If you don’t subscribe to ESPN’s Herbstreit & Fitzsimmons podcast, you missed out on an interview with Nick Saban on the latest installment of the show.

This week’s episode featured a guest appearance by the Alabama head coach, who gave lengthy responses to questions regarding his current team, the state of college football as well as his future as a college coach.

The entire show can be listed to here over at ESPN.com but we’ve listed out every response from Saban’s interview below:

Question: What have you learned about your team after four games?

“I think that we’ve made some improvement as a team, I always think there are areas we would like to continue to improve. I think that we still make too many mental errors on defense. We haven’t been consistent in the way we run the ball on offense. Special team has been good but we have gotten too many penalties on special teams. I think we have almost 150 yards of returns that we took off the board because of some kind of penalty. There is plenty to work on, there is plenty for every individual player to work on, we actually did an assessment of every position and every unit as to what we need to improve on and those are some of the high points.”

Question: How has the transition to the new staff gone four games into the season?

“I think it’s going well, I’m pleased with our staff, we have a really good staff, one of the best we’ve had in a really long time. But the transition has been a little bit more than any other year I can remember because of the numbers and volume and all changes in leadership positions — offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator. It’s been good that we get a lot of new ideas and enthusiasm from these people but we also have a work in progress in terms of everyone learning how we do things. It’s been a little bit of a learning experience for a number of guys on the staff but I’m very pleased with the progress that we are making and the relationship with the players are good at every position and I think that’s most important as well.”

Question: How do you control the narrative that your team is unstoppable with Tua playing at such a high level and keep them from overlooking opponents?

“I think that’s always a concern but, what we try to do is keep the players focused on the reality of the world. There are lots of good teams in college football. Are we playing well enough to beat the best teams in college football? Are we playing well enough to beat the best teams in our league? Are we playing well enough to beat the best teams in our division? So, I think that sometimes that makes it more difficult but I talk to the players all the time about complacency, underestimating the opponents that we play and what it takes to play to our standard — not necessarily theirs — and that’s very difficult. I mean, you remember the rat poison thing last year, that basically was what that was all about. I mean, the noise outside that may make some people think in reality they may not quite be, sets up for complacency, a blatant disregard for doing what’s right — which means you start to create bad habits then all of a sudden you aren’t having the success you had before and then you get frustrated and it makes it even worse. So, having discipline, having the personal discipline to be the best player that you can because really, that’s what creates value for you. No disrespect to the people that are out there but they are fans and we have a lot of good fans and they have been really supportive but you know, it doesn’t make them an expert in their opinion when it comes from their emotion as to what kind of team we are right now. Me personally, I think we can get a lot better.”

Question: What have you seen from Tua and this offense that you are pleased with?

“We knew we were going to have a kinda different team this year. We knew we would be a different offensive team. We had really good skill players, really good runners. A lot of guys that could make plays in different ways. Having someone that’s done a good job of distributing the ball to those guys has been key to our success. Tua has certainly done a good job of that. I think Jalen has done a really good job as well. I’m pleased with the way he is playing when he’s had an opportunity. I think it’s important for us that he continues to have opportunities and has a chance to be a part of this program. I’ve talked many times before, this is a unique situation to have a guy with 26 wins under his belt then all of a sudden, somebody else is playing his position. We certainly respect Jalen for what he is doing for staying and doing everything he can to help the team, so I’m kinda pleased with both guys and sort of the whole leadership that we have on offense and the way our offense has sorta jelled and played well together as a unit.”

Question: On players around the country leaving midseason, what is your reaction to this development in college football?

“I think it’s a little bit of a timing issue. I think once you start a season and you invest a lot of time in helping players — not just in football but in personal development, academic support. When you start the season and everyone is all together, everyone needs to buy in and accept their role on the team and learn and grow with their team. I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned. Some get learned when things happen and even more are learned when things don’t go your way. And then, if it’s in the best interest of the player to go somewhere else at the end of the season then that’s probably a much – from a timing standpoint, a much better way to do it. It will be very difficult for many people to manage what is happening in college football and internally you have guys that are saying, ‘I’m not sure I want to play anymore this year because I’d rather get redshirted.’ Well, I think everyone would sorta of have an obligation to the player to help them academically, athletically, helping them be more successful in life but the player has an obligation too to do what he’s instructed to do. Being on scholarship and all the money that we invest in all the other things to help them be successful, their part of it is to do what they are supposed to do. What if a guy refuses to go to class, just refuses. I mean, what do we do? What if a guy refuses to play? I mean, these are the kinds of things that are happening right now and don’t bode well for the development of players, in terms of what it takes to be successful in life. There are occasions where it is best for a player to go somewhere else but there is a timing element to all that that’s really important and I don’t know how much value a player creates for himself when he walks off after four games.”

Question: Are you having as much fun today as you did during your early years of coaching?

“I feel great, I mean I love the process. I love the challenge of trying to go through every year and developing a team and trying to get guys to be the best version of themselves. It’s the one thing, I feel like, where we can create value through the years helping guys be successful. I mean when you walk off and do nothing, what value do you have? What purpose do you have? I don’t have a very good vision of how I would respond to that, and now I think Miss Terry doesn’t either so I think we are all in here right now.”

Question: So it doesn’t even cross your mind (the end of your coaching career)?

“Age is chronological, I think how old you are is very spiritual. I don’t feel old, maybe think other people think I’m old, but I don’t feel that way. My spirit is good, and as long as it’s good and I feel good, I’m going to keep doing this.”

Well, you look like a million bucks.

“Well, I don’t know about that. You are too kind.”