Nate Oats reveals what Alabama players must do to earn minutes

Nate Oats wants to see something specific from Alabama players as they compete for minutes this season.

It is not just about scoring or athleticism.

Oats, now in his eighth season as Alabama’s head coach, has a clear standard for who gets on the floor.

The Crimson Tide opened the 2026-27 season with a win over Sam Houston on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Next up is a home matchup against Arkansas State on Friday, Nov. 6.

That game carries extra weight because Arkansas State is led by Ryan Pannone, Oats’ former assistant.

Pannone spent two seasons on Oats’ staff, from 2023 to 2025.

During that time, Alabama reached its first Final Four in program history in 2024 and an Elite Eight in 2025.

The Crimson Tide led the nation in scoring in both of those seasons, averaging 90.1 points in 2023-24 and 90.7 in 2024-25.

Oats hired Pannone specifically to learn from him.

“When I hired him, I hired to learn from him,” Oats said on Thursday, Nov. 5, a day before the Arkansas State game.

“I want to hire good guys that are smarter than me, that I can learn from and make me a better coach.”

Pannone’s biggest contribution was helping Alabama create more scoring opportunities through off-ball movement.

Oats emphasized cuts to the basket as a key area of improvement.

“The most efficient field goal you can get is a cutting two,” Oats said.

“We didn’t get nearly enough cutting and movement in our offense.”

While Alabama already emphasized spacing, Oats credited Pannone with helping the team generate more assisted baskets at the rim.

Pannone also improved how Alabama studies after-timeout plays and organizes offseason offensive preparation.

Oats described a new approach to practice planning under Pannone’s influence.

“Like, let’s cover just straight switch attacks for like two weeks, and here are all the different ways you can attack switching,” Oats said.

“Then we’re gonna go how to attack aggressive coverages and blitz.”

Oats pointed to Alabama’s 2025 victory over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden as an example of this preparation.

Alabama had prepared assuming Rick Pitino’s team would blitz, but St. John’s never blitzed once.

Instead, as Oats put it, they “switch for 40 minutes.”

Because Alabama had practiced multiple coverages, they were ready for the adjustment.

“So, how do you guard switching? You cut,” Oats explained.

That is the standard Oats now expects from his current roster.

Players who cut hard, move without the ball, and create assisted baskets at the rim will earn minutes.

Players who stand and watch will not.

It is a system built on efficiency, not just volume.

Alabama comes into this season ranked No. 20 in the AP top-25 men’s basketball poll.

Oats has compiled a 170-73 record at Alabama prior to this season.

He has led the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament in all but one of his seven previous seasons.

That includes five Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights, and one Final Four.

Last season, Alabama finished 25-10 overall and 13-5 in SEC play.

They reached the Sweet 16 where they were eliminated by eventual national champion Michigan.

Now, with Pannone on the opposing sideline, Friday’s game will test how well Alabama has absorbed those lessons.

Oats also made a plea to fans ahead of the Arkansas State game.

“We need the student section completely full on a Friday night,” Oats said.

“And then we need everybody else that’s got tickets to make sure that they’re using the tickets.”

“We need this place to be full and support our guys.”

“I think we’ve got a really good roster.”

“I think we’re a fun team to watch.”

For Alabama’s opening game against Sam Houston, attendance was a little over 11,000.

Coleman Coliseum holds a little over 15,000 people.

Oats wants that gap closed, especially for a Friday night game against a team coached by a man who helped build Alabama’s offense.

The game is a reunion, but it is also a measuring stick.

Pannone knows Alabama’s system inside out.

Oats knows that Pannone will try to exploit any weaknesses.

“On Friday, Nov. 6, the Alabama basketball coach will have to figure out how to beat it,” the Tuscaloosa News reported.

That “it” refers to Pannone’s own adaptation of the system they built together.

What Oats wants from his players is simple in concept but hard in execution: move, cut, and create.

He wants the offense to be unpredictable, with multiple answers for whatever defense is thrown at them.