Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron said the Crimson Tide lacks "true leaders" and insinuated that coach Nick Saban had pulled back the reins on offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin during Saturday's loss at Ole Miss. McCarron, now with the Cincinnati Bengals, told Tide 99.1 on Tuesday evening that Alabama lacks "true leaders like we had last year." "Guys that, when things go bad, [say], 'Hey, let's calm everybody down, pick it back up and go back to work and get back on the right track,'" McCarron said. "I feel like when things go bad, this team struggles a little with bouncing back and making good plays." Saban responded to his former player's charge. "I don't think we played real well last week for whatever reasons," Saban told the radio station. "I don't know that that's all leadership. I'm sort of responsible for all that, as we all as coaches and players, to make sure that we're ready to play our best against good teams in tough environments on the road. "I don't know how AJ would really know, but I don't necessarily see that as the case." McCarron, a friend of Alabama starting quarterback Blake Sims, said the Crimson Tide played "very bland" on offense against Ole Miss. "I don't know if that's Lane doing that, or if Coach Saban has kind of put the handcuffs on Lane -- like I've known Coach to do in the past on his offensive coordinator," McCarron told the radio station. "It's going to be interesting to see how they bounce back ... and what type of offense comes out this week." Read more http://espn.go.com/college-football...on-says-alabama-crimson-tide-lacks-leadership
