Nick Saban Gets Closer To Magic Number With Help From Reality

People have often criticized Alabama Coach Nick Saban for signing more players than he actually has slots to offer.  Yet somehow it all works out by kickoff day. 

It seems things will work out this year too. 

With the transfer of Prince Hall, who never escaped Saban's doghouse, as well as the medical scholarship of Jennings Hester, a Shula signee at linebacker, Saban had been coming closer to the magic number.

Then Kellen Williams went to do play in a charity basketball game, proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. 

A freak twist and a torn ACL later, Williams knew there would be no football for him this fall.

"I was looking forward to the opportunity to contribute early," Williams said. He was surprised to hear that offensive line coach Joe Pendry was planning on using him at center to possibly back up starter William Vlachos.

But that won't happen this year, even though Williams is recovering nicely and walking without a limp at this point.

As a result, this year's medical red shirt will not count against the number of players on scholarship and the number clicks down one more for Saban.

"I don't want to say a bad word in front of all of you," Saban once joked. "Let me just say reality happens instead of the other word. Some guys make the grades, some don't.  Some guys practice and play for five years and never get hurt, some don't.  Some spend their entire careers with you and some don't and transfer. To ignore that and sign the minimum number is to fly in the face of reality."

In the end, at least so far, he's been right about that and the numbers have all worked out.

Did Saban rub his crystal ball and foresee a basketball injury in a charity game? 

No.

He just realizes that "reality" happens to the best of us.