Football vs. Auburn Postgame Quotes
11/24/2018 7:02:00 PM | Football
Head Coach Nick Saban
Opening statement
"I was really proud of our team today, especially the way they came out in the second half. We played a little give-away in the first half, got a punt blocked and gave up a couple explosive plays, but in the second half I thought our guys did a really good job and am really proud of the way they came out and played.
"This is always a big game and makes a lot of Alabama people happy, and we are certainly happy for them. We had a great crowd and a great atmosphere out there, and we want to thank everyone who contributed to that atmosphere. It was great to be a part of.
"It was a great win for us, and I'm happy for the seniors as their last memory playing at Bryant-Denny Stadium will be remembered in a very positive way. I'm very happy for them.
"You accomplish a lot in a season, and I think the SEC is a very good league and for our team to go undefeated is quite an accomplishment, but it really doesn't mean anything if we can't take advantage of the opportunity that we have next week in the SEC Championship game and obviously Georgia is a very good team.
"Isaiah Buggs will be okay. He has a hyperextended knee, but he will be okay. Jaylen Waddle obviously came back and played in the game, and it wasn't anything serious with him."
On Tua Tagovailoa setting the school record for touchdowns in a game
"I think you should ask him. He was happy today that we won the game, and he played a really good game. He contributed on six scores, with four or five touchdown passes and one running. He had a great year for us. I was happy to see Jalen (Hurts) get in and have a positive play as well. I thought Tua was into it. His leadership was really important today for our offense. Don't ask me why, but it doesn't seem like we had the right kind of energy in the first half. I don't know if it was anxiety or what it was, but we seemed to settle down and play a lot better in the second half."
On Tua's second half performance
"He was outstanding, and I think it was really important that we had two big plays to start the second half and score really quickly. I think that changed the game quite a bit. We got up 31-14. He was obviously responsible for both those explosive plays, one to Jerry Jeudy and one to Josh Jacobs, so I think that was a real turning point in the game."
#8 Josh Jacobs, RB
On the offense in the second half
"We just wanted to turn it up a notch and prove that we can score. We just had to come out and execute."
On what was said during halftime
"We knew that we didn't live up to our expectations in the first half, so we just had to come out and do what we do."
#5 Shyheim Carter, DB
On how fun today's game was
"Yeah, it was. We had a lot of fun. We did it for the seniors."
On the game being beyond just for the state or seniors
"It was a lot. Going into this game, it was a big rivalry and the seniors' last game (in Bryant-Denny Stadium). We played for the seniors, played for the Bama family."
Head Coach Gus Malzahn
Opening statement
"Starting out the game, first half I thought we were in good position. I thought we did some things offensively and defensively at halftime. Our goal was to get us to the fourth quarter. The game got away from us in the third quarter. That was very disappointing. Like I said, I think we were in good position, and we just didn't get it done. It was very disappointing.
"Update on Ryan Davis. He took a pretty good shot to the head. They expect him to make a full recovery. He was out on the field after we were done.
"Give Alabama credit. They're a very good team, very explosive on offense and a solid defense, good defense, too, so we were disappointed. We really thought we had a chance to come here and win, but we needed to get to the fourth quarter, and we didn't get it done."
On how Jarrett Stidham played
"Well, I mean, I think anytime you get beat like we got beat, no one I would say played great. To beat a team like that, you've got to play good. All players have to play at a very high level. We didn't do that tonight."
On what changed most in the third quarter
"They got the momentum back. I thought at the end of the second quarter, it felt like we had the momentum, and I think we went down a couple scores, and they scored again and got the momentum back. The crowd got back in the game. I think we had two drives in the whole third quarter, or three. We didn't have much yardage, and they got the ball back and it snowballed after that."
#8 Jarrett Stidham, QB
On his thoughts on the game
"Obviously, we're very disappointed. We stuck in there in the first half and had a decent half. Everybody's mindset was right where it needed to be, then in the third quarter, we kind of let it slip away from us. We didn't execute on different things on certain opportunities."
On how Alabama's defense affected play-calling
"They have a really good defense. Coach Saban does a good job in recruiting and does a great job at coaching. Everything they threw at us, for the most part, was kind of what we expected. We just didn't capitalize on certain things."
#81 Darius Slayton, WR
On if there was any extra pressure in today's game
"No, not really. I don't think the pressure was on us tonight; I think it was all on them. We could have executed better in certain plays."
On his thoughts on the season
"We didn't win all the games we wanted to win and that's frustrating, but ultimately I'm proud of my team. We fought hard all season long and I'm proud of that."
