Nick Saban on going back to old-school power football: 'People have adapted to the spread'

Nick Saban was on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday in Tuscaloosa as he announced a weekly appearance throughout the season.

McAfee brought the shift in offensive approach this season, and he asked Saban if Alabama would return to the old-school power football approach that was a trademark of the early Saban teams at Alabama.

“It’s a transition that we want to make,” Saban said. “I think it’s happening all over in college football right now. You see more people getting into what you referred to as 12 personnel, 2 tight ends, 2 wides, run the ball. People have adapted to the spread. There’s still some great features that the spread gives you offensively: RPOs, spreading the field, advantage throws. But I think more people are getting back to running the football, and that’s what we wanted to do and have more balance in our offense this year and hopefully we’ll be able to do that.”

About Jalen Milroe, Saban said the quarterback has learned to process better and make better decisions, which minimizes his bad plays.

“He’s always had a tremendous capacity to make big plays, explosive plays, he’s one of the fastest guys on the team,” Saban said. “So when he pulls it down and takes off, it makes a difference and it creates problems for the defense.”