Nick Saban continues to face questions regarding his decision to play Jermaine Burton last week following the receiver’s incidents with fans while walking off the field after Alabama’s game against Tennessee.
Following the Crimson Tide’s defeat to the Volunteers on Oct. 15, videos surfaced of Burton apparently striking multiple fans, including a female, on the field while making his way back to the locker room. Despite speculation that Alabama would suspend the receiver, Burton started against Mississippi State last weekend, recording a pair of receptions for 40 yards.
After the game, Saban explained that he didn’t feel it was necessary to suspend Burton, stating “If you knew the whole story, maybe you wouldn’t either.” However, the head coach did not divulge any more details regarding the incident.
During Wednesday’s SEC teleconference, Saban was asked about his decision process in suspending players and what message playing Burton sent to his team. He said the decision to play the receiver “didn’t have any issue with our team.”
“I think that everybody’s always looking at what you do,” Saban said. “I think the difference in what a lot of people think is, ‘Is discipline necessarily punishment?’ You punish your children only if you think that’s going to change them. Otherwise, you try to have them learn lessons from things that they do. That’s basically how we look at discipline and how we try to discipline our players.”
Following Alabama’s win over Mississippi State, Saban said Burton is in a counseling program, noting that it wasn’t for anger management. Wednesday the head coach said the team will continue that plan with the receiver moving forward.
The Crimson Tide is off this weekend. No. 6 Alabama (7-1, 4-1 in the SEC) will return to action next week when it travels to No. 18 LSU (6-2, 4-1) on Nov. 5 for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff inside Tiger Stadium.