Everything Alabama Offensive Coordinator Nick Sheridan Said After Crimson Tide Practice
The play-caller met with the media to talk about the scrimmage, Jalen Milroe and more.
Joe Gaither | 13 Hours Ago
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Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan met with the media for the final time during the Crimson Tide's fall camp. Below is the full transcript from Sheridan's time in front of the microphone.
"Fire it up. You guys ready to go? You guys know your schedule? Are you ready to learn? Fire away, guys."
Thoughts on Alabama's second scrimmage …
"I thought there was some inconsistencies. I thought there were some great plays. I thought there was a lot of guys trying to play each and every snap as hard as they could, despite what maybe happened previously. We overcame a couple of tough situations, some from the defense, which did a great job.
I was proud of the 1-0 mindset that I thought our guys displayed in some challenging situations where we were able to overcome them, and yet, I still think there’s a lot of room for growth to clean up the errors. Certainly give the defense a lot of credit for causing issues, both personnel wise — there’s a lot of good players on defense — and schematically, with Kane and his staff.
There’s lots to build on, lots to correct. I thought it was competitive, as always the scrimmages have been since I’ve been here. Each side of the ball wishes certain things could’ve been better, but collectively, as a team, it was very competitive. It was a physical scrimmage. I thought the guys hit. It’s been a good couple weeks of camp and building toward the first game."
Do you like the physicality after the play?
"We would prefer that to not happen. We want to protect the team and make sure we have the discipline to do what’s best for our team. When you’re talking about things that occur after the snap, those often times can hurt your team. We coach against that, for sure. There’s an edge you want to play with. There’s a line that you want to be right up against, but we also want to protect the team and do what’s best for the team."
Why crimson practice jerseys?
"Just philosophically, you’d like for the quarterbacks to see the jersey color they’re going to throw to during the game. That’s all. When we’re home, we practice in our home colors, and when we’re away, we’ll practice in our away colors."
On Jaren Hamilton …
"Very talented athlete. I think we’re looking for consistency. He’s a young player. His attitude has been good. That’s what I would say — and that’s true for a lot of young players, to develop the consistency to be able to do your job at a high level. He’s very talented. He’s big and he’s fast. He’s working to be a consistent player."
On Jalen Milroe being named team captain….
"I can’t speak to how he was previously. We’ve only been here for as long as we have. But I continue to see him be more and more comfortable in who he is, and being genuine and authentic to who he is. His teammates respect that. They know how hard he works. He’s as hard of a working player that I’ve ever been around. He’s a completely committed and devoted student athlete, in all areas. His teammates respect that. I think he’s becoming more and more comfortable, even in our time here, using his voice to encourage, to confront, to demand, because he’s certainly putting in the time and the work. I think he’s done a real nice job of that, and we’re going to need that as we continue — both him and Tyler (Booker) being leaders on our side of the ball. They’re doing a good job leading that group. They’ve been awesome to this point."
Tyler Booker's weight loss..
“Probably just his ability to strain and finish and play as hard as possible for a longer time. He’s already been somebody who plays hard; he pours it out there every day. I have seen that in his play even to another level. I thought he was great in the spring; I think he has taken it to another level with how hard he plays.”
On Robbie Ouzts….
“I think Robbie is a very versatile player. Obviously, he’s uniquely sized, but he’s got soft hands, he’s got good change of direction, he’s got good body control and balance, so there are a lot of roles that Robbie can help us with both in-line, and detached. You name it. I think Robbie’s a really good football player, he’s very tough. He provides he right amount of edge and toughness for us and he’s a great kid. We’re looking for big things out of Robbie.”
Working with Milroe on run-pass decisions….
“I think you’d have to ask him if when those decisions happened what he was thinking. I know for us we’re just emphasizing the execution of the play, and I think the quarterback’s job ultimately is whatever the best outcome can occur for that play, when you factor in the offensive call, the defensive call, the things that occur post-snap, we encourage him to make the best of it. There’s lots of complexity in the position, but at the end of the day you get four downs to make 10 yards and you get another set and if you cross the goalline you get six points. And so, it’s like however you go about doing that, I think great quarterbacks across the country at all levels, they are all unique to their own skill set and their own style of play and ultimately you get judged on what I just talked about, getting first downs and scoring points and winning football games. That’s really what we’re focusing on, with all the quarterbacks, not just with Jalen. Just do your job, making the best of the situation. Sometimes the best thing you can do is throw the ball away. There’s nothing there. The defense had a good call or maybe we didn’t execute something properly, and so managing good and bad plays and give us consistent and repeated results. That’s what we’re looking for.”
Pleased with offensive progress…
“As a coach you don’t ever feel like you’ve arrived, or there’s not things that you can work on. I think the mindset has been good, I think the effort and intensity has been good, and yet I think there’s still a little bit more out there for us. The hope is that we continue to improve as the year goes on. I talk to the players that we want our best snap to be our very last snap. That’s the mindset, that you continue to improve, not just in training camp, but throughout the season you want to make improvements – individually, collectively, within your scheme. You name it. We’re trying to continue to get better. That never ends. As a coach, you are where you are, and you’re just continuing to work and improve off of that. There has been lots of great play both individually and collectively, and yet there are still things we can work on and get better at.”
On start of classes…
"Be on time, know where you're going, and handle your business. Obviously, when you're a student-athlete, the education you receive is super important. We all know that. As you get a little older, a little wiser, you understand the importance of that. So that's really the message – go get an education. Learn. Grow. Meet new people, create networks, all the amazing things a place like the University of Alabama can provide, we want our players to maximize that opportunity. And certainly, the exposure they get not just in the classroom with faculty and staff but among the student body, there's just a ton of impressive people on our campus. Go enjoy that experience and be on time, and sit in the front."
On Ryan Williams…
"Ryan's certainly made a lot of progress and it's the first time you're able to work with him and practice with him, and we're pleased about how far he's been able to come. And yet he's still improving every day. His mindset as a young player has been great. His willingness to be coached, his want-to to learn and grow for a young player, his maturity has been very good, and he continues to get better and better."
On Wilkin Formby…
"Consistency, he's done a nice job that way. He's still young, sometimes you forget that. He's still a young, developing, growing player. But I think his mindset and demeanor is the same every day. You appreciate that as a coach, that you know what you're getting."
On the screen game…
"We'll see."
