1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

He just sounds cranky now. Almost curmudgeonly.

I don’t like my Nick Saban cranky or whiny or complainy. Just coach football better than anyone else.

Because you’re going to need it this season.

Lost amid yet another rendition of “is this what we want college football to be” talk at the SEC spring meetings, and the sideways criticism of 3 (more) programs closing in on his empire, is that 2023 is Saban’s most important season at Alabama.

This season, with so many questions still unanswered and so much ground to make up on Georgia (and now maybe LSU and others), will go 1 of 2 ways for the greatest coach in the history of college football.

He’ll either find answers to critical questions and slow the rise of former lieutenant Kirby Smart and return the Tide to a championship level, or the whispers around the SEC will grow louder.

“If you’re not at least wondering if Kirby (Smart) has made the turn on (Saban), you’re not watching what’s going on,” an SEC coach told Saturday Down South.

Maybe that’s why Saban complaining about NIL and player movement rings so hollow, and sounds more like the move of a coach whose fortress is being penetrated on multiple fronts.

Two years ago, it was Georgia winning its first national title in 40 years, and the remarkable buildout from Smart — and how he made the Bulldogs in the image of Saban and Alabama. But there was hesitation, if only a bit.

Because the argument could be made that if Alabama’s 2 star wide receivers (Jameson Williams, John Metchie III) were healthy and played in the Playoff National Championship Game, it would’ve been a repeat of the SEC Championship Game when the Tide rolled the elite Georgia defense like no one had all season.

Whether or not it’s true, it was at least an out for those who refused to admit what Smart had built. It was — and nothing irks Saban more — an excuse.

A year later, with an experienced team and the best offensive player (QB Bryce Young) and defensive player (OLB Will Anderson) in the nation, Alabama didn’t even get out of its division.

Now Saban has to contend with not only Smart and a carbon copy of the monster he built at Alabama, but with Brian Kelly — 1 of the game’s best 5 coaches — recruiting, building and winning at LSU.

He has to do it all this fall with a brand new quarterback — and, at this time, he doesn’t have a clue who it will be. More to the point, Alabama’s quarterback room (more on that later) is in the bottom half of the conference.

We’ve somehow gone from the greatest Saban team ever in 2020, to rummaging around the spring transfer portal for the quarterback who lost the Notre Dame competition — and hoping he’s the answer.

From Jalen Hurts, to Tua Tagovailoa, to Mac Jones, to Bryce Young, to … Tyler Buchner?

Forget about NIL and free agency and “just make it the NFL.” Just coach football better than anyone else.

Before it’s too late.

2. To QB, or not QB

We’re in unchartered territory here. Never in Saban’s 16 seasons in Tuscaloosa has he had this much inexperience at the most important position on the field.

Maybe in 2009 with Greg McElroy, but he had been in the Alabama program since Saban arrived and knew the offense better than anyone — and players trusted him. He won a national title in Year 1.

Maybe AJ McCarron, who like McElroy, knew the offense and had the locker room. He, too, won a national title in Year 1.

Maybe Jake Coker, who transferred from Florida State and arrived at Alabama in 2014 with new OC/QBs coach Lane Kiffin, then started in 2015. He, too, won a national title in Year 1 as a starter.

But this feels different.

This is Jalen Milroe’s 3rd season, and he beat Texas A&M last season in his only start. This is Ty Simpson’s 2nd season, and the former 5-star recruit threw 5 passes in 2022. A couple of freshman signees (Eli Holstein, Dylan Lonergan) also tried this spring, and like Milroe and Simpson, didn’t separate from the pack.

That left Alabama to take a flier on Buchner, a former top-100 recruit who played for new OC/QBs coach Tommy Rees at Notre Dame.

The difference between McElroy, McCarron and Coker winning as first-year starters is they spent multiple seasons in the program, coached by the same OC/QBs coach (Jim McElwain, Kiffin).

Saban has never gone 3 consecutive seasons at Alabama without winning a national title. Yet he begins this season of the unknown in position to do just that, with the quarterback position completely unresolved and with a brand new OC and play-caller.

That the bar is not going 3 consecutive seasons without winning it all is utterly absurd. But Saban set that bar with his unrivaled success.

Now he has to reach it.

3. Season of questions, The Epilogue

There was a moment during the SEC spring meetings where it was apparent that Saban’s cranky attitude was more than about 9-game schedules, NIL and quarterbacks.

After his time at the podium speaking to the media, Saban stepped outside the room and let slip an obvious burr in his shoe: Smart isn’t the only coach (and program) closing in.

When he was asked about NIL and free player movement and how it will lead to more parity, Saban said, “You think parity is here? I think the way Southern Cal, Texas and Texas A&M are spending money … it hasn’t hit yet. What are you willing to spend?”

Saban doesn’t mention those 3 schools — USC, Texas, and Texas A&M — randomly. He sees the horizon.

He knows what Jimbo Fisher can do (he won a national title at FSU by elite recruiting and developing players), and he’s doing it again at Texas A&M (despite last year’s regression). He beat Saban in 2021, and nearly did it again in 2022.

Saban knows what Lincoln Riley accomplished at Oklahoma, and how he was an injury to QB Caleb Williams last year from winning the Pac-12 and advancing to the Playoff in his 1st season at USC. He knows Riley is in the most advantageous spot of all for NIL: smack in the middle of Hollywood, with deep pocket boosters.

Then there’s Steve Sarkisian at Texas. After 2 straight top-5 recruiting classes (and 2 No. 1 overall QB recruits in Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning), Sarkisian may be the coach to lift the Longhorns from more than a decade of underachieving.

He knows the impact of Sarkisian — his former OC/QBs coach of his greatest team ever at Alabama — much like he knew what Smart could do at Georgia.

Smart, Kelly, Riley, Fisher, Sarkisian. They’re all lining up, right next to Ryan Day (Ohio State) and Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) and old rival (Dabo Swinney) — who has his best team in 3 years.

Tennessee beat Alabama last year for the first time in 16 years. Ole Miss and former Saban assistant Lane Kiffin came oh so close, too.

While Saban is complaining about 3 permanent opponents, Kelly is proclaiming he came to the SEC for just this reason: play Alabama and coach against Saban. And beat him.

They’re all coming for him. The only way out is to coach better than he ever has before.

4. Fix, what fix?

There was a moment in the SEC coaches meetings earlier this month, when Smart brought up the potential problem of the transfer portal and the new 12-team Playoff that begins in 2024.

It’s a legitimate question: As it currently stands, the NCAA has 2 transfer portal windows: from Dec. 5-Jan. 18, and April 15-30.

The national championship game of the new Playoff will be played Jan. 19, and teams playing in that game will not only be preparing for the game — but still have players on the roster who may or may not make up their minds until the last day.

To which Kentucky coach Mark Stoops responded, according to one coach: “There’s no complaining from the yacht.”

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman sees 1 simple change to help schools get control of transfers and roster management: shorten the winter portal window to 2 weeks.

“If you’re going to the portal, I believe you know it a little while before,” Pittman said. “It’s like selling a house. ‘House coming for sale.’ That’s kind of what the kids are doing now.”

The 14 SEC schools signed 158 players from the transfer portal, with Auburn (20) and Ole Miss (20) leading the way, and Arkansas (18), LSU (14) and Texas A&M (14) rounding out the top 5.

5. The Weekly 5

The top 5 games to stress the Florida win total of 5.5.

1. Nov. 4, Arkansas: 1 of 3 home SEC games that can’t be lost, and a bad matchup with Arkansas’ ability to run with physicality from the running back and quarterback positions.

2. Nov. 18, at Missouri: The 3rd week of November in Columbia could mean freezing temps or even snow. Florida has better talent; the better QB is a push.

3. Sept. 16, Tennessee: Gators could have won last year in Knoxville and haven’t lost back-to-back games to Tennessee since 2003-04 when Ron Zook was coach. Prior to that? 1970-71.

4. Oct. 14, at South Carolina: More than likely, a desperate South Carolina team — which could already have losses to UNC, Georgia and Tennessee.

5. Sept. 30, at Kentucky: Wildcats have won 3 of the past 5, and are a handful of plays from winning 6 of the past 9. Last year’s win was the most dominating for UK since the 1970s.

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Tennessee TE McCallan Castles.

“Really excited to see him play at this level against SEC defenses. He played in a smart offense at (UC) Davis, and they got him the ball in space and he was a huge factor in the pass game. He’s athletic and has a wide catch radius. He’s a lot to handle because he’s more athletic than any safety or linebacker, and that’s going to force some teams to go small and play him with a nickel (cornerback). He’s 6-5, and he can still fill out that frame. Just huge upside, and now let’s see what he can do against the best ball at this level.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll: ranking the best quarterback rooms in 2023.

1. LSU: Jayden Daniels and/or Garrett Nussmeier would start for most SEC teams. Tigers can win the SEC with either.

2. Ole Miss: Coach Lane Kiffin wanted to push starter Jaxson Dart with 2 legit options behind him, and did. Then Dart got better in the spring. Spencer Sanders started 4 seasons at Oklahoma State, and had 87 total TDs (20 rush). Both will play.

3. Georgia: The QB competition wasn’t as close as UGA coach Kirby Smart publicly stated. Carson Beck has been ready for 2 years, and is that much ahead of Brock Vandagriff.

4. Tennessee: Stop thinking of Joe Milton III as the transfer from Michigan, or his 1st iteration at Tennessee. He’s not the same player. Nico Iamaleava, a 5-star freshman, is a key backup.

5. Arkansas: KJ Jefferson has been the most underrated player in the SEC the last 2 seasons. Year 3 could be a mega breakout (40+ totals TDs, 4,000+ total yards) season. Backup and UNC transfer Jacolby Criswell can win SEC games.

6. Texas A&M: Conner Weigman is a potential star — not only in the SEC, but nationally. Max Johnson won games at LSU and Texas A&M, and could start for a few SEC teams.

7. Mississippi State: We’ve seen what Will Rogers can do in the Air Raid. What happens in a more play-action, vertical-based offense? Vandy transfer Mike Wright is a solid dual-threat backup.

8. Kentucky: If NC State transfer Devin Leary returns to 2021 form, and UK protects, this will be the best offense under coach Mark Stoops. Kaiya Sheron is better than his uneven start last year vs. South Carolina.

9. Vanderbilt: AJ Swann will play in the NFL. He’s that good. If he played at Alabama, he’d start and be the latest elite Tide QB. Ken Seals is a solid backup with starting experience.

10. South Carolina: Who’s buying Spencer Rattler in 2023? Based on the last month of the season, why not? Luke Doty has won games in the SEC and is a solid backup.

11. Alabama: Tyler Buchner or Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson. Can new OC Tommy Rees do what Lane Kiffin did in 2015: Slowly develop a starter (Jake Coker), and get him playing his best (around an elite team) by the last month of the season?

12. Auburn: The late portal addition of 2-year Michigan State starter Payton Thorne — who has arm talent and has played well at times — could be enough to get Auburn to the postseason. Backup Robby Ashford is raw, but has dynamic talent.

13. Missouri: There are 3 options — Brady Cook, Sam Horn, Jake Garcia — and all 3 could be used by the time November rolls around.

14. Florida: Gators evaluated 24 quarterbacks from the portal and chose enigmatic Wisconsin starter Graham Mertz. Jack Miller is better than the Las Vegas Bowl start, but hasn’t proven he can win the job.

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: I heard what Coach Smart said about the players doing dumb things, and heard our president (Jere Morehead) on the Finebaum show saying he had complete confidence in Coach Smart. Why can’t the media believe it, and stop beating a dead horse? — Carly Donaldson, Miami.

Carly:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that at least 60 times, players were caught driving 20 mph or more over the speed limit — and exceeded the limit by more than 30 mph at least 14 times. And by 40 mph or more at least 7 times.

That’s not “doing dumb things.” That’s a disturbing trend.

Smart says players are being disciplined internally, which typically is coach-speak for extra conditioning. Morehead didn’t publicly sound the alarm with Smart, but I assure you he’s has made it clear to Smart that it can’t continue.

He has the best coach in college football, and the best program in college football. My guess is he told Smart it must stop — and the university will do whatever it can to help Smart get his arms around the problem.

This is more than players or college kids doing dumb things. Two people have died from speeding and racing-related incidents. Does there have to be another tragedy before this nonsense stops?

It’s a simple fix: If you’re ticketed for racing your car and/or speeding, you’re suspended for a game. If it happens again, you’re suspended for 3 games. If it happens a 3rd time, you’re off the team. It’s not that difficult to control.

The 1 power coaches still have over players in this new player-oriented era is playing time. And playing time translates to getting to the NFL — which is the No. 1 goal of a majority of players.

9. Numbers

256.4. Kiffin made his bones developing quarterbacks and calling plays. It’s his calling card.

Yet Ole Miss led Power 5 teams in rushing last year, averaging 256.4. yards per game. Expect that number to increase this fall — and not at the expense of more tread off the tires of star RB Quinshon Judkins, who was 8th in the nation with 274 carries and averaged 120.3 ypg.

Dart is a willing, tough runner (614 yards in 2022), but wore down in the last month of the season. Sanders has rushed for 628 yards in 2022 at Oklahoma State, and rushed for 1,956 yards in 4 seasons.

Only the service academies (Air Force, Army) averaged more yards per game than Ole Miss. That could change in 2023.

10. Quote to note

LSU coach Brian Kelly on staff continuity: “Isn’t it funny that continuity is defined as Year 2? Continuity wouldn’t usually be defined that way, but in this ever-changing world, that’s important.”