Hear What Nick Saban Said to Start Missouri Game Week

The second half of the regular season begins this week when Missouri comes to town for a homecoming game on Saturday.

The Tigers enter the week with the third-ranked offense in the SEC and could give Alabama some trouble when they square off under the lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"I think it's very important that we have a good week of preparation. I think this is by far the best offensive team that we've played to this point and certainly a very good front seven on defense. Difficult to run the ball against."

Saban said he's looking forward to having his team back at home in front of the Bama fans, especially for a special weekend like homecoming.

"It's always a great tradition to be a part of homecoming. I know there's a lot of spirit and a lot of people that come back and renew a lot of old memories and acquaintances that they've had in their experience at The University of Alabama.

Here's what else Saban discussed on Monday:

• Alabama DB Trevon Diggs suffered a broken foot against Arkansas and is out indefinitely.
• Alabama TE Kedrick James has a high ankle sprain.
• The importance of getting to the quarterback and getting sacks.
• How he decides on the gameplan for the quarterbacks and how they manage those two.
• How they'll deal with the Diggs injury in the secondary.
• Tight end Irv Smith's development and his effectiveness on offense.
• What has been the key to the offense getting off to a fast start in every game this season.
• Josh Jacobs' versatility for this team and what he does well.
• Is it important to be balanced to help control the ball and time of possession?

You can watch the full press conference in the video at the top of the page.