TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama coach Nick Saban again responded to statements made by one of his former players this past week, this time in reference to the Crimson Tide’s play-calling.

On Tuesday, former quarterback AJ McCarron said on a local radio show that he thought Saban was “kind of putting the handcuffs on Lane (Kiffin) like I’ve known coach to do in the past with his offensive coordinator and we’re going to be very bland.”

McCarron also made a comment about the lack of leadership on the offense during Alabama’s 23-17 loss at Ole Miss, although a day later said that he misspoke and meant to openly ask who will be the “vocal leader” following center Ryan Kelly’s knee injury that will keep him out at least a couple of weeks.

Saban denied that there were leadership issues on Wednesday and then again during his weekly radio show on Thursday evening, adding: “My question is why was nobody talking about this when we were winning?”

“I guess when we were playing Florida and we had how many yards and 42 points?” he said. “We had no leadership in that game and we were too conservative and I wouldn’t let the coordinator pass the ball? I mean, I have never in my life, ever told an offensive coordinator here’s what I’m saying. Be aggressive, be aggressive, win the game. That’s what I’m saying all the time. That’s how I think you have to play. Do we always play that way? No.”

Saban didn’t mention McCarron by name, but his comments were in line with what he said during a bye-week press conference on Sept. 23, after being asked about the difference in the offense with Kiffin calling plays.

“I’ve been begging the offensive coordinators around here to open it up since I’ve been here,” he replied. “Jimbo Fisher was the best offensive coordinator I’ve ever had that ever did what I wanted to do. And everybody wants to run the ball. Now, we’ve always had a very good team to run the ball and we had a very good defense, and it was really smart to play the way we played.

“Now we have more skill players who are good perimeter players and I think we are doing what we need to do on offense to take advantage of that. Lane does a really, really good job of taking advantage of what players can do. I think that has benefitted us so far this season. But there’s a lot of things that we need to do better on offense.”

Saban concluded with: “My philosophy hasn’t changed at all, I’ve always asked for this,” and “In my opinion, we have not arrived as an offense, and he would be the first to tell you that. And I will tell you that too.”

Saban also announced on the show that junior running back Kenyan Drake is not expected to have any long-term negative problems from his fractured leg, and that junior linebacker Denzel Devall had surgery to repair ligaments in his ankle.

No. 7 Alabama vitis Arkansas on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).