Nick Saban calls out Alabama for 'complacency' after Week 6 upset vs. Vanderbilt

No matter what happens vs. South Carolina, former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban recognized a pervasive issue that is plaguing the team he built an SEC dynasty at. He believes complacency has set in at a place where that was never tolerated. Nobody ever thought about cutting corners when Saban was at Tuscaloosa. Now Alabama is under fire under Kalen DeBoer...

During Saturday morning's edition of ESPN's College GameDay, Saban said that Alabama let its huge home victory over Georgia go to their head. A big head is what got them in trouble in Nashville vs. Vanderbilt. The same sort of issues emerged throughout their home game vs. South Carolina. Alabama can still make the playoff and win a national title, but they need to take a look into the mirror.

This statement from Saban on the College GameDay set is a slap in the face of his successor DeBoer.

“Well, you know, I saw a little bit of complacency, almost even arrogance, after the Georgia win," said Saban, h/t On3Sports. "And that creates a blatant disregard for doing what’s right, preparing wise, ready to play with the kind of balance you need psychologically to be able to compete at a high level. And you’ve got to respect every opponent."

Saban always had an ability to get his team ready to play, very rarely overlooking a single opponent.

“But I really do think that the thing I always preached to our team was it’s all about what you do. It’s all about how you prepare. And nothing that you’ve done in the past is ever going to impact what happens in the future. So that’s just a learning experience that you have to take with you so you can improve.”

His biggest takeaway was the Alabama defense not being locked in on third down vs. Vanderbilt.

“The big thing in the game to me was 12-of-18 Vanderbilt on third down conversions. I mean you cannot play anybody in the country and let them keep the ball that much. I mean 30 percent of third-down conversions would be like pretty good. 67 percent? Give me a break.”

Third down is where games are won and lost. Allowing Vanderbilt to extend drives was why they lost.

Nick Saban feels Alabama has become complacent under Kalen DeBoer

Look. This is only DeBoer's first season since taking over at Alabama. He has won everywhere he has been previously. Replacing the greatest head coach in college football history was never going to be easy. It may take a year or so, but I fully believe that DeBoer will re-establish the type of winning culture he commands at his new post of Alabama. Saban won seven games in year one at Alabama...

It has been a long few years since Alabama last won a national title. While they made it back to the playoff a year ago, 2020 feels like a lifetime ago. Besides getting up there in age, perhaps the biggest reason Saban decided to retire when he did was his inability to hire Jeremy Pruitt as his defensive coordinator after Pete Golding left for Ole Miss. Pruitt is still under a show cause after Tennessee...

DeBoer was always going to be up against it replacing Saban. While he had Saban's support in succeeding him, it is abundantly clear that the greatest head coach of all time does not roam the sidelines at Bryant-Denny anymore. In time, I firmly believe DeBoer will make it work for him, but I have a feeling he is going to be closer to Gene Stallings than he ever will be to Saban or Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Alabama can't afford to be complacent any longer, as the Third Saturday in October is on the horizon.