Saban’s Tide showing its physical side

NASHVILLE — Every week, it feels like Nick Saban is making some kind of return to some kind of something in college football.

Last week marked his first NCAA game since 2005, and this week, he coached his first Southeastern Conference match since 2004. It didn’t take long for two players to make a statement on his behalf.

On the second snap from scrimmage, linebackers Darren Mustin and Rolando McClain tracked down Vanderbilt quarterback Chris Nickson, wrapped him up and planted him on the ground.

Nickson got up — slowly, because of a pulled hamstring — and continued to play, but the damage had been done.

Saban was back in the Southeastern Conference, and this defense that he had labeled “soft” had come to hit — and hit hard.

“When you get any quarterback out of his rhythm, you control the game,” Alabama defensive end Gilberry said.

For the entire game, Nickson wasn’t just out of his comfort zone — he probably wouldn’t have been able to find it if you had pointed it out to him. And a lot of that had to do with Alabama’s defense.

Sensing the quarterback’s pulled hamstring, players were flying at Nickson from every angle, forcing him to make throws off his back foot and keeping him scrambling for yards on his own.

The key in any game against Vanderbilt is to be physical and wear down the Commodores’ offense. Every year, Vanderbilt boasts a few skill players who can play on most teams in the SEC, but it’s the depth that often kills a chance to win.

The Commodores can stick with teams for three quarters, but when the fourth rolls around, that is when the opponent sticks it to them.

Saban knew this, which is why he wanted to nail Vanderbilt whenever possible.

And despite giving up a total of 232 yards, Saban and the players were still bemoaning Vanderbilt’s touchdown drive in the fourth quarter as a mental breakdown.

Saban wondered outloud afterward whether his team could face that kind of situation in a close game and get the job done.

This is the weird part about him. Even in victory, it seemed as if Alabama had lost in some small way. In his postgame discussion with reporters, much of his focus was on what Alabama did wrong rather than what it did right.

Saban chewed out Terry Grant after gaining 53 yards in the first half. So Grant went out and gained 120 in the second half.

It’s this attention to detail that makes Alabama able to dominate an opponent like Vanderbilt.

The Commodores came in thinking they could beat Alabama for the first time since 1984. A team with 18 starters returning from a crew that lost 13-10 last year to Alabama on the road seemed like a reasonable pick for victory.

But Saturday, it was obvious the “Saban factor” is something that can’t be underestimated.

Saban knew what Vanderbilt’s weak points were and exploited them perfectly. He found a way to get to Nickson, prevented star receiver Earl Bennett from getting the ball, and watched his defense wear down the Commodores.

The Tide offense tired out Vanderbilt, too. The 10-play, 86-yard drive that broke the game open in the third and fourth quarters was clearly by design. Against a defense that was probably exhausted, offensive coordinator Major Applewhite called nine running plays.

While defeating Vanderbilt isn’t exactly a reason to puff out your chest, this sound victory showed this Alabama team is different from ones of recent years.

It hit hard, it maintained its intensity and it came out of Nashville with a decisive win. Next is Arkansas. How will Alabama do in that one? We’ll see.