Nick Saban tried to motivate Alabama with rat traps to avoid Kentucky being a trap game

Alabama football got a big road win over Kentucky on Saturday, and it appears the team had some very unique inspiration to get it there.

After the 49-21 victory over the Wildcats, Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold shared that head coach Nick Saban had placed rat traps around the Crimson Tide facility this week to inspire his team not to fall for the possibility of Kentucky being a “trap game.”

Saban confirmed the sentiment in his postgame availability, saying that he was glad his team “didn’t buy into the rat poison” of a trap game, per On3 Sports’ Charlie Porter.

There are a lot of ways that setting out a bunch of rat traps around your football facilities can go horribly wrong, but it looks like them being taken as a football metaphor worked out in theory.

Alabama DB Terrion Arnold said Nick Saban set out rat traps around the practice facility this week — so they wouldn’t fall into the “trap” game and eat the rat poison before playing Kentucky.

— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) November 11, 2023

Nick Saban: "I was really pleased that the team didn't buy into the rat poison or whatever you want to call it. I actually this was a little bit of a trap game."

— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) November 11, 2023

Well, rat traps or not, Alabama had no trouble avoiding the “rat poison” of letting a spry Kentucky outfit get the best of it.

While we’d recommend a bit of a safer metaphor for next time, we’ll give Saban the benefit of the doubt that the message was received.