College football coaches are going to use every advantage possible to win a game, including the ‘Tush Push’ play, and Nick Saban is no exception. However, it kind of made him look like a hypocrite.
The Tush Push is one of the most prominent points of contention in sports today. More specifically, it is the Eagles’ Brotherly Shove/Snoopy play that is under fire.
For those who don’t know by now, the concept is simple. Offenses line up in a heavy bunch formation on short yardage situations and run a quarterback sneak. The “tush push” stems from a running back or fullback, or sometimes another offensive lineman, that helps to drive the quarterback forward.
Here are Eli and Peyton Manning to break it down:
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the play and whether it should be banned for two reasons:
- It is virtually impossible to stop if executed correctly
- A massive pileup could be a concern for player safety
Saban agrees with the second of two points, not necessarily the first. He said so earlier in the week leading up to Saturday’s college football game against Arkansas.
Nick Saban doesn’t love the Tush Push, or so he said!
We’ve tried to make a lot of rules in the last few years that are intended to enhance player safety. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a play when people are running into the pile and aggressively pushing the pile forward, that is enhancing player safety […]
From a competitive standpoint, everybody can do it, so it really doesn’t matter. It’s not a competitive advantage or disadvantage one way or the other. But I do think there may be a conversation about how it can impact player safety in terms of doing that kind of aggressive pushing (of) the pile.
— Nick Saban during a press conference on Wednesday
Well, apparently his safety concerns are not significant enough to not use the play as a competitive advantage. Just three days after floating the idea that a Tush Push ban (or rule change) might be worth a conversation, Saban called a Tush Push.
Alabama was set up in formation on 2nd-and-goal from the 1.5-yard-line. Jalen Milroe took the snap and powered his way into the end zone with help of a big push on his tush.
Obviously, Saban feels like the Tush Push gives his team the best chance of moving the ball in short-yardage situations. That’s a completely rational thought. You play to win the game
With that being said, it’s a little bit hypocrital to denounce the play over safety and then call it in the very next game. Which one is it?!