Watch: Nick Saban smashes headset over Alabama penalties
Even with his team up by 18, Nick Saban has no patience for mistakes.
Saban lost his cool after three Alabama Crimson Tide penalties, two by offensive lineman Jedrick Wills, stalled a promising drive. One of those penalties, an illegal formation call due to Wills being off the line of scrimmage, nullified a touchdown.
First, it was a low-key tonguelashing as the mistakes mounted.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 30, 2018
After the third penalty, a false start that saw Alabama snap the ball later than Saban wanted, he removed his headset and smashed it on the ground.
Saban f'ing kidding me pic.twitter.com/plJh7eLH64
— arcusD ᴿᴵᴾ ᴹᵃʳᶜᵘˢᴰ² (@_MarcusD3_) December 30, 2018
As the penalty was sorted out, Saban came onto the field and laid into his team for their lack of discipline, as the Crimson Tide ultimately had to settle for a field goal.
Nick Saban is MAD!!!! #OrangeBowl pic.twitter.com/cmQSy49rrO
— Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) December 30, 2018
Saban is a notorious perfectionist. Three penalties on one drive that ultimately cost the team a touchdown in a College Football Playoff semifinal is the perfect combination of things to make him go off the rails, even if his team is up 28-10.