Alabama head coach Nick Saban has finally responded to the car crash involving one of his former players’ Henry Ruggs III.
Saban, in a press conference held Thursday evening, told reporters that he is pleading with his players that they use Ruggs tragedy as a lesson to ‘make good choices.’
"I think this is something that a lot of folks can learn from -- I think a lot of players on our team," said Saban, who coached Ruggs from 2017 to 2019 at 'Bama. "When we say challenge people to make good choices and decisions -- do the right thing. Because sometimes the consequences can be devastating. And these consequences are going to probably be pretty devastating to Henry."
Despite Ruggs being released by the Las Vegas Raiders and possibly facing a lengthy prison sentence, Saban said he and the rest of the Crimson Tide roster are still supporting Ruggs – despite the wideout allegedly driving at a speed of 156 mph with a BAC of .161 before he crashed into a woman killing her and her dog Tuesday morning.
“We love him," Saban said of Ruggs. "We're going to support him through it.
But we also have a lot of compassion for the victims and our thoughts and prayers are also with them."
Ruggs made a name for himself at Alabama accounting for 1,716 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in three seasons in Tuscaloosa, winning a national championship in 2017. This was good enough to get him drafted with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Raiders. The 22-year-old was released from the organization following the news of his crash.
"Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to all involved in this tragic situation, especially the victims," Saban said. "Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with them. But our thoughts and prayers are also with Henry, his family."
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