David Hookstead
Videos by OutKick
Alabama players were caught off guard by Tennessee getting in a certain formation at the goal line.
The Volunteers pulled off a stunning 52-49 victory over the Crimson Tide last Saturday night, and the win sent shockwaves through the sport.
Well, Saban has now revealed that at one point in the game, his players had no idea what to do when Tennessee went I-formation at the goal line because it’s not something they’re used to seeing.
“Tennessee got in what looked like an I-formation last week on the goal line and our players actually did not know what to do. They had never seen it. Never seen it,” Saban said on his radio show Thursday night.
He further explained how offenses have changed over the years and everything is now “spread out.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban is 100% correct the game has changed.
It’s pretty wild that the I-formation, which used to be the bread and butter of many teams, is now so rarely used that Alabama players didn’t even know what was going on.
Saban’s comments really prove just how much offenses have changed over the years. Back in the day and even just 10 years ago, lots of teams played bully ball.
They’d line up and just smash the defensive line and try to pick up four yards at a time. That’s not the strategy most teams run these days.
Now, it’s all about getting in space and beating teams with speed and athleticism. Even Alabama has changed dramatically.
Even back in 2009 when Alabama won the national title with Greg McElroy at QB, the Crimson Tide were a team that relied on power. Alabama ran all over Texas in the national title game that season. Now, Alabama opens things up on the field and looks completely different just 13 years later.
While it might surprise fans to hear, Nick Saban’s comments make a lot of sense. Here’s something you can bet the house on, and that’s the fact Alabama will never get fooled by the I-formation again. Nick Saban will make sure that’s a mistake that is definitely not repeated.
