Nick Saban: 'Breaks My Heart' To See How Alabama Football Has 'Lost It' This Season

Alabama head coach Nick Saban hears the noise, and it apparently cuts him deep.

Yep, the longtime coach revealed this week he does, in fact, have a heart. Unfortunately, though, it's coming apart at the seams!

“When former players come back to me, it hurts my heart," Saban said during his Thursday radio show when asked about the recent rumblings about the team's standard.

"And I told the players this so I’m not speaking out of school, if anybody who’s ever played here in this culture and on this team would think anybody on this team is not playing to that culture and to that standard, that really breaks my heart because I’m responsible for that.

"And I want all the players to feel the responsibility that goes with that in terms of who we are at Alabama, how we play, what we do and how we do things. So, we’re working on it.”

Alabama and Nick Saban have struggled this year. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Alabama players voice concern with Nick Saban

It certainly hasn't been your typical season in Tuscaloosa, with the Crimson Tide pretty much out of the playoff picture before Thanksgiving.

Alabama suffered a crushing defeat to Tennessee last month, followed by an even more demoralizing loss to LSU in overtime.

One of the more outspoken critics of 'Bama has been former QB Greg McElroy, who admitted earlier this month he was concerned about the program's direction.

Another former 'Bama star, RB Bo Scarbrough, also voiced some concerns with Nick Saban earlier this week.

“He put his finger on the table and said, ‘When we played here, we were making sure the other team, when the game is over, would say we never want to play them again," Saban said of the conversation. "Guys remember everything you ever taught them. That’s the kind of culture we want to try to recreate. I think that’s something that got started a little bit last week but it’s something we tried to build all year long.

"We started the season that way. We lost it. Hopefully, we can regain it and start rebuilding that for the future. I don’t care who we’re playing against."