SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE: Alabama running back Damien Harris, who rushed for a career-high 151 yards (12.6 yards per carry) and scored a career-high three touchdowns at Vanderbilt.DEFENSIVE: Florida defensive lineman Cece Jefferson, who recorded five tackles and a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss during the Gators' 31st consecutive win over Kentucky.SPECIAL TEAMS: Texas A&M's Christian Kirk, who returned a kickoff 100 yards for his sixth career return for a score during the overtime win over Arkansas.FRESHMAN: Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, who improved to 3-0 as a starter by completing 9 of 12 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns against Mississippi State.OFFENSIVE LINE: Alabama guard Ross Pierschbacher, who graded out at 90 percent on an offense that amassed 496 rushing yards and 677 total yards in the 59-0 win at Vandy.DEFENSIVE LINE: Auburn's Marlon Davidson, who had four tackles, a tackle for loss and a 33-yard fumble-recovery advance in the 51-14 trampling of Missouri in Columbia.- David Paschall
Alabama football coach Nick Saban is recognized as one of the most driven-to-succeed figures in all of sports.
On Monday he gave out a bunch of participation trophies.
Less than 48 hours after his top-ranked Crimson Tide traveled to Nashville and dismantled previously undefeated Vanderbilt 59-0, Saban and his assistant coaches awarded every offensive and every defensive traveler to Saturday's slaughter as a player of the game.
Alabama racked up 677 yards against the Commodores and held them to 78, with the 599-yard differential representing the largest in the Tide's storied history.
"Our players did a really good job of competing in the game, and they executed really well," Saban said Monday afternoon in his weekly news conference. "It was probably the best we've played overall all year long. Everybody was sort of united in that this was one of those trips where everybody accepted the challenge of defeating the opponent, and that was their focus.
"Hopefully we can continue to improve as a team."
The Southeastern Conference on Monday tabbed Alabama junior running back Damien Harris as its offensive player of the week and redshirt junior guard Ross Pierschbacher as the offensive lineman of the week.
Alabama (4-0, 1-0) will be back inside Bryant-Denny Stadium this Saturday night to host Ole Miss (2-1, 0-0). The Rebels had last weekend off after losing 27-16 at California on Sept. 16.
Saban was quick to point out that Ole Miss has won two of the past three meetings against the Tide and added that Rebels sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson and his stellar crop of receivers will be a difficult task for his defenders.
"Hopefully we can continue to improve as a team," Saban said.
Saban and several Tide players were asked their thoughts Monday about the national anthem demonstrations that took place Sunday throughout the National Football League. They were very measured in their responses, given the delicate climate.
"I'm just a football coach, and I don't keep up with all that stuff as much as everybody else does, especially during the season and when we're playing games," Saban said. "To me, some of the things that we do in our country when I grew up, they were unifying events, and it's a little painful to see that those things are not so right now. I also respect everyone's rights not to be censored in terms of the way they express their beliefs. I'm just a coach. I don't have the answers to all the questions."
Said Harris: "I think everybody has some thoughts on it, whether you're for or against or whatever your stance may be. I don't really think now is the time to discuss that."
Tide tidbits
Alabama is outscoring opponents this season 55-3 in the first quarter. ... The Crimson Tide's game Oct. 7 at Texas A&M will have a 7:15 p.m. EDT kickoff and will be televised by ESPN. ... Saban on Alabama not turning the ball over for 30 consecutive quarters: "It's good, but the ball was on the ground three times in this last game. They didn't get them, so we didn't turn it over, but the ball wasn't on the ground any in the other games."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.