-- Nick Saban's whirlwind day at ESPN's studios in Bristol, Conn., has come to an end.

So what did we learn?

Well, it's clear that Saban continues to be the de facto spokesman for SEC coaches. On nearly every platform, he was asked

. He also touched on a number of other big-picture issues in college football, most of which were thoroughly covered at SEC Media Days.

But hey, there was some actual Alabama football stuff discussed during the four-hour marathon session. Here were some of the highlights.

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Michigan

for its season opener with Alabama, but dynamic, dual-threat quarterback Denard Robinson will still have to be accounted for on every play.

Robinson, a senior, threw for 2,173 yards and ran for another 1,176 in 2011. Though Alabama has been largely successful at shutting down mobile quarterbacks in the past, Robinson presents a unique challenge. There simply isn't anyone in the SEC -- or the country, for that matter -- that plays the way he does.

So how does Alabama plan to stop him?

"You got to be very disciplined any time you play a quarterback that can move between the tackles," Saban said. "Everybody has to be disciplined as far as their responsibility. The guy's already a fantastic athlete, so if you're not doing the right thing, you have no chance to succeed. Even if you do it exactly right, it still may be a challenge. Everybody's got to play with great effort, great intensity, great toughness and everybody's got to play team defense when you play against guys like this.

"This isn't the only guy that can beat you, but you've certainly got to make sure he doesn't beat you."

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The development of quarterback AJ McCarron came up more than once during the day.

As he's done throughout the spring and summer, Saban hinted that the Crimson Tide could be airing it out more than it has in recent years because of McCarron's talent and experience.

"You always try to feature the players you have on offense," Saban said. "I certainly think AJ is a guy who has proven that he's trustworthy to do the kind of things when you open up the offense, not to make the kind of mistakes with turning the ball over that can really hurt your team. I think you can make a lot more explosive plays that way.

"I think it's going to be important for our team this year, with the offensive line we have returning and the experience AJ has at the quarterback position, to be that type of team."

On College Football Live, Saban recounted a conversation he had with McCarron before the BCS National Championship.

"I said 'Look, AJ, I have total faith, trust and confidence that you'll make good choices and decisions in this game because we've got to put that in you," Saban said. "'We're going to have to throw the ball to be able to move the ball against this defense to be able to win. How are you going to be able to handle that? How are you going to be able to manage that? Can't force it. Got to take what the defense gives you.'

"He did a great job of that in that game. I really trust him. I think it's going to be important that he continues to show the kind of leadership he's shown in this offense all season so we have the kind of offense that really can be productive for us as our young defense sort of develops."

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Asked to highlight a few of the Crimson Tide's young and upcoming players, Saban largely deflected the question, but conceded by naming three.

"You have a lot of new players that have a tremendous amount of opportunity to show what they can do," Saban said. "T.J. Yeldon had a really good spring who is an incoming freshman who was there mid-semester. Amari Cooper is a freshman who is a wide receiver who may have an opportunity to do some really good things.

"I'd be remiss in not mentioning other guys I think could make a contribution to our team. Vinnie Sunseri was a real playmaker in the secondary and we're going to need some guys like that because we lost a lot of good football players from last year's team."

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Saban had a joke ready when he was asked to respond to

from South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Steve," Saban said. "I want to try to be like him, he's the winningest coach in the league. I want to wear a visor on the sidelines and throw it every now and then."

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