2013 Tide struggled with unity, Bama leaders explain how they fixed the problem

[Jamos]

In the past, these moments were "awkward" for Brian Vogler.

The Alabama tight end would see a teammate in public — a player he didn't know quite as well — and he wasn't sure how to handle it. He wouldn't go so far as to say there was a chemistry problem with the 2013 Crimson Tide, but Nick Saban and his teammates have said there were issues that caught up to that group.

So they've emphasized the intangible quality of togetherness this summer.

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[Jamos]

This problem was very obvious as the season started last year and only mushroomed as the season went along. I still wonder why a chance at winning three National Championships in a row couldn't draw the players together as a winning team rather than what we saw and heard from the players. 

[2Stater]

"Do we have the right kind of chemistry to overcome adversity, to be the kind of relentless competitor that you need to be to sustain the season in our conference? Saban asked. "All those things remain to be seen, but that's the things that I'm most encouraged about is the way they go about their work and what they try and do."

We've all read a lot about this. I truly hope the team has bought in. Could be a special season.

[Jamos]

"Do we have the right kind of chemistry to overcome adversity, to be the kind of relentless competitor that you need to be to sustain the season in our conference? Saban asked. "All those things remain to be seen, but that's the things that I'm most encouraged about is the way they go about their work and what they try and do."

We've all read a lot about this. I truly hope the team has bought in. Could be a special season.

At least they are talking about what the problem was openly now and that should help this years team. I didn't realize the players were such "groupies" but that seems to be the case. I guess when you have over 100 players you never get to know them all.

[Bandit]

Thanks Jamos, Good article.

To me team chemistry is everything. Negative people are like bad apples, they can ruin the whole bunch. And sometimes with young kids, they see being negative about the team as the cool thing to do. Sounds like this team has gotten that turned around and made negativity not so popular. This new chemistry will be tested when the team faces adversity and we'll see if they point fingers at each other like last year, or really do lean on each other and push through to victory.

[Catch Prothro]

"Do we have the right kind of chemistry to overcome adversity, to be the kind of relentless competitor that you need to be to sustain the season in our conference? Saban asked. "All those things remain to be seen, but that's the things that I'm most encouraged about is the way they go about their work and what they try and do."

We've all read a lot about this. I truly hope the team has bought in. Could be a special season.

At least they are talking about what the problem was openly now and that should help this years team. I didn't realize the players were such "groupies" but that seems to be the case. I guess when you have over 100 players you never get to know them all.

One thing I wonder about is when you have guys competing for playing time, they aren't always going to get along or handle the matter as maturely as some of the players (like RBs) have demonstrated in the past.  It must be hard to achieve a balance between competition and the collective when the two seem, on the surface, to be diametrically opposed.  (no politics here.)

[Catch Prothro]

"Do we have the right kind of chemistry to overcome adversity, to be the kind of relentless competitor that you need to be to sustain the season in our conference? Saban asked. "All those things remain to be seen, but that's the things that I'm most encouraged about is the way they go about their work and what they try and do."

We've all read a lot about this. I truly hope the team has bought in. Could be a special season.

At least they are talking about what the problem was openly now and that should help this years team. I didn't realize the players were such "groupies" but that seems to be the case. I guess when you have over 100 players you never get to know them all.

One thing I wonder about is when you have guys competing for playing time, they aren't always going to get along or handle the matter as maturely as some of the players (like RBs) have demonstrated in the past.  It must be hard to achieve a balance between competition and the collective when the two seem, on the surface, to be diametrically opposed.  (no politics here.)

Saban's answer (on the team unity question) is leadership, something the team apparently lacked last year. 

Saban also said that, when he first got to Bama, the players recruited wanted to be part of building something, restoring Bama's greatness, whereas the current crop of recruits wants to be part of something already existing, to share in the shine.  That is a different mentality, work is required to build something.  Apparently some of the highly-sought recruits, now players, didn't get the memo, work is still required.

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