No. 11 Alabama good, not great, in victory over Arkansas،
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama coach Nick Saban said after beating Arkansas, 24-21, on Saturday that it was great to get an SEC win “compared to the way we have progressed” after a rough start to the season, including a Week 2 home loss to Texas.
But to say Saban was happy with the outcome of the game would be to miss the point. Alabama started slow, giving Arkansas a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Then, after scoring 24 unanswered points and taking control of the game, the Crimson Tide took their foot off the gas, giving up back-to-back touchdowns to make it a one-score game.
“I hope we can learn how to beat the other team,” Saban said. “Don’t just win the game, beat the other team.”
Saban cited poor execution on both sides of the ball. Penalties, especially in attack, “put us behind the eight,” he said.
A frustrated Saban singled out a facemask penalty that contributed to an Arkansas touchdown. The penalty, Saban said, was an example of a player “putting himself before what’s best for the team and putting himself in harm’s way to have a chance to win.”
Offensive lineman Tyler Booker said it wasn’t a dominant performance. Quarterback Jalen Milroe, who completed less than 50 percent of his passes, was sacked five times.
“With the amount of talent we have, we should dominate games rather than just win games,” Booker said. “And there is a difference.”
Consistency, Booker said, is key.
“I feel like once we start clicking and executing for 60 minutes, that’s when we’ll start dominating teams,” he said.
Alabama, which has won five straight games since losing to Texas, will next host Tennessee and LSU – the two teams it lost to on the road last season.
When asked if the team could learn from a close victory, Saban was evasive. “I hope so,” he said.
Saban’s mood improved toward the end of his postgame press conference when he was asked if kicker Will Reichard set the SEC’s all-time record with 481 points, passing Daniel Auburn’s Carlson, who had 480 points from 2014-17.
Although he produced no fewer than 106 NFL draft picks during Saban’s tenure, including 44 first-round picks, the coach said of Reichard: “He was probably as good a player in his position – even if he is a specialist – than anyone other than us. that I have ever had here.”
“Will saved us many times,” Booker said. “He’s made us win a lot of games, like today. We don’t win without that field goal that he made. So we’re very proud of Will. He’s always consistent, always on time. is truly a key leader on his team. . We are very lucky to have him.”
