Nick Saban gives transparent response when asked about JC Latham

After Evan Neal and Chris Owens left the program, offensive tackle is a position of concern for the Alabama Crimson Tide heading into fall camp. Head coach Nick Saban is in a rare situation where questions marks are present regarding the offensive line, especially at the two most important positions.

JC Latham is one of the guys competing for a spot, specifically at right tackle. Spending time playing right guard last season, Latham is expected to bounce outside and be a key figure in protecting Bryce Young this year. Saban talked about the progress the second-year offensive lineman is making throughout the spring. Although the head coach started with a positive message, he ended up giving a transparent response regarding Latham.

“I think JC has made a lot of progress,” Saban said. “I think he’s a lot more confident. He certainly has the ability and the more knowledge and experience he gains, the better he’s going to get. We’re not satisfied with where he is but we’re pleased with the progress that he’s making. He’s one of those guys that needs to continue to focus on his development.”

Latham entered the program as one of the highest-rated recruits in the country. According to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services, Latham was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect, checking in at No. 3 in the country. He was the top overall offensive tackle and No. 1 in the state of Florida after attending IMG Academy.

During his freshman season, Latham saw game action in all 14 matchups. While most of the playing time was on special teams, he was a huge factor in the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup, replacing an injured Emil Ekiyor. With an increased role expected, Latham has more work to do over the summer and fall camp according to Saban.

Nick Saban on what he learned fro the Alabama spring game

Saban spoke on the field immediately after the Alabama spring game finished, commenting on what he learned from the day. Team White defeated Team Crimson 25-7 in the annual A-Day Game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, giving Saban plenty of information to work with about how his players performed in game-type situations.

“I think you learn about your team all season long, but today was a day that you really see showtime,” said Saban after the game. “You know, who can play, who couldn’t play. Who could go out there and be responsible to do the things that they needed to do to play winning football. We’re gonna learn a lot about the guys that did that. Obviously we had a tough time blocking the pass rush, too many sacks. So we’ve got a lot of things to work on. But it’s good to know. And we’ve got other good players that we’re trying to get in there so we do better in the fall.”