"We don't practice at all": When Nick Saban spilled beans on his strategy to bring Alabama on track after long layoffs

Nick Saban, the legendary Alabama coach, made a name for himself with his smart plans and winning attitude. He has a strong reputation for winning by focusing on hard work and staying disciplined. His methods kept Alabama at the top of college football for many years.

In a 2022 interview, he was asked how he manages to keep Alabama sharp despite the long layoffs between the SEC championship game and bowl games.

“We would practice a couple times a week every week … By the time we played the game, everybody was sick of practicing, and we always played horribly,” Saban said (Timestamp: 5:22).

It wasn’t until LSU (2000-04) that he changed his philosophy, treating the layoffs like a “one-game season.”

"At LSU and here (Alabama), that's the way we've always done it, and we've had a lot more success," Saban said. "In other words, we don't practice at all."

Instead of overloading players with practices, he gave them time off, with only about 10 or 11 sessions before game day.

Saban's philosophy is clear:

"More is not better. You know, less is better. And it's worked out great for us."

The former Alabama coach advised teams to treat every big game like a one-game season, focusing on quality over quantity. This method brought Alabama plenty of success during his reign.

Nick Saban's exit shook Alabama's football program

Nick Saban’s retirement in January 2024 hit Alabama hard, like a surprise tackle. He built a winning team, but it didn't perform to the lofty standards that he'd set over the years. Not only did Alabama miss the playoff, but they lost 40-35 to the Vanderbilt Commodores while ranked No. 1.

Saban's announcement left many players scrambling.

“I was at the house; they posted it on social media," four-star offensive line commitment Dontrell Glover said. "I saw it, but I was like, 'Still going to stay at Alabama.'”

Glover reopened his recruitment and ended up signing with the Georgia Bulldogs. What made him switch teams?

“A few days later, Coach Wolf (Alabama offensive line coach Eric Wolford) called and said they fired him, so I opened my recruitment back up,” Glover said.

Wolford, a former head coach at Youngstown State, moved on to coach the offensive line at Kentucky.