Nick Saban Great Quotations

I don't care if you are a coach or player, you have family and personal issues and those things that are of concern. Everybody's safety is of concern. I have a great appreciation for the players and what they were able to do today to stay focused on the things that we wanted to try to get accomplished.

I am so happy for Ricky. He has played a great role for this team all year. He has been unselfish and has been a really good team guy.

He's played a great role for this team all year. He's been unselfish, he's been a really good team guy and he's been very helpful with a lot of other players in terms of what he's done. I can't tell you how much we appreciate it as an organization based on what he's done and how he's played and how he's overcome a lot. We're real proud of him.

I would say that if Jason Taylor had played in a 3-4 system somewhere, he would have been a Hall of Fame outside linebacker. There is no question about that based on the athletic ability the guy has. He's smart and he's got great instincts to learn things better than I ever hoped for. It gives us an opportunity to move him around and use him in a lot of different ways.

I think that's a great example -- and those players know it who were involved -- that to play a game for 60 minutes, you've got to be disciplined and you never want to have undisciplined, unprovoked penalties like that. My advice is act like you've been there.

Jason has had a great camp and has done a great job in every regard. He's probably one of the guys who has had a lot more to learn because he's never really played that position as a professional player. He's playing a combination of two positions right now, but he's done a tremendous job of adapting and making plays.

Part of the things that we are doing is because of his unique abilities. I would say that if Jason Taylor had played in a 3-4 system somewhere, he would have been a Hall of Fame outside linebacker. He's smart, and he's got great instincts to learn things better than I ever hoped. It gives us an opportunity to move him around and use him in a lot of different ways.

We had a great first drive. We looked like a good football team, but we've got to do that with consistency. We just have to take advantage of field position when we get it.

We lost two great players who were part of a dominating front, ... Young players are going to determine the depth and quality of the kind of defensive team we're going to have.

During his tenure in Pittsburgh, the Steelers had one of the most effective offenses in the league. His expertise produced an explosive and physical style of play, and he raised the production level of his quarterbacks during that time. We feel Mike is a quality person who will be a great addition to our team.

They played great in the first half and kind of melted down in the second half. We are really sad for them, the fans, the coaches and everybody involved in the organization.

They're great at making adjustments, and great at getting things fixed.

Absolutely. He's done an outstanding job in practice and he finishes every play. He has done everything that anybody could ask of a player. If you asked me, give me the top five guys that are the best practice players, he would be one of them. If Jason Taylor had played in a 3-4 system somewhere, he would have been a Hall of Fame outside linebacker. He's smart and he's got great instincts to learn things, better than I ever hoped for.

It's great to have that kind of tenacity and attitude. But it's also great to have it from the start so you can dominate the game for 60 minutes, which is certainly our goal.

It's been wonderful. I really do feel like this was coming home to play a game and it was exciting for me even though I didn't say it (earlier). It was exciting to be back in Tiger Stadium and I feel really great that our team did a nice job to make us proud of how they played.

It was great that Ronnie Brown got untracked a little bit. We told him we were going to work him today. As the game wore on, it looked like he got a little better. Maybe that'll be a sign for us in the future.

He's still hard to block. He does a great job of using his hands. He still plays with a lot of power. He still can rush and block people back to the quarterback. He's very instinctive on the field -- batting balls down and making a lot of plays. I think the guy is an astounding player and I think he's had a really good year doing what they expect him to do.

He sets a good example. He's a hard worker, a great person, a good guy. He tries to do everything that you want him to do. ... I think that his energy level and his example certainly affect other people.

This is a great football game against a very good football team. A lot of character, a lot of heart out there today on both sides of the ball -- that's what makes it special, when you can persevere and come away with the win.