SEC Media Days: Saban addresses recent player defections

Almost as newsworthy lately as the players committing to play for Alabama are the players choosing not to return to Alabama.

Linebacker Prince Hall won't be back. Neither will Chris Jackson. Rumors of other defections also are beginning to crop up. Alabama head coach Nick Saban addressed the departures at SEC Media Days Thursday.

The coach explained that much is demanded of his players, and not just in regards to football. They are held to high standards as far as their conduct and their performances in the classroom.

"It is demanding," Saban said. "We have some players in our program who have not met those demands."

Some players want to leave, the coach added, because of football-related issues.

"I tell the player, 'I don't want you to leave,'" he said. "'You're a good person in the program, and you're a good student. You may be a back-up player, but you have to be satisfied with your role on the team because we don't want a player that's disgruntled or negative in terms of our team chemistry for selfish reasons because you're unsatisfied with your role. If you don't think you can achieve that here, I'm supportive in helping you go someplace else.'"

As far as getting under the 85 scholarship limit, Saban said there are currently a couple of players who may or may not qualify to play this season. He also said there will some players who will grayshirt and there are other players who are "contemplating what their future is going to be relative to the University of Alabama."

He said he will address these matters more specifically at the beginning of fall camp, which starts Aug. 6.

ADDRESSING THE O-LINE: As expected Saban was asked about Alabama's most glaring concern heading into the season -- the offensive line, which lost three starters from '08. He alluded to the fact that James Carpenter and William Vlachos will start fall camp as the new starters at left tackle and center, respectively. He did not mention the right guard position, which also needs a new starter.

"James Carpenter showed he could at least be a functional offensive lineman in this league through spring practice," Saban said. "We're hopeful he'll continue to develop and improve as his knowledge and experience grows as an offensive lineman.

"William Vlachos was a good center for us in the spring, but (veteran left guard) Mike Johnson is the guy that has the most experience and is a real quality player for us. He needs to be a leader who affects other people in this group so that our offensive line can develop."

MARQUEE SEASON OPENERS: Saban talked about the lasting impact the season-opening win over Clemson had on the team last year. The road wins over Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU? Credit that first win and the confidence it produced, Saban said.

The Tide will have another chance to start off with a bang this season when it returns to Atlanta's Georgia Dome to face Virginia Tech.

Suffice it to say, Saban likes these type games.

"The players are more intense about what they're doing because they know they're preparing for a huge challenge in the first game," he said. "So there are a lot of positive things about it. There's a lot of exposure to it, which helps recruiting. And Atlanta is one of the major cities in the South. So there's not really a better location around to do something like that in."

SABAN ON ARENAS: Not surprisingly, Javier Arenas, one of the Tide's all-time great returners, who's improvement in the secondary often gets overlooked, is a player that has gained the admiration of his head coach.

"He is an outstanding competitor," Saban said. "You talk about a guy that's a perfectionist who works really hard every day to be the best he can be.

"He continues with his knowledge and experience to become a better and better player. He's worked hard to get bigger and stronger and is a very physical player. I can't say enough about his competitive character and the kind of person that he is, how he affects the other players on our team with his example."

GOOD SIGN: Once again, as was the case the past two years, Saban was treated in rock-star like fashion when he arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel for SEC Media Days.

And for the Alabama head coach, that's a good thing.

"My daddy said, 'You only have a problem if no one is asking for your autograph," he said when addressing the media. "If there wasn't a stir down there (in the front lobby), that's when I've got a problem."

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