Nick Saban proud of lack of Sugar Bowl opt-outs, praises competitive spirit of Bryce Young, Will Anderson

Nick Saban is proud that his Alabama squad is entering the Sugar Bowl with its star players set on suiting up. Like many teams, UA has lost players to the transfer portal, but those departing for the NFL have decided they will play against Kansas State.

Bryce Young and Will Anderson headline the list of Alabama stars who will play in the Sugar Bowl. During his Friday media session, Saban said Young and Anderson’s decisions show they’re competitors.

Nick Saban on Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr.: “I can’t tell you how much I respect them as competitors”

— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) December 16, 2022

Saban on no opt-outs: “I’m extremely proud of these guys. We’re gonna support them in every way that we can. As an institution, we’ve minimized the risk of them playing in the game by insuring them the best that we possibly can so that they’re not taking a big risk by playing.”

— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) December 16, 2022

Even without opt-outs, Alabama is dealing with a lack of depth, especially on the offensive line, after seeing more than 10 players enter the transfer portal.

Watch Coach Saban’s Press Conference #RollTide | @AlabamaFTBL
https://t.co/OWygJ6fc4c

— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) December 16, 2022

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.