Tide heed Saban’s ‘trap’ message, win SEC West

• Chris Low, ESPN

  • Senior WriterNov 11, 2023, 06:47 PM ET Close College football press reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of the University of Tennessee

LEXINGTON, Ky.– Nick Saban is all organization when it pertains to any “rat poison” infecting his Alabama football team, specifically when he senses a trap game on the horizon.His No. 8 Crimson Tide didn’t take the bait Saturday in a dominant 49-21 road win over Kentucky, clinching an SEC national championship look and seeing quarterback Jalen Milroe take his game to another level. He became the very first Alabama quarterback to pass for three goals and rush for three scores in a game. “It’s amazing, since you provide him time and he’s going to

work his magic, “Alabama offending guard Tyler Booker said of Milroe, who has actually accounted for 10 goals in his past two games.Alabama( 9-1, 7-0 in the SEC)has actually won 8 straight contests after losing in the house

to Texas in Week 2. And after back-to-back wins over nationally ranked challengers LSU and Tennessee, Saban was leery of this being a trap game for the Tide. So when the players returned to the football complex previously today, they found actual rat traps spread all over the locker room.Editor’s Picks“Yeah, we had rat traps in the locker room,”redshirt sophomore cornerback Terrion Arnold said smiling and shaking his head.” We’re just going

around the facility and not getting captured in them. I mean, think about it. When you look at all this and all the external aspects, and coming off 2 big wins– as Coach Saban states– it’s humanity to be delighted. “Arnold, who had an interception and required fumble in the game, joked he didn’t know who was the one putting out all the rat traps, however emphasized they were real”

wooden traps … and had a little cheese.””I’m sort of, as they would state, like a traveler, so I put my distribute to see if it really worked for real and it really did. … I got popped, right here on my

finger, “Arnold stated. “Coach Saban had actually restated that this was like a trap game and do not get caught up in it. We knew what the message was.”The Crimson Tide’s message was loud and clear Saturday. They leapt to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and led 28-7 at the half. Milroe accounted for 6 of their seven goals in the game, and Alabama’s defense held Kentucky(6-4, 3-4 )to 176 overall backyards till Ramon Jefferson broke a 74-yard run with the Tide leading 49-14 midway through the 4th quarter. What’s more, Alabama was playing without three starters. Linebacker Deontae Lawson and defensive back Jaylen Key were out with injuries, and receiver Jermaine Burton was ill and didn’t make the trip. Jalen Milroe became the very first Alabama quarterback to pass for three touchdowns and rush for 3 ratings in a

game Saturday to assist the Crimson Tide clinch an SEC title game look. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images Alabama, which faces Chattanooga in your home next week before traveling to Auburn to end the regular season, will be making its seventh journey to

the SEC national championship in the past ten years. Even Saban wondered aloud Saturday the number of people would have forecasted as much in September.”I believe there’s most likely very couple of people after the Texas game or the South Florida game, a lot of cynics out there, who really believed in these guys, “Saban stated.

“However I always thought in this group and relied on this team that they would turn into something that’s special, and it has actually been special. It’s been an excellent experience to see them grow and develop a confidence that you need to play with.”Saban has actually utilized the word”fun “to explain coaching this group repeatedly this season, and although he has never ever gotten caught up in external expectations, he said he had a various feel from the outset.

Whereas he said it was more of a relief to get the players where they required to be to have success in the past since of such gaudy expectations surrounding the program, it hasn’t been that way this season.”I knew we might be great, I believed in them, however I understood it was going to be an operate in progress,” Saban said.”So it resembled every day we’re simply trying to teach lessons that will help them grow and develop and they’ve done a terrific task of that.

“I didn’t put any expectations on them or myself, and they sort of blown it out the water in regards to how well they have actually done.” No one player has actually played a larger role in Alabama’s improvement than Milroe, who didn’t even play the week after the Texas loss in a rough

17-3 win over South Florida. But he’s settled in and making it specifically hard for opposing defenses to defend him now

that he’s running more and buying time with his ability to scramble. Milroe has actually rushed for seven goals in his last 2 games. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops stated they tried a little bit of whatever to decrease Milroe and the Alabama offense, but that Milroe kept making plays.” Well, you saw their quarterback … a dynamic hazard to run the ball, and he bought time and found some explosive plays down the field,”Stoops said.Tua Tagovailoa is the only Alabama quarterback to ever represent more touchdowns in a game than Milroe’s 6; Tagovailoa had a school-record 7 versus Ole Miss in 2019.” I believe his self-confidence is growing, and I think the self-confidence of the players around him has grown, and our production and efficiency have actually sort of mirrored that confidence,”Saban said.Milroe stated he’s”nowhere near a finished product”which there’s a lot he requires to repair. His only interception Saturday came when he was rushing and made a poor decision. He likewise decreased for a play in the very first quarter, was helped off the field and then returned the next play. “I think experience is the very best teacher, so the more reps I get, the more chances I have, and I think I’m seeing everything better,”Milroe said.Key, among Milroe’s closest friends on the team, stated he’s happy he does not have to handle an opposing quarterback with Milroe’s speed.” He’s probably the fastest player on the team, besides me,” Arnold stated grinning.Not just that, however Arnold stated Milroe has become more of a student of the game and remains in the complex seeing movie as early as 4:30 some

mornings.” You’re simply seeing all the hard work settle. … I’m simply happy to see him going out there and executing and having a good time with it,”Arnold stated.