Saturday will be the 10th Iron Bowl for Nick Saban as Alabama's football coach.
Saban's Crimson Tide rolled to a 36-0 victory in 2008 and led the 2012 game 49-0 after the first possession of the third quarter. Yet Alabama also led the 2010 game 24-0 before losing 28-27, and nobody associated with the rivalry needs reminding about the "Kick Six" finish of 2013.
Given the different outcomes Saban has experienced, is he ever nervous before facing the Tigers or any other prominent foe?
"I don't know if nervous is the right word," Saban said Wednesday night in a news conference. "I think you stay a little uptight, or at least I do, until I feel like the players have got it in terms of understanding what they need to do and that you've had enough repetitions to get things right.
"When the game starts, you're totally involved in the game and trying to make adjustments to whatever is happening, so you're worrying from play to play, but you're not really nervous. I would be more concerned that you've got your players ready to play well."
The Crimson Tide practiced Wednesday for more than two hours in full pads, and Saban said afterward that left tackle Cam Robinson and right guard Korren Kirven went through the workout and will play Saturday if they continue to progress. Robinson and Kirven suffered shoulder injuries during the fourth quarter of last weekend's 31-3 victory over the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Backup tailback Bo Scarbrough is practicing as well after missing the past two games with a knee injury, but Saban did not project whether he could play this week.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Wednesday that Sean White has practiced this week before adding, "We've not made the call on our starting quarterback yet." Jeremy Johnson started last week's 55-0 win over Alabama A&M for the Tigers and started last year's 29-13 loss to the Tide when White was injured.
The Tigers also have John Franklin III, who has played in all 11 games and has 38 rushes for 400 yards (10.5 per carry).
"They're all a little bit different, but they're all very effective in terms of their style and how they play," Saban said. "Sean White is the most effective guy throwing the ball consistently to go with their running game, but he can also pull the ball on some quarterback runs and make plays. We respect each and every one of them."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.