Nick Saban to LSU WR Aaron Anderson: 'You'd be playing more here than you are there'
Alabama football's matchup vs. LSU had all sorts of storylines, but one that flew under the radar was that the Crimson Tide was facing a former teammate.
Receiver Aaron Anderson returned to Bryant-Denny Stadium as an LSU Tiger after he spent his freshman season with the Crimson Tide.
Anderson met up with Saban after the Crimson Tide won 42-28 on Saturday. Anderson did not have a catch in the game.
"You'd be playing more here than you are there," a smiling Saban told Anderson in a video captured postgame.
Anderson had played in 132 offensive snaps prior to the game against Alabama this season, per Pro Football Focus. He only saw 12 snaps vs. Auburn, six snaps vs. Florida State and 20 snaps vs. Arkansas.
He's part of a crowded receiver room with some of the best in the country in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. So it's not surprising that Anderson is not seeing significant snaps.
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But it's still more than what Anderson got in 2022 in one season with Alabama. He finished the year with three snaps. Anderson dealt with injuries at times during the season.
Back in August, Saban had been asked about the transfer portal and the players who decided to leave. He had an interesting quote.
"I'm not mentioning any names, but there's only like one player I was really like disappointed that the guy didn't stay here and I couldn't understand why he was leaving," Saban said.
Based on Saban's postgame comments to Anderson on Saturday, that quote from August gains some clarity.
Nick Kelly covers Alabama football and men's basketball for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nick Saban to Aaron Anderson: 'You'd be playing more here than you are there'
