Is there a civil war within Tuscaloosa? Both Alabama football coach Nick Saban and basketball coach Nate Oats are adamant that's not the case.
Saban's recent comments have sparked speculation that he took a shot at Oats and his handling of legal troubles implicating basketball star Brandon Miller.
In Saban's decision to suspend cornerback Tony Mitchell over his arrest due to a drug charge, he said, “Everybody's got an opportunity to make choices and decisions” and continued further stating, “There's no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
His statement, indirectly or not, contradicted Oats's assessment of Miller's situation. The freshman standout was not named a suspect like ex-Alabama basketball teammate Darius Miles for the murder of Jamea Jonae Harris on January 15th, but was at the scene when it occurred. Oats deemed his involvement as being “in the wrong spot at the wrong time.”
Nick Saban has since responded to the notion he was taking a sideswipe at his fellow Alabama coach, claiming he “doesn't watch basketball coaches' press conferences” and that he spoke independently of any outside factors.
Amidst all the controversy, Oats revealed that he had since had a conversation with Saban and has nothing but respect for his colleague, via ESPN:
“I've got a ton of respect for him,” Nate Oats said during a Thursday news conference. “He has been tremendously supportive of our program since he got here. He says it all the time. He wants the entire athletic department to do well. He has been at multiple games this year.”
Alabama has a chance to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight, as their basketball program takes on San Diego State on Friday night.
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