Nick Saban Says He Doesn't Watch Nate Oats Press Conferences, In Aftermath Of 'Wrong Place, Wrong Time' Comments

LOUSVILLE- The topic of conversation over the last 48 hours centered around the comments made by Alabama's Nick Saban, which some thought were aimed at Nate Oats. Did the 'Wrong Place, Wrong Time' line from Saban cause any problems with Oats?

According to both coaches, the situation was overblown. If you didn't see, Nick Saban met with the media on Tuesday to open Spring practice. During his presser, Saban discussed the suspension of Tony Mitchell, where he described how 'Wrong Place, Wrong Time', is not an excuse for his arrest.

This sent the college athletics world into a frenzy. Plenty of folks were thinking the football coach was taking a shot at the basketball coach for comments made during his first press conference regarding the murder investigation that's hovered over the Tide's basketball program. That initial press conference was also the first time Brandon Miller's name had been brought up.

Nick Saban announced Tony Mitchell would be suspended from team activities until the school gathers more information. And it was how Saban phrased it that caught the attention of people around the country.

“Everybody’s got an opportunity to make choices and decisions. There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Saban said. “You have to be responsible about who you’re with, who you’re around, what you do and who you associate yourself with, along with the situations you put yourself in.”

Nick Saban, Nate Oats Respond To The Press Conference

During his press conference on Thursday, Nate Oats was asked about Saban's comments and if he took them personal.

"Yeah, so he and I talked that night. I didn't take it that way at all. I got a ton of respect for Coach," Nate Oats noted.

In regards to the support Saban shows the basketball team, Nate Oats was quick to point out that the football coach has always supported his program.

"He and I have got a great relationship, and I'm really thankful for the support that he has given us and continues to give us with the basketball program at Alabama," Nate Oats finished about Nick Saban.

As for Nick Saban, this certainly set him off. He was quick to note that he doesn't watch basketball press conferences, and insisted that he's never watched one. Now, it's easy to believe this, but are we really expected to believe Saban doesn't hear things said from other sports teams within Alabama? That's up to you to decide.

"I don't watch basketball coaches' press conferences," Saban said. "I mean, how many years have I been coaching, you know? Never watched one. Never listened to what other people say. That was strictly about our program and what we do. It had nothing to do with anybody else. I don't make any comments about anybody else."

It could've been the craziest press conference coincidence we've seen in recent memory, or both coaches are taking the high-road.

Written by
Trey Wallace is the host of The Trey Wallace Podcast that focuses on a mixture of sports, culture, entertainment along with his perspective on everything from College Football to the College World Series. Wallace has been covering college sports for 15 years, starting off while attending the University of South Alabama. He’s broken some of the biggest college stories including the Florida football “Credit Card Scandal” along with the firing of Jim McElwin and Kevin Sumlin. Wallace also broke one of the biggest stories in college football in 2020 around the NCAA investigation into recruiting violations against Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Wallace also appears on radio across seven different states breaking down that latest news in college sports.