Nick Saban Responds to Hugh Freeze’s Spring Game Challenge

Getty Nick Saban addressed Hugh Freeze's proposal for intrastate spring game scrimmages between Division I Alabama schools

Nick Saban responded to Hugh Freeze’s idea for an updated spring game for all Division I schools in Alabama with cautious support for the Auburn head coach’s call for the likes of Alabama and Auburn to play UAB and Troy, or vice versa. Saban shared during an April 7 press conference that he’s all for the idea if it helps people.

“I didn’t know anything about that,” Saban prefaced before saying, “We’re always interested in helping people any way that we can. If that’s the purpose of what they’re doing, that’s certainly a good thing and we try to do a lot of things to create opportunities for people in our foundation and will continue to do that. If there’s something along those lines in the spring game that would be helpful to somebody, I think it’s a great idea.”

Saban said that such scrimmages could be helpful for the development of young players looking to build their on-field awareness.

“Sometimes in practice when coaches are helping guys, trying to help them do the right things, they can actually depend on somebody telling them what to do,” Saban said. “We’d like for them to know what to do, because sometimes you can’t always communicate that, even if it’s another player trying to help a player. I think those kinds of things in scrimmages are really beneficial to young guys that are developing.”

Hugh Freeze’s Pitch For Improved Spring Games in Alabama

Freeze’s idea of the state of Alabama’s Power Five programs pairing up with Group of Five programs for a spring scrimmage was pitched to reporters during an April 3 press scrum ahead of Auburn’s April 8 A-Day spring game.

“I’m going to cry again for the solution,” Freeze said. “The solution is: Allow us to scrimmage somebody on A-Day. Another team. I think everybody would get out of it exactly what they want. To me, it makes too much sense not to do it, but I haven’t heard any traction for it.”

Freeze believes people that would sorely need the help could potentially benefit from the revamped spring game idea.

“I just think it would be great for the sport,” Freeze said. “I think it’d be awesome…. For the life of me, I just don’t understand why we haven’t got to the point where we can pull that off and do something that’ll be helpful to some organization in each state. If every state did this, man, we could make an impact on some people that need it. That would be my idea. Until that happens, I think all of us are going to be very guarded.”

Troy and UAB Coaches Into Hugh Freeze’s Spring Game Idea

UAB’s head coach, Trent Dilfer, and Troy’s head coach, Jon Sumrall, both sounded into Freeze’s spring game idea to varying degrees.

Dilfer was all in.

“Pretty, pretty, pretty please,” Dilfer told reporters on April 4. “Yes, yes, of course. Hugh’s right. Whether you’re Auburn or Alabama, you’re looking for live competition, you’re looking to not play yourself. If you’re UAB or Troy, you’re looking hopefully to play people that are perceived to be much better than you so you can use it as a test to see where you’re program is at.”

Sumrall was interested — but with a caveat.

“I wouldn’t have a problem with it,” Sumrall told 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello. “I’d go play. Do you get caught up in preparing for the game more than just using spring as a developmental time for individuals — and for experimenting, adapting and growing within your systems on offense, defense and in the kicking game? Those are the only drawbacks I see.”