TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The storyline for No. 3 Alabama's 7 p.m. CDT game Saturday at No. 12 Florida is clear:
Mentor vs. protégé.
This will be the first time Alabama coach Nick Saban and first-year Florida coach Will Muschamp will meet as head coaches. Muschamp previously served on Saban's staff at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.
Saban was asked not one, not two, not three but four questions Monday about Muschamp.
1. What makes Muschamp a good coach and how often have they talked?
"Will is a good coach because he is a great teacher," Saban said. "He is a really hard worker. He has got about as much passion and enthusiasm as anybody that you're ever going to be around. He relates well with the players, and I think the players sort of feed off of his passion and enthusiasm in terms of the way he coaches and what he does. He believes in the fundamental discipline and hard work, commitment. Those types of things that are sort of fundamental to being successful. He has always done a great job.
"Will and I have a really good relationship. I talk to him on occasion. ... I don't talk to any coaches during the season. It's not because I don't like them or don't want to talk to them, but I'm busy trying to do what we are supposed to do. ... In the offseason, we talk quite a bit."
2. Does Saban see a lot of himself as a young coach in Muschamp?
"I can't jump up and down on the sidelines any more like he does," Saban said. "I can tell you that. Will probably, of all the guys that we have had on our staff through the years, probably worked the hardest, did the best job, had the most passion, was probably as well liked by the players as anyone.
"You go from college to pro ball and he actually called defenses in Miami for a year. Those pro players aren't very accepting of a guy, if he hasn't coached in the league before. It didn't take them long to gain full respect and confidence in Will because of the knowledge that he has and how thorough he is. I think that all players really appreciate when you help them play better. He is a good teacher, and he does a great job.
"It's been so long since I've been a young guy that I can't even remember, but I was a little volatile at the time too. I hope a little less volatile now."
3. How much of the similarities between the two coaches are from Saban's influence and how flattering is it to see the similarities?
"You'd have to ask him who influenced him," Saban said. "I respect him. He did a good job for me. I love the way he coached the players, and that energy and that enthusiasm is something that not everybody on your staff has to have. I think that having people who have different strengths makes a great staff. It is hard to find guys that have that kind of passion and intensity that relate well to everybody in the organization. You'd have to ask him how I influenced him. ... Will has been around a lot of really good coaches, and I'm sure that he has taken a little bit from all of them."
4. Has Muschamp influenced Saban?
"I think that just about every coach that you have association with, you learn good things and sometimes you learn maybe that's not how I want to do it," Saban said.
"That's never been the case with Will. I learn from all of the coaches that I'm with. Everyone is responsible for a better way.
"Everyone makes a contribution to make the organization better. Will certainly made it better in a lot of ways, but so have a lot of other good coaches that we have been fortunate enough to have on our staff, and we have several other good ones here with us now. We appreciate all that they do and all of the effort that they put in and all that Will has done for us."
Hightower grateful for depth at linebacker
As a freshman last season, inside linebacker C.J. Mosley returned an interception for a touchdown in a 31-6 victory over Florida.
But Mosley is questionable for Saturday's game with an elbow injury. He did not practice Monday. How will the Tide manage without him this time?
"The one good thing is we have a lot of depth everywhere," junior inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower said. "He's not going to be the equivalent - whoever it is - to Mosley, but we have a lot of depth. Guys can come in and play a lot of positions. It's been that way for a while. That's just the way Coach Saban recruits."
Florida nearly at full strength
Florida nearly will be at full strength Saturday. Quarterback John Brantley, running back Chris Rainey and right guard Jon Halapio left last week's game at Kentucky with injuries, but each is ready this week. So are tight end Jordan Reed, who hasn't dressed for the past two games, and wide receiver Andre Debose, who didn't dress for the Kentucky game.
The only player who is out is cornerback Jeremy Brown, who was injured in preseason camp.
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