Nick Saban sounds off on reporters for not taking The Citadel seriously

The No. 1 team in the country is 10-0 Alabama. This weekend, the Crimson Tide take on The Citadel — a team that is very much not the No. 1 team in the country.

This could be a great opportunity for Alabama to rest players for Week 13’s Iron Bowl and then the SEC title game against Georgia the following week, right?

No, according to Nick Saban, who is tired of reporters asking him about resting players against The Citadel, who he insists the Tide are taking seriously:

Saban: “We’re not going to take the approach that any opponent we play is not going to be competitive. That may be your mindset. It’s not my mindset, and i’m not going to take your suggestion on how I should manage this team.”

— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) November 12, 2018

It’s easy to see where Saban is coming from — it would be incredibly embarrassing if Alabama lost to a team like The Citadel because they weren’t prepared.

However, after star QB Tua Tagovailoa left Saturday’s win over Mississippi State following a hit to his injured leg, it’s also important for reporters to ask about Saban’s plans for his top players heading into the game.