TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It was a comment that didn’t just get the attention of fans but his teammates as well, which was why University of Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland said it during the Southeastern Conference’s media days last July.
“Guys aren’t scared to play us anymore,” he said. “Guys come in very happy, excited to play us. I used to see teams break down in the first half and just give up playing, so we've got to get that back.
“We have to get that back.”
For the most part, Alabama did that during the 2015 season, although the numbers may not have been what Ragland and head coach Nick Saban had wanted.