Alabama made quick work of Louisiana Monroe in Week 4’s 34-0 win, but perhaps the Crimson Tide’s most important game of the season looms large in Week 5.

Here is a recap of what Alabama head coach Nick Saban said at his weekly presser on Monday in advance of Saturday’s game at Georgia:

  • Opening comments praised the shutout win against ULM last week: “It was obviously a good win for our team… I was really pleased with the way our guys responded in that game.”
  • Injury update: DL Jonathan Allen will practice this week. DB Jabriel Washington should be available this week. He practiced last week.
  • First comments on Georgia: “Arguably one of the best teams in the country… I’m talking about a total, complete team.”
  • On taking his team on the road to Athens: “It’s going to be challenging to go on the road and play a team like this, but our team is excited about the challenges that we have.”
  • On Alabama secondary: “We’re getting better and better each week. It’s well-documented that we made some bad decisions against Ole Miss that cost us … but we have a lot of belief in them.”
  • On Georgia DC Jeremy Pruitt: “I have a tremendous amount of respect for him … Obviously he was a player here and did a fabulous job in his time here.”
  • Update on freshman RB Bo Scarbrough: “Bo is ready to play. He’s been practicing. He’s been cleared medically, his suspension is over and we’ll work hard to try to create a role for him. It may take some time to work him back in, but that’s the plan.”
  • On Georgia RB Nick Chubb: “Nick Chubb is very strong, physical, fast, explosive and he’s got power. He’s a complete back in every sense of the word … This guy is by far the best back we’ve played against all year long.”
  • Saban said that Wisconsin’s style of play is the most similar to Georgia’s that they’ve seen this season. Said he will try to get his team back to the mindset it was in to stop that three weeks ago.
  • On similarities in Georgia’s approach and Alabama’s approach: “They look a lot like some of our teams from the past. They’re very physical, don’t make a lot of mistakes and don’t beat themselves much … That’s always been the type of team we’ve aspired to have here, and that’s what I see from them there.”
  • On QB Jake Coker: “I think Jake has improved and played well.” He mentioned six drops in the last game, saying that’s why stats don’t tell the whole story on a QB’s play sometimes.
  • On the element that Georgia QB Greyson Lambert adds to Bulldogs offense: “He has done a good job of creating balance for them with his efficiency as a passer, with the skill players that they have … He’s very accurate with the ball, makes really good decisions, gets rid of the ball quickly and has been very, very effective. So it’s going to be very challenging for us. Any time you play a team that just runs the ball, you can do some things. If you play a team that just passes the ball, you can do some things. But, when they can do both it makes it a little bit more difficult. There’s not much of a cheat sheet going in. You’ve just got to play good, sound football.”