Alabama football coach Nick Saban is glad his Crimson Tide do not have to face Florida State for a few more months.
"I don't think we're an elite team right now," Saban said in a news conference after Alabama's A-Day spring game Saturday afternoon. "I think we're kind of an adequate team, but I don't mean that in a negative way, because I think we've come out of spring a lot of years where we don't have an elite team."
As for the Sept. 2 matchup against the Seminoles in Atlanta's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
"We're going to be playing an elite team in the first game," Saban said.
JK Scott's 30-yard field goal on the final play propelled the Crimson to a 27-24 victory over the White on Saturday before an announced A-Day crowd of 74,326 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Scott's game-winner capped an eight-play, 58-yard drive led by starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, who rallied the Crimson from a pair of 14-point deficits in the first half.
Hurts, the reigning Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, completed 16 of 25 passes for 301 yards against the first-team defense with two touchdowns and an interception, which negated a 60-yard pass to Calvin Ridley on the Crimson's second possession. Hurts bounced back with a 65-yard touchdown strike to Robert Foster on the Crimson's third drive.
Improving Hurts as a pocket passer was the most publicized objective for the Crimson Tide this spring under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
"It's improved, and it will only get better," Hurts told reporters Saturday.
Saturday marked the first time Alabama fans could watch early enrollee Tua Tagovailoa, and the five-star talent from Honolulu delivered by completing 17 of 29 passes for 313 yards for the White against the second-team defense with three touchdowns and an interception. Tagovailoa played briefly for the Crimson, going 1-for-3 for 2 yards and enduring two down-by-contact sacks.
"We've got a good quarterback room," Hurts said when asked about Tagovailoa, "and it's not like I'm surprised that he had a positive day."
Said Saban: "Tua has played well in all the scrimmages, but he had two series with the ones where he went three-and-out."
Saban wasn't putting much into any of the statistics from A-Day, when the elusive Hurts sustained seven down-by-contact sacks. Freshman Najee Harris had a 19-yard gain on his first rush with the White team before finishing with 70 yards and averaging 4.1 per carry.
Sophomore Josh Jacobs led the Crimson rushers with 28 yards on seven carries, while freshman Brian Robinson had 21 on seven. Those two, along with Harris, did not have a single lost-yardage rush.
"There is not one part of the team that, when I watch the film, I'll say I'll be satisfied with," Saban said.
The A-Day crowd ranked ninth among the 11 since Saban's arrival in 2007. It's also the third-largest nationally this spring behind Ohio State (80,134) and Nebraska (78,312).
Alabama will play before a similar number on Labor Day weekend, when Saban faces former assistant coach Jimbo Fisher, who guided Florida State to the 2013 national championship and to an Orange Bowl victory over Michigan this past season.
"Jimbo is an outstanding coach who has done a fabulous job," Saban said. "He's one of the best offensive coordinators that I've ever had in college or pro."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.