Nick Saban pleased with play of secondary

Overall, Alabama coach Nick Saban likes what he saw from Alabama’s secondary during Saturday’s scrimmage. Saban said the group looked “a lot better” for the most part.

“We gave up a couple of big players toward the end, but I think all in all we were better,” Saban said. “I like the way the group plays. Having Eddie (Jackson) and Geno (Smith) at safety makes us a little more athletic, with a little more speed and a little more range on the field.”

From there, Saban listed a few players who are standing out. Veterans like Cyrus Jones and Maurice Smith continue to improve and grow into their roles.

Freshman cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick, who enrolled this summer, continues to be a young player who receives praise. Saban said Fitzpatrick has “certainly done a really, really good job.” Both Anthony Averett and Bradley Sylve have “done a good job” in Saban’s opinion. Even Marlon Humphrey, who was limited for a few days after pulling a muscle, will be a contributor this year.

“We have a lot of young guys that are starting to feel their oats, in terms of their confidence and understanding how to do things and why,” Saban said. “So it seems that that group was actually … they were better. We had several interceptions today, and that was a good thing.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2015 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Nick Saban pleased with play of secondary."