PHOTO: Nick Saban likely to be upset with Alabama fans after dominating of Arkansas State
By Jason Hall
Published:
Nick Saban likely won’t be pleased with many Alabama fans following the Tide’s drubbing of Arkansas State in Week 2.
AL.com’s Michael Casagrande tweeted a photo of the stadium on Saturday, which showed a significant decrease in attendance late in the game.
Many fans decided to leave Bryant-Denny Stadium early as the Tide cruised to a 57-7 victory, despite Saban having urged fans to stay through the entirety of the game earlier in the week.
They didn’t stay 60. pic.twitter.com/iOY3GATkCB
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) September 8, 2018
Saban has been critical of Alabama’s fans leaving early in the past, which included comments made prior to last season’s matchup against Ole Miss during his weekly radio show:
“And we ask our players, aight, to play for 60 minutes in the game, but yet I’m looking in the stands — now this never used to be this way — and the place is half empty by the time we get to the fourth quarter. So, why should the players play for 60 minutes if you’re not willing to stay committed to be a part of the team.
“You all want to be a part of the team when we win. Why don’t you stay committed for 60 minutes and stay there and support the players who are doing a hell of a lot more and working a lot harder to try to satisfy you and what you want than anything that you’re doing by staying at the game for a whole game?
“And can we create some noise and make it hard for this other team to operate when they have the ball? We put the noise on in the indoor on Thursday for the defense. We never used to do that, aight. So, the defensive players have to use hand signals now and can’t communicate because we make so much noise to keep the offense from hearing their signals, we can’t hear our signals. Well, we’re practicing that now. Well, how about making it worthwhile? That we need to be practicing because you’re willing to have a little enthusiasm in the game.”
Obviously, this likely won’t sit well with the six-time national champion.
Jason covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
