterback situation leading up to the season opener was the main talking point regarding Alabama this season. This obviously irked Nick Saban.

Head coach Nick Saban looks on as Jalen Milroe #4 warms up prior to facing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Now, the Tide has a chance to silence any critic's thinking Nick Saban has lost an edge to his coaching, or that the program is losing its mojo. It will start with the defensive pressure Alabama puts on Quinn Ewers and could end with the performance of quarterback Jalen Milroe.

"Hopefully, the confidence that he gained in this game will certainly help him to continue to play better and better in the future,” Nick Saban said. “That is what we hope for as coaches and what we try to encourage him to do. And that should have been my answer the other night.”

Get ready, we're looking at a monster matchup on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.