Nick Saban weighs in on pass interference controversies, explains how Alabama DBs try to avoid flags
By Adam Spencer
Published:
There have been a number of controversies surrounding SEC officiating in recent weeks, with many coaches and players unhappy.
Pass interference calls are always difficult to make, and refs seem to be making the wrong calls in big situations.
On Wednesday night, Alabama coach Nick Saban was asked about it, saying he understands it’s a tough call for officials to make. However, he added that he teaches his defensive backs to play the ball to try to avoid flags:
Saban: “There’s a lot of speculation in the NFL and college football, ‘How do you call pass interference? What is pass interference?’”
He recognizes it’s a judgement call, but preaches playing the ball will limit the PI penalties.
— Brett Hudson (@Brett_Hudson) October 23, 2019
Saban on avoiding pass interference penalties: "What we try to do is get our guys to play the ball."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) October 23, 2019
The Tide have been flagged an SEC-high 53 times through seven games, but obviously, not all of those were pass interference flags.
Still, Saban will likely want his team to play cleaner and avoid penalties moving forward as the schedule gets tougher.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
