Alabama coach Nick Saban had a few things to say after the Crimson Tide's blowout win over Southern Miss on Saturday.

Alabama, which defeated the Golden Eagles 52-12 to improve to 3-0 on the season, addressed a few minor injuries to some key players, Blake Sims' status as the starting quarterback moving forward and the legacy he hopes his players create during the 2014 season.

Below are some postgame quotes from Saban, Alabama players and Southern Miss:

Head Coach Nick Saban

“I thought we got off to a really slow start today. I didn’t think we had very much intensity to start the game. I don’t quite know why. We had a tough, good week of practice but it just seemed like the longer we waited to play, the more casual everybody got. I was really proud of the way our team responded, especially in the second half. I thought we put together two or three really good drives to start out the second half. Defensively, I thought we played well, but I also thought that we gave up too many plays that are the kinds of stops we’re going to need to make in the future. Those turn out to be explosive plays where we’re in pretty good position and should be able to make a play. I think that getting more turnovers and emphasizing that is going to be important. We’ve been doing a good job of taking care of the ball, but we need to be able to get more turnovers on defense. I thought the pass rush was pretty good. I don’t know about the sacks, but we affected the quarterback quite a bit. We’re going to have to do some things to improve our coverage. I think our special teams’ play was an asset for us. The one ball that took a bounce and hit one of our guys is kind of just the way the ball bounces sometimes. It was an awareness play and everybody learned from it. I think Christion (Jones) could have done a better job moving toward the ball instead of away from it and call everybody off. I don’t think people saw him giving the signal that he wasn’t going to catch the ball. Obviously, we have a lot of things that we can improve on. It’s going to be important that we do so because now we’re going to be in league play and playing some really good teams down the road. If the teams aren’t ranked in the top 25, they probably deserve to be. Every team that we play is going to be really good for a long stretch of time now. I think the players’ focus, attention to detail and good habits are going to be real keys to us improving as a team.”

On the secondary play tonight:
“(Jabriel Washington and Tony Brown) did some good things. They made some mistakes, things that they can learn from and get better. Jabriel isn’t a very big guy, but he certainly is a tremendous competitor for us. He’s been in the system for a long time so he knows what’s going on. Obviously losing Nick (Perry) for a half next week will create some situations for us at safety. We just have to work everyone and see how we end up. Now that we lost Jarrick [Williams], who’s a safety, and Nick for half a game, we are getting a little thin there, especially when those guys play star too.”

#6 Blake Sims, Quarterback

On the efficiency of the offense and how the game went:
“I feel like things went very well, but we can always get better. There are always mistakes and things that you can see on film to get better. Our main thing right now is to enjoy the win and come tomorrow afternoon to watch film and get ready for Florida.”

On the comfort level of playing with Amari Cooper:
“It’s always good to know that you have a guy that’s going to run for you. It really helps when everyone focuses on him you have other receivers to throw to. (Amari) Cooper does it very well, and he is great team player. He gives extra effort all the time and it’s good to have him and know that you always have someone open.”

#33 Trey DePriest, Linebacker

On the progression of the defense:
“I think we’ve taken two big steps the last two weeks building the identity that we want to build. It’s going to be a test coming into conference play. I don’t really know, I can’t answer that question, but I think we took two big steps getting to be the defense that we want to be.”

On his leadership role and calling plays on defense:
“It hasn’t really been different, last year I took a little leadership role with C.J. (Mosley). I just had to wait my turn, and now that it’s here, I’ve been training for it four years, playing behind the guys that I played behind and watching them, so from doing that is was really pretty easy.

#84 Brian Vogler,Tight End

On the play of the tight ends, the closeness of the group and tonight’s touchdown:
“We are a really humble group. I think we’ve been patient all year, and after that touchdown, to see all the tight ends right there waiting on me was a great feeling. We’ve been waiting for three games for that one and I think it’s going to be a fun time in the film room when we watch that one.”

On taking every game one at a time:
“I think we have a good team. I don’t think we are there yet. I think there is a lot of room for improvement. We’ve got a really high ceiling, a lot of great guys on the team, a lot of playmakers. We’ve had great teams in the past, but I think we have some really great playmakers on the outside and some really good guys that can run the ball and the offensive line is playing nasty. I think the room for improvement is definitely there. The ceiling is high and I can’t wait to see what we can do next week.”

SOUTHERN MISS QUOTES

Head Coach Todd Monken

“This doesn’t happen in Conference USA. I can tell you that. I’m proud of our guys. In the 15 years I’ve been a head coach, our guys have fought. A loss is a loss – I don’t care how you slice it. We kicked too many field goals.

“Early in the game we gave them third downs. They extended drives; they had a lot to do with that. They’ve got talented guys and good coaches, too. If you’re looking at reasons on how you can do it better and how you can put yourself in position to at least extend the game, that’s all you’re trying to do. ‘How can we stay in reach?’

“At one point, we had three opportunities: We had three field goals. They had four opportunities: They scored touchdowns. That’s the way it is. I don’t care who you play. You put yourself out of reach. That’s the way it is. I think our guys fought.

“We asked our guys to play physical. That’s a physical team. It always has been. They’re big and physical. We asked our guys to play physical, and I thought we did that.”

On passing the ball more tonight:
“Well, it’s hard to run on them, they have big son of a guns up front. It’s hard, it’s hard to push those guys around. It wasn’t the plan to not be balanced, but I think good football is balanced. It always has been and always will be. We had some things that we were looking to take advantage, actually I wouldn’t say take advantage, but we knew we had to make some plays on the perimeter. We knew we were going to have to do that – we ran it a bit better in the second half – but we’re going to have to run it better to give ourselves a chance. We did want to take some chances in this game and we did want to give our skill guys an opportunity to make some plays.”

On how the offensive line held up:
“They did fine, but it’s hard to say. (Quarterback) Nick (Mullens) does a good job of getting the ball out. I thought we schemed it up well trying to get the ball out, so that’s a part of it. Again, you’re trying to stay out of those situations to where you’re throwing it on the third and extra long, and on those third and long situations, for him to not hold it so much. Late in the second quarter, we called a timeout to get us out of a throw that was going to be down the field. We wanted to see if we could get it to somebody who could make a play in space.”

#9 Nick Mullens, Quarterback

On how the offensive line’s play helped his confidence:
“They did a great job tonight. I think they really work hard as a unit. The communication was there. Cameron Tom is a genius at center. He does a really good job of communicating and getting the O-line in the right protection. I think it starts with him, and they work very well as a unit. I think you’ll see progress every week.”

On playing in his home state of Alabama:
“It was great, a great opportunity. We actually stayed right in Hoover, enjoying that and that atmosphere. Coming back to Bryant-Denny Stadium, I think the last game here for me was Cam Newton’s Iron Bowl. It was pretty cool to be able to come back, to see this atmosphere, feel this atmosphere, and hearing ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’ Those are the types of things you hear as a kid, and to be able to hear that while you’re playing the football game, and playing a great team like Alabama, is a very incredible opportunity for me and the team.”

#11 Kalan Reed, Defensive Back

On defending Alabama’s receivers, specifically Amari Cooper:
“It was fun. You always want to compete, and he’s obviously one of the best in the country, if not the best. It was good to see where I was. It was fun to go out there and compete.”

On his big plays and his confidence:
“It starts in practice. We might have went over that play 20 times in practice. The defensive line got pressure on him and then the quarterback just threw it up and I was there where I was supposed to be. It just happened like we did in practice. It’s repetition.”

Watch the other post-game interviews:

Quarterback Blake Sims:

Safety Landon Collins:

Wide receiver Amari Cooper:

Cornerback Cyrus Jones:

Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken:

Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens:

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